Friday, February 22
Grand Forks, ND
6 PM ET/ 4 PM MT
Michigan State University
3-7
5
vs
6
University of North Dakota
3-8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Michigan State
0
0
0
1
3
0
1
5
10
1
North Dakota
0
6
0
0
0
0
X
6
9
1
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jannay Jones (2-2)
L: Walker, Alli (1-1)
S: Nikki Pica (1)
Batting:
2B: Ladd, Caitie 2
RBI: Ladd, Caitie 3 ; Paxson, Riley 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Echols, Charla 1 ; Eveland, Kaitlyn 2 ; Ladd, Caitie 1 ; Joseph, Abby 1
HBP: Echols, Charla 1
Batting:
2B: Deja Miller 1
3B: M. Marzolino 1
HR: Alicia Young 1
RBI: M. Marzolino 2 ; Alicia Young 1
Base Running:
RUNS: K. Schneider 1 ; M. Marzolino 1 ; Alicia Young 1 ; V. Minor 1 ; Lexi Mayhood 1 ; L. Hathaway 1
SB: Alicia Young 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
3
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C/3B
/ Softball3B
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballSS/UTL
/ Softball1B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
MSU Rallies late but falls short vs. North Dakota, 6-5
2/22/2019 10:14:00 PM | Softball
Paxson,Ladd, Eveland lead MSU with multiple hits
SPARTAN SYNOPSISÂ Â Â
 Michigan  State allowed North Dakota to take an early lead, but chipped away with a rally in the late  innings that came up just short, falling to the Fighting Hawks by a 6-5 score after clawing back from a 6-0 deficit in the rain-soaked  second inning.
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McKenna Gregory came on to pitch in relief in the second and went 4.1 innings, providing the Spartans a chance to rally and win the game late. She kept North Dakota off the board by scattering four hits and striking out a career-best four batters. Â
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MSU was scheduled to play an 11:30 am eastern time game on Friday, but rain soaked the fields all morning and the shuffled schedule pitted the Spartans vs. North Dakota. As the rain came back into the picture for the teams, the Fighting Hawks staged a two-out rally in the bottom of the second inning, starting it off with an Alicia Young homer. A pair of wild pitches led to the next two runs, and a double with two on pushed the lead to 6-0. MSU made a pitching change to bring in Gregory, who shut down North Dakota the rest of the way.  Â
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The Spartans regrouped and started their second-half rally. MSU scored a single run in the fourth and tacked on three in the fifth, as Riley Paxson picked up RBI singles  in both innings and a two-run double by Caitie Ladd in the fifth pulled within two at 6-4. In the top of the seventh, Ladd smacked her second double of the day for a third RBI and a 6-5 Spartan deficit, but ND reliever Nikki Pika got out of the inning with runners at the corners to preserve her team's victory.Â
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Maria Marzelino went 2-for-4 with three RBI, and leadoff hitter Deja Miller added two base hits. Starter Jannay Jones scattered eight hits over 4.2 innings, and Pica earned the save with a two-hit effort over the final 2.1 innings.
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MSU has the first two games on Saturday, taking on Boise State at 9 am MT / 11 am ET, and will follow with a game against the host school Grand Canyon. The Spartans will also get a rematch with the Fighting Hawks at 9 am MT / 11 am ET on Sunday morning. Â
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 TOP PERFORMERSÂ
•  Caitie Ladd had a two-run double and went 3-for-4 overall, scoring once and  posting three RBI.
•  Riley Paxson went 2-for-3 and had a pair of RBI, getting intentionally walked in the seventh inning.
•  Kaitlyn Eveland went 2-for-4.
•  McKenna Gregory came on in relief in the second, and struck out four while scattering four hits and two walks in 4.1 relief innings, not allowing a run..Â
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STATS AND STORYLINESÂ
•  Catcher Alicia Young hit a two-out solo homer in the bottom of the second inning to start a rally for the Fighting Hawks as a soaking rain came back into the area.   A walk and a pair of base hits later the bases were loaded, and a pair of wild pitches off of wet hands brought home two runs for a 3-0 Fighting Hawks advantage. With two runners still on base, Marina Marzolino stepped in and doubled to left, and made her way around the bases to score three runs and push the North Dakota lead to 6-0. McKenna Gregory came on in relief of starter Alli Walker and got the final out.Â
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•  MSU got its offense going in the third. Abby Joseph led off with a single up the middle, Katie Quinlan legged out an infield single, and Riley Paxson singled into left center to bring home Joseph for a the first MSU run of the day.
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•  The Spartans got right back into it in the top of the fifth, carrying over the momentum from the previous inning. Charla Echols and Kaitlyn Eveland led off the inning with consecutive singles, and came around to score on a double to the wall in center by Caitie Ladd. Joseph moved Ladd to third on a fielder's choice, and Paxson singled up the middle to cut the deficit to 6-4.Â
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•  North Dakota put a pair on in the bottom of the sixth, getting a base hit from Deja Miller and a walk to pinch hitter Joscelyn Kirk. Marzelino stepped in with two hits under her belt already on the day, and moved the runners into scoring position with a fielder's choice, but Gregory rang up Dani Romero to strand the two runners and keep the Spartans behind by a pair of runs.
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•  As the pitching kept MSU in the game, the Spartan offense seemed to find its groove in those late innings. Kaitlyn Eveland led off the top of the seventh with a single up the left field line, and Ladd found the same spot as her first double to add a second and plate Eveland to make it a one-run game. Joseph moved Ladd to third, and after another ground-ball out, Riley Paxson was intentionally walked. With runners at the corners, Nikki Pika coaxed a ground ball to keep the tying run at third and end the game.Â
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 Michigan  State allowed North Dakota to take an early lead, but chipped away with a rally in the late  innings that came up just short, falling to the Fighting Hawks by a 6-5 score after clawing back from a 6-0 deficit in the rain-soaked  second inning.
Â
McKenna Gregory came on to pitch in relief in the second and went 4.1 innings, providing the Spartans a chance to rally and win the game late. She kept North Dakota off the board by scattering four hits and striking out a career-best four batters. Â
Â
MSU was scheduled to play an 11:30 am eastern time game on Friday, but rain soaked the fields all morning and the shuffled schedule pitted the Spartans vs. North Dakota. As the rain came back into the picture for the teams, the Fighting Hawks staged a two-out rally in the bottom of the second inning, starting it off with an Alicia Young homer. A pair of wild pitches led to the next two runs, and a double with two on pushed the lead to 6-0. MSU made a pitching change to bring in Gregory, who shut down North Dakota the rest of the way.  Â
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The Spartans regrouped and started their second-half rally. MSU scored a single run in the fourth and tacked on three in the fifth, as Riley Paxson picked up RBI singles  in both innings and a two-run double by Caitie Ladd in the fifth pulled within two at 6-4. In the top of the seventh, Ladd smacked her second double of the day for a third RBI and a 6-5 Spartan deficit, but ND reliever Nikki Pika got out of the inning with runners at the corners to preserve her team's victory.Â
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Maria Marzelino went 2-for-4 with three RBI, and leadoff hitter Deja Miller added two base hits. Starter Jannay Jones scattered eight hits over 4.2 innings, and Pica earned the save with a two-hit effort over the final 2.1 innings.
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MSU has the first two games on Saturday, taking on Boise State at 9 am MT / 11 am ET, and will follow with a game against the host school Grand Canyon. The Spartans will also get a rematch with the Fighting Hawks at 9 am MT / 11 am ET on Sunday morning. Â
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 TOP PERFORMERSÂ
•  Caitie Ladd had a two-run double and went 3-for-4 overall, scoring once and  posting three RBI.
•  Riley Paxson went 2-for-3 and had a pair of RBI, getting intentionally walked in the seventh inning.
•  Kaitlyn Eveland went 2-for-4.
•  McKenna Gregory came on in relief in the second, and struck out four while scattering four hits and two walks in 4.1 relief innings, not allowing a run..Â
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STATS AND STORYLINESÂ
•  Catcher Alicia Young hit a two-out solo homer in the bottom of the second inning to start a rally for the Fighting Hawks as a soaking rain came back into the area.   A walk and a pair of base hits later the bases were loaded, and a pair of wild pitches off of wet hands brought home two runs for a 3-0 Fighting Hawks advantage. With two runners still on base, Marina Marzolino stepped in and doubled to left, and made her way around the bases to score three runs and push the North Dakota lead to 6-0. McKenna Gregory came on in relief of starter Alli Walker and got the final out.Â
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•  MSU got its offense going in the third. Abby Joseph led off with a single up the middle, Katie Quinlan legged out an infield single, and Riley Paxson singled into left center to bring home Joseph for a the first MSU run of the day.
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•  The Spartans got right back into it in the top of the fifth, carrying over the momentum from the previous inning. Charla Echols and Kaitlyn Eveland led off the inning with consecutive singles, and came around to score on a double to the wall in center by Caitie Ladd. Joseph moved Ladd to third on a fielder's choice, and Paxson singled up the middle to cut the deficit to 6-4.Â
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•  North Dakota put a pair on in the bottom of the sixth, getting a base hit from Deja Miller and a walk to pinch hitter Joscelyn Kirk. Marzelino stepped in with two hits under her belt already on the day, and moved the runners into scoring position with a fielder's choice, but Gregory rang up Dani Romero to strand the two runners and keep the Spartans behind by a pair of runs.
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•  As the pitching kept MSU in the game, the Spartan offense seemed to find its groove in those late innings. Kaitlyn Eveland led off the top of the seventh with a single up the left field line, and Ladd found the same spot as her first double to add a second and plate Eveland to make it a one-run game. Joseph moved Ladd to third, and after another ground-ball out, Riley Paxson was intentionally walked. With runners at the corners, Nikki Pika coaxed a ground ball to keep the tying run at third and end the game.Â
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Thursday, April 11
Spartans All-Access: Coach Sharonda McDonald-Kelley
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