Friday, March 1
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
2:30 PM ET / 1:30 PM CT
Michigan State University
4-10
8
vs
0
St. Francis (Pa.)
8-8
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Michigan State
4
2
1
1
0
8
7
0
Saint Francis
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
3
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Walker, Alli (2-3)
L: BOWER, Mikayla (3-4)
Batting:
2B: Ladd, Caitie 1 ; Joyner, Laney 1
HR: Meech, Mackenzie 1
RBI: Echols, Ebonee 1 ; Meech, Mackenzie 4 ; Joyner, Laney 1
SF: Echols, Ebonee 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Echols, Charla 1 ; Echols, Ebonee 1 ; Ladd, Caitie 2 ; Eveland, Kaitlyn 2 ; Meech, Mackenzie 1 ; Quinlan, Katie 1
SB: Echols, Charla 1 ; Eveland, Kaitlyn 1 ; Quinlan, Katie 2
CS: Joseph, Abby 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
4
Players Mentioned
C/3B
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
3B
/ Softball
1B
/ Softball
SS/UTL
/ SoftballSS/UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
Walker Tosses Two-Hit Shutout of St. Francis, 8-0
3/1/2019 4:32:00 PM | Softball
Meech smacks a grand slam for first career home run
SPARTAN SYNOPSISÂ Â Â
Â
Michigan State got a first-inning grand slam from Mackenzie Meech and a two-hit complete game from Alli Walker in a 8-0 victory (five innings) over St. Francis (PA) to open the Easton Crimson Classic in Tuscaloosa.Â
Â
Walker picked up her second win of the season (2-3) in tossing five two-hit innings, walking one and striking out two. Starter Mikayla Bower was replaced after the first inning where she allowed five earned runs and walked four, and Meadow Uncapher scattered five hits and allowed three runs.Â
Â
In addition to Meech's grand slam in the first inning, both Caitie Ladd and Laney Joyner had doubles, and seven of MSU's nine starters each had a base hit. MSU's offense was aided by three errors by the Red Flash, but also had seven base hits and drew seven walks. Both Kaitlyn Eveland and Katie Quinlan drew two walks, and Quinlan added a pair of stolen bases.Â
Â
 The Spartans finish the first day of competition with a game against No. 6 Alabama at 5 pm ET. Â
 TOP PERFORMERSÂ
•  Alli Walker started off the day with 3.2 innings of no-hit ball, and finished her second complete-game victory of the season walking one and allowing two base hits.Â
•  Mackenzie Meech smacked her first career homer, a grand slam in the top of the first. It is her third extra-base hit of the season.
•  Katie Quinlan singled, walked twice, and stole two bases.Â
•  Both Caitie Ladd and Laney Joyner went 1-for-2 with a double.
Â
Â
STATS AND STORYLINESÂ
•  The Spartans loaded the bases in the top of the first, on a single by Ebonee Echols, and walks to both Caitie Ladd and Kaitlyn Eveland. With two outs, Mackenzie Meech stepped in and launched a 2-0 pitch over the wall in right center for a 4-0 lead.  Â
•  In the second, Katie Quinlan led off with a walk, stole second, went to third on a Charla Echols single up the middle, and came home when a pickoff throw to second went past the second baseman and into center field. Charla Echols went to third on the play, and came home on a sac fly by Ebonee Echols for a 6-0 lead.Â
•  The Spartan offense continued to produce into the third, as Kaitlyn Eveland came around to score on a Laney Joyner double to right field. It was Joyner's first double of the season.  Â
•  Ladd doubled with one out in the top of the fourth, and Katelyn Hendershott moved her to third with a ground ball to second. Ladd came home on a wild pitch to make it 8-0 MSU.Â
•  Pinch hitter Allyn Bezjak broke up the no-hitter with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, singling into right field. She went to second on a wild pitch, but Cheyenne McKee lined out to Joyner at second to end the frame.
•  Kaitlyn Eveland walked in her first two plate appearances, and ranks eighth all-time at MSU in career walks with 73.Â
Â
Â
Â
Michigan State got a first-inning grand slam from Mackenzie Meech and a two-hit complete game from Alli Walker in a 8-0 victory (five innings) over St. Francis (PA) to open the Easton Crimson Classic in Tuscaloosa.Â
Â
Walker picked up her second win of the season (2-3) in tossing five two-hit innings, walking one and striking out two. Starter Mikayla Bower was replaced after the first inning where she allowed five earned runs and walked four, and Meadow Uncapher scattered five hits and allowed three runs.Â
Â
In addition to Meech's grand slam in the first inning, both Caitie Ladd and Laney Joyner had doubles, and seven of MSU's nine starters each had a base hit. MSU's offense was aided by three errors by the Red Flash, but also had seven base hits and drew seven walks. Both Kaitlyn Eveland and Katie Quinlan drew two walks, and Quinlan added a pair of stolen bases.Â
Â
 The Spartans finish the first day of competition with a game against No. 6 Alabama at 5 pm ET. Â
 TOP PERFORMERSÂ
•  Alli Walker started off the day with 3.2 innings of no-hit ball, and finished her second complete-game victory of the season walking one and allowing two base hits.Â
•  Mackenzie Meech smacked her first career homer, a grand slam in the top of the first. It is her third extra-base hit of the season.
•  Katie Quinlan singled, walked twice, and stole two bases.Â
•  Both Caitie Ladd and Laney Joyner went 1-for-2 with a double.
Â
Â
STATS AND STORYLINESÂ
•  The Spartans loaded the bases in the top of the first, on a single by Ebonee Echols, and walks to both Caitie Ladd and Kaitlyn Eveland. With two outs, Mackenzie Meech stepped in and launched a 2-0 pitch over the wall in right center for a 4-0 lead.  Â
•  In the second, Katie Quinlan led off with a walk, stole second, went to third on a Charla Echols single up the middle, and came home when a pickoff throw to second went past the second baseman and into center field. Charla Echols went to third on the play, and came home on a sac fly by Ebonee Echols for a 6-0 lead.Â
•  The Spartan offense continued to produce into the third, as Kaitlyn Eveland came around to score on a Laney Joyner double to right field. It was Joyner's first double of the season.  Â
•  Ladd doubled with one out in the top of the fourth, and Katelyn Hendershott moved her to third with a ground ball to second. Ladd came home on a wild pitch to make it 8-0 MSU.Â
•  Pinch hitter Allyn Bezjak broke up the no-hitter with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, singling into right field. She went to second on a wild pitch, but Cheyenne McKee lined out to Joyner at second to end the frame.
•  Kaitlyn Eveland walked in her first two plate appearances, and ranks eighth all-time at MSU in career walks with 73.Â
Â
Â
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