Michigan State University
15-7
Kennesaw State
19-5
Spartans Drop 7-3 Decision at Kennesaw State
3/11/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score | PDF Box Score: KSU 7, MSU 3 
SPARTAN SYNOPSIS
Michigan State dropped its third straight game, falling to Kennesaw State, 7-3 on Saturday evening.
MSU is now 15-7 overall with its first multiple-game losing streak of the season. Prior to the weekend, MSU had not lost back-to-back games; MSU fell in walkoff fashion both Friday night to Kennesaw (9-8) and earlier on Saturday to Tennessee Tech (10-8).
MSU gave up double-digit hits for the third straight game, as Kristina Zalewski scattered 10 in her first complete game effort of 2017. She struck out seven and walked just one. The Spartans had seven hits in the game and drew four walks, stranding nine runners - the second-highest total in a game this season.
Lea Foerster led off the game with her seventh home run of the season, which was MSU's only lead of the game. Ebonee Echols had an RBI single in the sixth inning to cut KSUs lead down to 6-3, but an insurance run for the home team made it a four-run contest.
MSU plays Tennessee Tech on Sunday morning at 10 am to wrap up their 11-game Spring Break schedule.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Ebonee Echols had a two-RBI single in the sixth.
- Sarah Gutknecht was 2-for-3.
- Lea Foerster hit her team-high seventh homer of the season, going 2-for-4
- Kristina Zalewski tossed a complete game of six innings, scattering 10 hits and allowing all seven runs.
STATS AND STORYLINES
- Lea Foerster lead off the first inning with a homer that traveled 225 feet into the field beyond the right field fence for a 1-0 lead.
- In the bottom of the second, a leadoff double by Courtney Sutter followed by a Spartan error allowed the catcher to move to third, and she came home on a single up the middle by Noelle Winkles . Zalewski locked in and struck out the next three batters to close out the inning.
- The home team put together a six-hit effort that plated four runs in the bottom of the third, beginning with back-to-back one-out singles followed by a triple from Katey Lynch. Lynch came home on a wild pitch, and the Owls got consecutive singles from Wingkes, Griffin, and McCulley to bring home the fourth score of the frame to make it a 5-1 advantage.
- Starter Jenna Kniss walked two Spartans around a strikeout in the top of the fourth, and the Owls made a pitching change - they went back to Friday starter Alley Cutting. She got Katelyn Hendershott on a fielder's choice, and then a groundout to end the inning.
- MSU staged a bit of a rally in the top of the sixth. Lexi White reached on a one-out fielder's choice, and then Melanie Baccay was hit by a pitch. Lea Foerster's single to right moved the runners to load the bases, and Ebonee Echols single right up the middle plated two runs and after Echols advanced on the throw, that left runners in scoring position for Celeste Wood, but she grounded out to second to end the threat.
- A leadoff walk, stolen base, and pair of wild pitches allowed the Owls to post an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.
- The Spartans stranded nine runners, the second-highest total of the season behind the 10 at LMU on Feb. 26. MSU also left nine on Friday vs. ETSU.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cutting (9-2)
L: Zalewski, Kristina (1-1)
Batting:
HR: Foerster, Lea 1
RBI: Foerster, Lea 1 ; Echols, Ebonee 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Foerster, Lea 1 ; White, Lexi 1 ; Baccay, Melanie 1
HBP: Baccay, Melanie 1
Batting:
2B: Sutter 1
3B: Lynch 1
RBI: Lynch 2 ; Winkles 1 ; McCulley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Thomason 1 ; Tamewitz 1 ; Lynch 1 ; Sutter 1 ; Winkles 1 ; Cannington 1 ; Denton 1
SB: McCulley 1 ; Cannington 1
