Saturday, March 2
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
12:00 PM ET/ 11 AM CT
Michigan State University
5-11
8
vs
2
St. Francis (Pa.)
8-9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Saint Francis
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
2
11
1
Michigan State
0
0
0
0
2
6
X
8
8
1
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gregory, McKenna (1-3)
L: CLARK, Christina (3-2)
Batting:
2B: SABAN, Mekenzie 1 ; McKEE, Cheyenne 1 ; BOWER, Mikayla 1 ; CRAWFORD, Brittney 1 ; ROUSSEAU, Tayven 1
RBI: ROUSSEAU, Tayven 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SABAN, Mekenzie 1 ; CRAWFORD, Brittney 1
Batting:
2B: Echols, Ebonee 1 ; Quinlan, Katie 1
HR: Echols, Charla 1 ; Meech, Mackenzie 1
RBI: Echols, Charla 2 ; Echols, Ebonee 2 ; Meech, Mackenzie 1 ; Joyner, Laney 1 ; Quinlan, Katie 1
SH: White, Lexi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Echols, Charla 2 ; Meech, Mackenzie 1 ; Eveland, Kaitlyn 1 ; Joyner, Laney 1 ; Joseph, Abby 2 ; Quinlan, Katie 1
CS: Echols, Charla 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
2
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
C/3B
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
3B
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballSS/UTL
/ Softball
SS/UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
DP
/ Softball
Six-Run Rally Leads to 8-2 Win Over Saint Francis
3/2/2019 3:30:00 PM | Softball
Meech, Charla Echols Homer in Spartan Victory
SPARTAN SYNOPSISÂ Â Â
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Michigan State downed Saint Francis, 8-2, on Saturday morning in the second meeting of the teams at the Easton Crimson Classic at Alabama.Â
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The offense came late for the Spartans (5-11), who put two runs on the board in both the fifth and added six scores in the sixth inning. Charla Echols smacked a two-run homer in the fifth, and Mackenzie Meech posted a solo shot in the sixth. Laney Joyner, Katie Quinlan, and Ebonee Echols had RBI hits in the sixth inning as well.
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McKenna Gregory came on in relief for the MSU  in the third inning, throwing 3.2 innings and scattering four  hits to earn her first victory of the season.  Saint Francis did have 11 hits on the day – two each for Cheyenne McKee, Brittney Crawford and Kassidy Troxell – but stranded 11 baserunners in the game.
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In the circle for Saint Francis, starter Christina Clark took the loss after 5.1 innings of work, giving up six hits and five runs, striking out three and walking three.Â
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The second game for the Spartans on Saturday comes at 7 pm ET / 6 pm CT vs. Â Southern Miss.Â
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 TOP PERFORMERSÂ
•  Charla Echols smacked her second home run of the season in the fifth inning to tie the game, and went 2-for-3 overall with a walk and two RBI.    Â
•  Ebonee Echols went 3-for-4 with two RBI and her third double of the season.    Â
•  McKenna Gregory came on in relief in the third inning for the second straight game and tossed 3.2 innings of four-hit ball without allowing a run. She struck out one.  Â
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STATS AND STORYLINESÂ
•  Saint Francis, which faced Walker on Friday and was no-hit for the first three and two-thirds innings, came out with a run on a pair of base hits in the top of the first inning. McKenzie Saban led off with a double, and came home on a Spartan error with two outs, the only Spartan miscue in the field in the game.
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•  In the home half of the first, Ebonee Echols got on base with an infield single and moved to second on a walk to Caitie Ladd. Mackenzie Meech stepped in and battled through a 10-pitch at bat before flying out to right, which moved the runners into scoring position. Kaitlyn Eveland walked to load the bases, but they were left full as the inning came to a close.    Â
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•  Brittney Crawford led off the second with a double off the center field wall for SFU, but Walker retired the next two batters before being replaced by Jordan Watson. Watson retired McKenzie Saban for the final out of the frame. In the top of the third, SFU led off with another double, but Watson got the next two batters on ground-ball outs and then a popup to first to end the inning.    Â
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•  MSU led off the bottom of the third with consecutive base hits, but Charla Echols was caught stealing before Ebonee put a bloop double just off the foul line in left field.  Pitcher Christina Clark worked out of the jam with a fly ball and a groundout.Â
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•  The Red Flash put together a rally in the top of the fourth with one out. Back to back singles set up a double to the wall from Tayven Rousseau, which scored one and left runners in scoring position. McKenna Gregory relieved Watson to face the top of the order, and she got a quick strikeout and popup to short to end the frame.  Â
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•  In the bottom of the fifth, Abby Joseph legged out an infield single, and Katie Quinlan was called out on a close play at first to move Joseph to second for the top of the order.  Charla Echols sent a ball over the wall in right to knot the score at 2-2. Â
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•  MSU broke it open in the bottom of the sixth. Mackenzie Meech led it off with a solo homer into left for MSU's first lead of the day, 3-2. Eveland was walked (her 14th free pass of the season, the second-most in the Big Ten), and Lexi White moved her to second. Laney Joyner singled into right center to bring home Eveland to double the Spartan lead. SFU made a pitching change, bringing on Lauren Bertig. Bertig walked Abby Joseph and gave up a double to Katie Quinlan to plate another run, and a wild pitch brought home Joseph for a 6-2 lead. Ebonee Echols singled into right to finish off the six-run rally.Â
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•  Saint Francis led off the top of the seventh with a pair of base hits, but Gregory coaxed out a pair of popups for the first two outs of the inning, and then retired the side on a fielder's choice to third to end the game.Â
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Michigan State downed Saint Francis, 8-2, on Saturday morning in the second meeting of the teams at the Easton Crimson Classic at Alabama.Â
Â
The offense came late for the Spartans (5-11), who put two runs on the board in both the fifth and added six scores in the sixth inning. Charla Echols smacked a two-run homer in the fifth, and Mackenzie Meech posted a solo shot in the sixth. Laney Joyner, Katie Quinlan, and Ebonee Echols had RBI hits in the sixth inning as well.
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McKenna Gregory came on in relief for the MSU  in the third inning, throwing 3.2 innings and scattering four  hits to earn her first victory of the season.  Saint Francis did have 11 hits on the day – two each for Cheyenne McKee, Brittney Crawford and Kassidy Troxell – but stranded 11 baserunners in the game.
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In the circle for Saint Francis, starter Christina Clark took the loss after 5.1 innings of work, giving up six hits and five runs, striking out three and walking three.Â
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The second game for the Spartans on Saturday comes at 7 pm ET / 6 pm CT vs. Â Southern Miss.Â
Â
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 TOP PERFORMERSÂ
•  Charla Echols smacked her second home run of the season in the fifth inning to tie the game, and went 2-for-3 overall with a walk and two RBI.    Â
•  Ebonee Echols went 3-for-4 with two RBI and her third double of the season.    Â
•  McKenna Gregory came on in relief in the third inning for the second straight game and tossed 3.2 innings of four-hit ball without allowing a run. She struck out one.  Â
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STATS AND STORYLINESÂ
•  Saint Francis, which faced Walker on Friday and was no-hit for the first three and two-thirds innings, came out with a run on a pair of base hits in the top of the first inning. McKenzie Saban led off with a double, and came home on a Spartan error with two outs, the only Spartan miscue in the field in the game.
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•  In the home half of the first, Ebonee Echols got on base with an infield single and moved to second on a walk to Caitie Ladd. Mackenzie Meech stepped in and battled through a 10-pitch at bat before flying out to right, which moved the runners into scoring position. Kaitlyn Eveland walked to load the bases, but they were left full as the inning came to a close.    Â
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•  Brittney Crawford led off the second with a double off the center field wall for SFU, but Walker retired the next two batters before being replaced by Jordan Watson. Watson retired McKenzie Saban for the final out of the frame. In the top of the third, SFU led off with another double, but Watson got the next two batters on ground-ball outs and then a popup to first to end the inning.    Â
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•  MSU led off the bottom of the third with consecutive base hits, but Charla Echols was caught stealing before Ebonee put a bloop double just off the foul line in left field.  Pitcher Christina Clark worked out of the jam with a fly ball and a groundout.Â
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•  The Red Flash put together a rally in the top of the fourth with one out. Back to back singles set up a double to the wall from Tayven Rousseau, which scored one and left runners in scoring position. McKenna Gregory relieved Watson to face the top of the order, and she got a quick strikeout and popup to short to end the frame.  Â
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•  In the bottom of the fifth, Abby Joseph legged out an infield single, and Katie Quinlan was called out on a close play at first to move Joseph to second for the top of the order.  Charla Echols sent a ball over the wall in right to knot the score at 2-2. Â
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•  MSU broke it open in the bottom of the sixth. Mackenzie Meech led it off with a solo homer into left for MSU's first lead of the day, 3-2. Eveland was walked (her 14th free pass of the season, the second-most in the Big Ten), and Lexi White moved her to second. Laney Joyner singled into right center to bring home Eveland to double the Spartan lead. SFU made a pitching change, bringing on Lauren Bertig. Bertig walked Abby Joseph and gave up a double to Katie Quinlan to plate another run, and a wild pitch brought home Joseph for a 6-2 lead. Ebonee Echols singled into right to finish off the six-run rally.Â
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•  Saint Francis led off the top of the seventh with a pair of base hits, but Gregory coaxed out a pair of popups for the first two outs of the inning, and then retired the side on a fielder's choice to third to end the game.Â
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Tuesday, February 11
Spartans All-Access: Jenae Wash
Thursday, April 11
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