MSU Earns Run-Rule Win Over Dayton, 9-1

SPARTAN SYNOPSIS

Michigan State earned a 9-1 run-rule victory in six innings over Dayton on Saturday morning to start off the Miami Invitational.

MSU led 5-1 through five innings and produced four runs in the home half of the sixth to end the game with one on and no outs.

The Spartans (8-15) exploded for a season-best 14 base hits, including three each from Charla Echols and MacKenzie Meech, who ripped a pair of doubles. Ebonee Echols was 2-for-4 with a triple and three RBI. Lexi White also had a pair of base hits, and Shae Schreckengost had her first career base hit, an RB I single to bring home MSU's ninth run to end the contest.

Alli Walker pitched five strong innings, scattering five hits and a single run in her final inning. McKenna Gregory came on relief and gave up a leadoff hit before retiring the next three batters she saw. Dayton had six different players with base hits, but only Madi Maloof was able to get a runner home with her RBI single in the fifth.

The Spartans play host Miami at 4 pm on Saturday then twice more on Sunday to wrap up its final non-conference tournament.

TOP PERFORMERS
• Alli Walker went five innings, scattering five hits and allowing just one run. McKenna Gregory came on in relief and tossed a one-hit sixth inning.
• Charla Echols went 3-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored.
• Ebonee Echols was 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBI.
• MacKenzie Meech was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and an RBI

STATS AND STORYLINES
• Michigan State looked to have something going in the bottom of the first, as Charla Echols drew a one-out walk and she moved to third on a two-out double by Ebonee Echols, but both runners were stranded.
• The Spartans opened the scoring in the bottom of the third. Charla Echols singled, and MacKenzie Meech moved her to third with a double. Ebonee Echols brought both home, but was gunned down trying to stretch it into a double.
• Lexi White and Laney Joyner put together back-to-back one-out singles in the bottom of the fourth after the Flyers made a pitching change, going to Olivia Lessmann. Riley Paxson singled to load the bases, and a sac fly by Joanna Bartz brought home pinch runner Abby Joesph for the first Spartan run of the inning. Charla Echols stepped in and singled to right to score Joyner to push the MSU lead to 4-0. MSU had four base hits in the inning, more than the three hits off starter Jessica Gilliam.
• Dayton put together a two-out rally in the fifth inning, stringing together three straight singles from Hannah Heraty, Alyssa Cacini, and Madi Maloof to plate the first Flyer run of the game. Walker got Mallory Kimmell to ground out to short to end the inning
• Meech doubled to right center in the bottom of the fifth, moved to second on a ground ball by Ebonee Echols, and then came home to score on a sac fly by Kaitlyn Eveland.
• McKenna Gregory replaced Walker in the circle in the top of the sixth. She surrendered a leadoff double to Kyle Davidson, and then two outs later, Davidson moved to third on a wild pitch, but Gregory got out of the inning with a groundout to preserve the four-run lead.
• The top of the Spartan order struck again in the bottom of the sixth, blowing the game open with a four-run inning that halted the game due to the run rule. Quinlan walked and went to second on a wild pitch, and then moved to third on a single by Charla Echols. Meech singled to bring home Quinlan to make it 6-1, and then Ebonee Echols rioped a triple into right center to score both Meech and her sister to tack on two more runs. Shae Schreckengost stepped in and delivered a pinch-hit single – her first collegiate hit – to score Ebonee Echols for the 9-1 final.

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Team Stats

Charla Echols

Mackenzie Meech

Ebonee Echols

Lexi White

Players Mentioned

Joanna Bartz

Charla Echols

Ebonee Echols

Kaitlyn Eveland

McKenna Gregory

Laney Joyner

Mackenzie Meech

Riley Paxson

Shae Schreckengost

Alli Walker

Lexi White