Saturday, February 23
Phoenix, Ariz.
1:30 PM ET/ 11:30 AM MT
Michigan State University
3-9
2
vs
7
Grand Canyon University
5-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Michigan State
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
2
6
0
Grand Canyon
0
0
0
5
2
0
X
7
9
1
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Morrison, Y (1-2)
L: Walker, Alli (1-2)
Batting:
2B: White, Lexi 1
3B: Joseph, Abby 1
RBI: Ladd, Caitie 1 ; Schreckengost, Shae 1
SF: Ladd, Caitie 1 ; Schreckengost, Shae 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Eveland, Kaitlyn 1 ; Joseph, Abby 1
SB: Eveland, Kaitlyn 1 ; Callahan, Summer 1
Batting:
2B: Smith, Sh 1 ; Dowdle, M 1 ; Kaye, T 1
RBI: Smith, Sh 1 ; Olsen, T 1 ; Tourville, S 1 ; Dowdle, M 2 ; Kaye, T 1
SF: Olsen, T 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Smith, Si 2 ; Tetone, T 1 ; Smith, Sh 2 ; Acton, K 1 ; Dowdle, M 1
HBP: Holland, K 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
3B
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
SS/UTL
/ Softball1B
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballDP
/ Softball
MSU falls at Host Grand Canyon
2/23/2019 4:58:00 PM | Softball
Joseph picks up her first career triple
SPARTAN SYNOPSISÂ Â Â
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Michigan State fell to host Grand Canyon on Saturday afternoon, dropping a 7-2 decision to the Lopes at the Purple Classic. The Spartans fall to 3-9 with the loss, and turn their attention to Sunday's tournament finale against North Dakota.  Grand Canyon won its third straight game, improving to 5-6 on the season.Â
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A five-run fourth inning got the home team back into the game, knocking four base hits (three doubles) to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 5-2 advantage. GCU tacked on another two runs in the fifth inning as well. For the Lopes, Sierra Smith and her twin Shea each had a pair of base hits, while Savannah Tourville went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Madelyn Dowdle had two RBI. Yesina Morrison picked up the win with a five-inning outing in which she surrendered six hits and two earned runs. Alexa Coons came on in relief and pitched two innings
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Alli Walker earned the start and went 3.2 innings, surrendering five earned runs while walking two and scattering five hits. McKenna Gregory came on with two outs in the bottom of the fourth and went the remainder of the game.Â
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Abby Joseph recorded her first career triple and Lexi White led MSU with two base hits, including a double. Kaitlyn Eveland, Katie Quinlan, and Riley Paxson also had base hits, and Shae Schreckengost had a sac fly RBI.Â
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MSU will play North Dakota in its tournament finale on Sunday morning at 9 am. Â
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  QUOTABLEÂ
"Obviously this wasn't what we were looking for before the weekend. Its taking us a bit to settle into some new roles and most importantly, find some consistency. We were far better today defensively. Alli Walker went six innings in the second game today and really toughed it out through some jams. It may be hard sometimes for people to find the positive in losses, but that's absolutely what we're going to do as we strive to find that consistency we're looking for. We're going to head home and reinforce that we're on the right track in many areas and continue to work." Â
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 TOP PERFORMERSÂ
•  Abby Joseph picked up her first career triple, going 1-for-2 with a walk. Â
•  Lexi White went 2-for- 3with a double.Â
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STATS AND STORYLINESÂ
•  The Spartans made an early offensive jump in the first inning. Kaitlyn Eveland walked went to second on a ground ball by Katie Quinlan and scored on a sac fly by Caitie Ladd. Riley Paxson and Lexi White followed with base hits, but were stranded.
•  In the bottom of the second, the leadoff batter Shea Smith walked, and tried to go to third on a bunt single by Savannah Torville but was beat to the bag by the tag from Caitie Ladd for the second out of the inning. Walker got a ground-ball out to end the inning.
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•  MSU tried to manufacture some more runs in the top of the third. Kaitlyn Eveland and Katie Quinlan led off the inning with back-to-back singles, but pitcher Yesinia Morrison jammed the next two batters for popups then enticed a fly out in foul territory to end the inning.
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•  Abby Joseph led off the top of the fourth with a standup triple to right center, the first triple of her career. Joyner followed with a fielder's choice, and both runners were safe to leave runners at the corners. Shae Schreckengost put a sac fly into left to score Joseph for a 2-0 lead.
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•  The Lopes finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. A single up the middle by Sierra Smith started off the inning, and Kaileigh Holland took first after being hit by a pitch. Shea Smith smacked a double to the base of the wall to score Smith, and then a sac fly by Taylor Olson tied the game at 2-2 as she brought home Taylor Tetone. A walk to Lilly Bishop put a second runner on and Madelyn Dowdle brought both runners home with a double to deep center to make it a 4-2 lead for the home team. Taylor Kaye greeted reliever McKenna Gregory with a double up the left field line for a fifth run, and third with two outs on the board.
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•  GCU got a leadoff single in the fifth from Sierra Smith and a one-out single from her twin Shea Smith to put two on base with one out. Olson launched a long fly into center field to move the runners into scoring position with two outs, but a passed ball allowed the runner to score from third for a 6-2 lead. Tourville singled up the middle to bring another run across, pushing the home team's lead out to five at 7-2. Â
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Michigan State fell to host Grand Canyon on Saturday afternoon, dropping a 7-2 decision to the Lopes at the Purple Classic. The Spartans fall to 3-9 with the loss, and turn their attention to Sunday's tournament finale against North Dakota.  Grand Canyon won its third straight game, improving to 5-6 on the season.Â
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A five-run fourth inning got the home team back into the game, knocking four base hits (three doubles) to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 5-2 advantage. GCU tacked on another two runs in the fifth inning as well. For the Lopes, Sierra Smith and her twin Shea each had a pair of base hits, while Savannah Tourville went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Madelyn Dowdle had two RBI. Yesina Morrison picked up the win with a five-inning outing in which she surrendered six hits and two earned runs. Alexa Coons came on in relief and pitched two innings
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Alli Walker earned the start and went 3.2 innings, surrendering five earned runs while walking two and scattering five hits. McKenna Gregory came on with two outs in the bottom of the fourth and went the remainder of the game.Â
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Abby Joseph recorded her first career triple and Lexi White led MSU with two base hits, including a double. Kaitlyn Eveland, Katie Quinlan, and Riley Paxson also had base hits, and Shae Schreckengost had a sac fly RBI.Â
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MSU will play North Dakota in its tournament finale on Sunday morning at 9 am. Â
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  QUOTABLEÂ
"Obviously this wasn't what we were looking for before the weekend. Its taking us a bit to settle into some new roles and most importantly, find some consistency. We were far better today defensively. Alli Walker went six innings in the second game today and really toughed it out through some jams. It may be hard sometimes for people to find the positive in losses, but that's absolutely what we're going to do as we strive to find that consistency we're looking for. We're going to head home and reinforce that we're on the right track in many areas and continue to work." Â
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- Head Coach Jacquie Joseph
 TOP PERFORMERSÂ
•  Abby Joseph picked up her first career triple, going 1-for-2 with a walk. Â
•  Lexi White went 2-for- 3with a double.Â
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STATS AND STORYLINESÂ
•  The Spartans made an early offensive jump in the first inning. Kaitlyn Eveland walked went to second on a ground ball by Katie Quinlan and scored on a sac fly by Caitie Ladd. Riley Paxson and Lexi White followed with base hits, but were stranded.
•  In the bottom of the second, the leadoff batter Shea Smith walked, and tried to go to third on a bunt single by Savannah Torville but was beat to the bag by the tag from Caitie Ladd for the second out of the inning. Walker got a ground-ball out to end the inning.
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•  MSU tried to manufacture some more runs in the top of the third. Kaitlyn Eveland and Katie Quinlan led off the inning with back-to-back singles, but pitcher Yesinia Morrison jammed the next two batters for popups then enticed a fly out in foul territory to end the inning.
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•  Abby Joseph led off the top of the fourth with a standup triple to right center, the first triple of her career. Joyner followed with a fielder's choice, and both runners were safe to leave runners at the corners. Shae Schreckengost put a sac fly into left to score Joseph for a 2-0 lead.
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•  The Lopes finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. A single up the middle by Sierra Smith started off the inning, and Kaileigh Holland took first after being hit by a pitch. Shea Smith smacked a double to the base of the wall to score Smith, and then a sac fly by Taylor Olson tied the game at 2-2 as she brought home Taylor Tetone. A walk to Lilly Bishop put a second runner on and Madelyn Dowdle brought both runners home with a double to deep center to make it a 4-2 lead for the home team. Taylor Kaye greeted reliever McKenna Gregory with a double up the left field line for a fifth run, and third with two outs on the board.
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•  GCU got a leadoff single in the fifth from Sierra Smith and a one-out single from her twin Shea Smith to put two on base with one out. Olson launched a long fly into center field to move the runners into scoring position with two outs, but a passed ball allowed the runner to score from third for a 6-2 lead. Tourville singled up the middle to bring another run across, pushing the home team's lead out to five at 7-2. Â
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A Road Less Traveled | Spartans All-Access
Thursday, April 17
A Higher Standard | Spartans All-Access
Tuesday, February 11
Spartans All-Access: Jenae Wash
Thursday, April 11
Spartans All-Access: Coach Sharonda McDonald-Kelley
Thursday, April 20