Michigan State University
27-21, 0
Indiana
23-28, 0
Spartan Bats Stymied at Indiana, 1-0
5/6/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score | PDF Box : IU 1, MSU 0 
SPARTAN SYNOPSIS
Michigan State dropped a tough 1-0 decision on Saturday afternoon at Indiana, unable to get the bats going at any point of the ballgame.
The game was a pitcher's duel, with zeroes across the scoreboard until the bottom of the fifth inning. Both IU starter Tara Trainer and MSU's Bridgette Rainey were stingy to their opposing lineups, but Trainer came out on the winning end in a complete-game effort. The Hoosier righty struck out six, walking one and scattering just three hits. She only twice allowed more than one runner in an inning.
Rainey had an impressive performance as well, as she allowed just six hits, twice working out of bases-loaded jams. She went the distance, struck out three and walked five. The only run of the game coming in the fifth, on a leadoff single by Rebecca Blitz and a RBI double by Rebecca O'Malley. She limited the damage to just the one score, but MSU couldn't get anything going against Trainor on the day and the run proved enough to take a victory in the opening game of the series.
Kelcey Carrasco continued to swing a hot bat, recording two of MSU's three hits on the afternoon, Lindsey Besson also had a base hit.
The Spartans fall to 27-20 overall and 9-12 in Big Ten play with two games remaining in the regular season. IU is now 23-28, and tied with MSU with a 9-12 Conference record.
The teams play game two on Sunday at 1 pm.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Kelcey Carrasco, Lindsey Besson, and Melanie Baccay had MSU's base hits.
- Bridgette Rainey tossed a complete game, scattering six hits and striking out three.
QUOTABLE
" We pitched well enough to win, and we played well enough defensively to win - I'm just disappointed in our performance at the plate today. Credit to the Indiana pitcher [Tara] Trainer - she really did a nice job today. Bridgette Rainey also had a solid complete-game outing, but three hits is not going to win you many ballgames., so she comes out on the short end despite certainly pitching well enough to win."
-- Head Coach Jacquie Joseph
STATS AND STORYLINES
- The first real threat for either team came when IU loaded the bases with back-to-back singles and a walk, all with one out, in the bottom of the third. Taylor Uden popped up to short for the second out of the inning, and Rainey struck out DH Caramia Tsirigos looking to end the Hoosier threat. Rainey also worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth.
- MSU put two on in the top of the fifth, as Kelcey Carrasco drew a leadoff walk and Lindsey Besson rapped a two-out single, but Tara Trainer got Baccay on strikes to leave both runners stranded.
- In the bottom of the fifth, a leadoff single by Rebecca Blitz and a walk to Uden put two on for the home team before MSU could record an out. Rainey retired Tsirigos on a fly ball to center to move the lead runner to third, and Blitz came home on a double by Rachel O'Malley for the first run of the game. Katie Lacefield popped out to Eveland at third for the second out, and McDonough popped out to Baccay at second to end the inning.
- Foerster was robbed of a base hit by a great stab from IU second baseman Erin Lehman to lead off the sixth, but throwing error by Lehman allowed McKenzie Long to advance to second. The shortstop took third on a wild pitch, but Eveland was retired on a fly ball to center to end the inning.
- In the seventh, Carrasco led off the inning with a single down the right field line, but Trainer retired the next three batters in order to preserve the victory.
- The Spartans were shut out for the third time this season, and for the first time since March 5 at No. 16 Georgia. MSU also was shut out by No. 25 FAU on Feb. 12.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Tara Trainer (13-15)
L: Rainey, Bridgette (12-8)
Batting:
2B: Rachel O'Malley 1 ; Katie Lacefield 1
RBI: Rachel O'Malley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rebecca Blitz 1
HBP: Rachel O'Malley 1
