Friday, February 8
Miami, Fla.
4:45 PM ET
Michigan State University
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UConn
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7
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H
E
Connecticut
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9
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Michigan State
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2
UConn Tips Spartans in Opener, 3-2
2/8/2019 8:02:00 PM | Softball
Ebonee Echols Homers In First Game of the Season
SPARTAN SYNOPSIS
Michigan State rallied from a two-run deficit in the bottom of the sixth inning, but allowed an unearned run in the top of the seventh to fall to UConn, 3-2, in the Spartans' season opener at the Felsburg Invitational at Florida International.
The Huskies scored the winning run in the top of the seventh as Kelli Bates reached on a two-out error, and Carli Cutler brought her home with a fly ball to left that fell on the warning track.
Ebonee Echols hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to erase a 2-0 deficit for the Spartans. UConn had plated two in the top of the third inning on three base hits.
MSU had a pair of impressive defensive plays, eliminating a third UConn run in the third inning on a rundown between third and home, and a bullet from RF Katie Quinlan for a play at the plate that saved a run in the fifth inning. The Spartans, however, committed a pair of errors, including a two-out miscue in the top of the seventh that would have gotten MSU out of the inning.
MSU had strong performances from both its pitchers. Alli Walker tossed three innings of four-hit relief, allowing one unearned run after starter Jordan Watson gave up two runs and five hits over the first four frames. UConn starter Jill Stockley went the distance and scattered three hits, striking out four and walking four.
MSU is right back in action later this evening, taking on host Florida International at 8 pm.
TOP PERFORMERS
• Ebonee Echols hit her first home run of the season, a two-run shot, to tie the game in the sixth inning.
• Alli Walker tossed three innings of four-hit relief.
• Laney Joyner and Kaitlyn Eveland each had base hits for MSU.
STATS AND STORYLINES
• UConn got things going in the third inning, when Samantha Barnett led off with a single to right. Carli Cutler laced a two-out double to left center to score Kelli Bates, who had reached on a fielder's choice. A single by Chloe Kerns brought home Cutler for the 2-0 lead.
• Katie Quinlan reached in the bottom of the third on a hard-hit ball to short that was bobbled. Charla Echols reached on a fielder's choice, and moved to second on an infield single by Kaitlyn Eveland. UConn pitcher Jill Stockley got out of the inning by getting Caitie Ladd to fly out to center to end the inning.
• Alli Walker made her Spartan debut in the top of the fifth. Jordan Watson scattered five hits and allowed two earned runs over the first four innings. Walker gave up a double to Barnett, and pinch runner Ashley Esty went to third on a fly ball to right. Esty tested catcher Charla Echols on a passed ball, and got caught in a rundown for the second out of the inning. A single by Bates kept the UConn hopes alive in the inning, and an infield error allowed Cutler to reach safely and put two on for the Huskies. A ball hit to right was fired back in by Katie Quinlan to nab Bates at the plate for the third out.
* In the bottom of the sixth, Lexi White came on to pinch hit and drew a four-ball walk with two outs. Ebonee Echols stepped in and hit a ball over the wall in right center to knot the game at 2-2.
• In the top of the seventh, Walker got two quick outs on ground balls to the infield, but Bates was able to reach on an infield error. Cutler stepped in and delivered the game-winning hit, bringing Bates around to score the go-ahead run for a 3-2 lead. MSU had a baserunner in the seventh when Laney Joyner drew a walk, but the Spartans couldn't get her around to score the equalizer.
Michigan State rallied from a two-run deficit in the bottom of the sixth inning, but allowed an unearned run in the top of the seventh to fall to UConn, 3-2, in the Spartans' season opener at the Felsburg Invitational at Florida International.
The Huskies scored the winning run in the top of the seventh as Kelli Bates reached on a two-out error, and Carli Cutler brought her home with a fly ball to left that fell on the warning track.
Ebonee Echols hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to erase a 2-0 deficit for the Spartans. UConn had plated two in the top of the third inning on three base hits.
MSU had a pair of impressive defensive plays, eliminating a third UConn run in the third inning on a rundown between third and home, and a bullet from RF Katie Quinlan for a play at the plate that saved a run in the fifth inning. The Spartans, however, committed a pair of errors, including a two-out miscue in the top of the seventh that would have gotten MSU out of the inning.
MSU had strong performances from both its pitchers. Alli Walker tossed three innings of four-hit relief, allowing one unearned run after starter Jordan Watson gave up two runs and five hits over the first four frames. UConn starter Jill Stockley went the distance and scattered three hits, striking out four and walking four.
MSU is right back in action later this evening, taking on host Florida International at 8 pm.
TOP PERFORMERS
• Ebonee Echols hit her first home run of the season, a two-run shot, to tie the game in the sixth inning.
• Alli Walker tossed three innings of four-hit relief.
• Laney Joyner and Kaitlyn Eveland each had base hits for MSU.
STATS AND STORYLINES
• UConn got things going in the third inning, when Samantha Barnett led off with a single to right. Carli Cutler laced a two-out double to left center to score Kelli Bates, who had reached on a fielder's choice. A single by Chloe Kerns brought home Cutler for the 2-0 lead.
• Katie Quinlan reached in the bottom of the third on a hard-hit ball to short that was bobbled. Charla Echols reached on a fielder's choice, and moved to second on an infield single by Kaitlyn Eveland. UConn pitcher Jill Stockley got out of the inning by getting Caitie Ladd to fly out to center to end the inning.
• Alli Walker made her Spartan debut in the top of the fifth. Jordan Watson scattered five hits and allowed two earned runs over the first four innings. Walker gave up a double to Barnett, and pinch runner Ashley Esty went to third on a fly ball to right. Esty tested catcher Charla Echols on a passed ball, and got caught in a rundown for the second out of the inning. A single by Bates kept the UConn hopes alive in the inning, and an infield error allowed Cutler to reach safely and put two on for the Huskies. A ball hit to right was fired back in by Katie Quinlan to nab Bates at the plate for the third out.
* In the bottom of the sixth, Lexi White came on to pinch hit and drew a four-ball walk with two outs. Ebonee Echols stepped in and hit a ball over the wall in right center to knot the game at 2-2.
• In the top of the seventh, Walker got two quick outs on ground balls to the infield, but Bates was able to reach on an infield error. Cutler stepped in and delivered the game-winning hit, bringing Bates around to score the go-ahead run for a 3-2 lead. MSU had a baserunner in the seventh when Laney Joyner drew a walk, but the Spartans couldn't get her around to score the equalizer.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: STOCKLEY, Jill (1-0)
L: Watson, Jordan (0-1)
Batting:
2B: CUTLER, CARLI 1 ; BARNETT, Samantha 1
RBI: CUTLER, CARLI 2 ; KERNS, Chloe 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BATES, Kelli 2 ; CUTLER, CARLI 1
Batting:
HR: Echols, Ebonee 1
RBI: Echols, Ebonee 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Meech, Mackenzie 1 ; Echols, Ebonee 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C/3B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
3B
/ Softball
SS/UTL
/ Softball
2B/UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
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