Spartans Drop Series Finale to Indiana, 5-1

Saturday, March 31

Secchia Stadium

4:00 PM

Michigan State University

13-18, 0

Indiana

13-21, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Indiana	0	0	1	2	1	0	1	5	8	1
Michigan State	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	5	1

3/31/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

March 31, 2018

Box Score | PDF Box: Indiana 5, MSU 1

SPARTAN SYNOPSIS

Indiana closed out a sweep of Michigan State with a 5-1, rain-delayed decision at Secchia Stadium on Sunday.

The start of the game was delayed three hours from a 1 pm to a 4 pm start.

Gabbi Jenkins had a pair of singles and a triple for the Hoosiers (13-21, 6-0 B1G), with the triple scoring the run in the third inning. In the top of the fourth, Sarah Galovich hit a two-run homer that gave the Hoosiers a 3-1 lead, and an RBI double by Katie Lacefield tacked on the fourth run with her RBI double in the top of the fifth. Tara Trainer picked up her second complete-game win in the circle on the weekend, walking three and striking out one.

MSU scattered its five base hits among five players, including doubles from McKenzie Long and Kaitlyn Eveland. Jordan Watson pitched the first four innings and struck out five, scattering five hits and allowing three earned runs. Bridgette Rainey pitched the final three innings, walking two and striking out two in addition to surrendering one earned run.

MSU is scheduled to play Notre Dame on Tuesday at 4 pm at Secchia Stadium, then wrap up the eight-game homestand next weekend when it hosts Minnesota for a three-game series.

TOP PERFORMERS

Kaitlyn Eveland and McKenzie Long each had a double.

Sophomore Jordan Watson struck out a career-best five in a four-inning outing, allowing three earned runs.

Bridgette Rainey went three innings, surrendering one earned run and striking out two in a relief appearance.

QUOTABLE
"We pitched well enough to win each of the three games in this series, but we left 10, nine, and eight runners in the three games -- we aren't executing team offense where we move runners and get runs on the board. The lack of consistency in that area has plagued us all year. We scored six runs or more in four straight games, but then only scored five total this weekend while leaving 27 on base. We've been in all of these games -- two one-run losses this weekend, leaving just too many runs on the basepaths at the end of an inning."

Head Coach Jacquie Joseph

STATS AND STORYLINES

The Hoosiers had a baserunner in the first on a single by Jenkins, but went down in order in the second. In the top of the third, the Hoosiers broke through for the first run of the game. Jenkins hit a one-out triple into left center, and then came home on a single by Blitz that just snuck through the left side. After Westmoreland flew out, Blitz was caught stealing for the third out of the inning.

The Spartans went down in order in the first and left the bases loaded in the second inning, but tied the game in the third. Lea Foerster was hit by a pitch, and Kelcey Carrasco drew a two-out walk. Long followed with a double to the gap in left center to score Foerster and make it a 1-1 ballgame.

IU tacked on a pair of runs in the top of the fourth, all with two outs. After Watson retired the first two batters on strikeouts looking, Rachel O'Malley reached on a single to keep the inning going, and then Sarah Galovich cracked her second home run of the season over the wall in right field. After a walk, Foerster made an impressive diving grab on a Lambert rip into right center to end the inning.

Rainey came on to throw in the top of the fifth inning, gave up a single to Jenkins for her third hit of the day, and then walked Blitz for a pair of runners on without an out. After Westmoreland struck out, Katie Lacefield doubled, bringing home Jenkins. Blitz tried for a second run on the play, but was gunned down at home. A fly ball by Uden ended the inning, but the visitors had a 4-1 lead.

In the top of the seventh, Rainey got the first two outs of the inning, but a throwing error on a ground ball in the infield allowed Rebecca Blitz to advance all the way to third. Westmoreland legged out a single deep in the hole at short, scoring Blitz easily to make it 5-1.

The Spartans started off the seventh with a single by pinch hitter Kelly Zackrison and a walk by Lexi White. Trainer got the next three batters to end the game.

Kelcey Carrasco threw out a pair of runners on the day.

Sophomore Jordan Watson surpassed her previous career high for strikeouts in a game, which had been four vs. Loyola-Marymount last March. She scattered five hits and three earned runs in today's game.