Ladd's Homer Allows Spartans To Walk Off vs. Penn State, 8-7

SPARTAN SYNOPSIS

Michigan State opened its Big Ten portion of the season with an 8-7 walkoff victory over Penn State on Friday at Secchia Stadium. Caitie Ladd sent the first pitch she saw as the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the seventh inning over the wall in center field to give her team the win.

MSU (11-16, 1-0 B1G) rallied from deficits of 3-1 and 7-3 in the game, getting timely hits from Melanie Baccay (1-for-3, 3 RBI), Joanna Bartz, and Ladd to help sink the Nittany Lions (14-14, 0-1 B1G). Melanie Baccay (a two-RBI triple in the bottom of the fourth), Joanna Bartz in the bottom of the sixth (RBI double), and Ladd's seventh-inning walkoff. The Spartans also got some help from six walks that were issued by three Penn State pitchers.

In the top of the seventh inning, McKenna Gregory shut down both Haley Valljos – who had three previous base hits on the day – and Meghan Williams (who was 1-for-1 with a pair of sacrifice hits). Dani Fey reached on a walk, but was called out for leaving early on a steal attempt and ensuing MSU error that would have had the go-ahead run on third base.

Gregory earned the win in the circle, improving her record to 3-5 on the year. She did surrender four earned runs, striking out three and walking just one. Starter Alli Walker went four strong innings where she struck out two and allowed three walks. She left with a 3-1 deficit after the top of the fourth.

Starter Bailey Parshall both started the game for Penn State and re-entered in the sixth inning and gave up Ladd's homer in the seventh to take the loss. She pitched a combined 3.2 innings, striking out four and walking two, surrendering four earned runs. Chelsea Bisi and Vallejos both had three hits on the day, as the NIttany Lions put together 13 base hits. Both Melina Livingston and Ally Kurland had two base knocks.

For MSU, Ladd was 2-for-2 with a pair of walks. Baccay had the triple with three RBI on the day, and Katie Quinlan had a pair of base hits and scored three runs. Ebonee Ecols walked three times and was 1-for-1 with an RBI.

The teams face off again on Saturday at 1 pm at Secchia Stadium.

QUOTABLE
"There just wasn't any quit in our team today. I was really impressed by the way we kept fighting back whether we were down two runs, three runs, four runs – whatever. We bent but didn't break. We made some really nice defensive plays that also kept us in the game, shutting down two would-be runs by throwing out the runner at the plate. It was a good win for us to open Big Ten play this way – and I hope it sets the tone.   ."

Head Coach Jacquie Joseph

TOP PERFORMERS
• Caitie Ladd had the walkoff homer in the bottom of the seventh in a 2-for-2 performance with a pair of walks.
• Melanie Baccay was 1-for-3 with a triple and a team-best three RBI.
• Katie Quinlan had a pair of base hits, a walk, and scored three runs.

STATS AND STORYLINES

Penn State plated a run in the top of the first with some help from a Spartan fielding error. Claire Swedberg worked a one-out walk off a full count, and Chelsea Bisi followed with a single to right that was misplayed, which allowed Swedberg to come around to score.

MSU countered in the home half. Katie Quinlan singled to lead off the game, stole second, an then came around on an infield single by Ebonee Echols. It was Echols 20^th RBI of the season.

Haley Vallejos doubled to lead off the top of the second, and a sac bunt by Meghan Williams moved her to third. Dani Fey drew a walk to put runners at the corners with one out, but Walker got Melina Livingston to ground to short. Caitie Ladd scooped it up and got it to Baccay at second, and Baccay then turned and threw home, where Charla Echols made the tag to complete the double play.

Swedburg drew a one-out walk in the top of the sixth, and Chelsea Bisi followed with a base hit. Ally Kurland brought home a run with a single, scoring Swedburg from second for a 2-1lead and leaving runners at the corners with two outs for Tori Dubois. With Vallejos in the batters box, the Nittany Lions tried for the double steal, but Ladd threw out pinch runner Lilia Crouthamel trying to steal home for the third out of the inning – the second straight inning that ended in a runner thrown out at home.

Penn State threatened again in the top of the fourth. A leadoff double by Vallejos and a sac bunt by Meghan Williams moved pinch runner Christa Wagner to third with one out. Pinch hitter Delaney Elling brought home the third run on a ground ball to short. Livingston and Tori Polk delivered back-to-back base hits to load the bases, but Walker worked out of the jam with a ground ball to second by Bisi.

PSU pitcher Bailey Parshall issued a pair of walks to Ebonee Echols and Ladd around a ground ball out in the bottom of the fourth. Melanie Baccay tripled into right field to bring home both Echols and Ladd to tie the score at 3-3.

In the top of the fifth, the Nittany Lions manufactured four more runs . A leadoff single by Kurland, a sac bunt by Greico, a single by Vallejos put a fourth run on the board, and Williams doubled to right to put runners at the corners. A sliding catch by Ebonee Echols put the second out on the board, but Livingston followed with a homer over the right field wall to make it a 7-3 ballgame.

A walk and an error allowed MSU's first two batters from the top of the order to reach base, and consecutive passed balls allowed Katie Quinlan and Charla to score, cutting the Penn State lead to shrink to 7-5 without an out. MacKenzie Meech reached on an error, and Ebonee Echols fought through a 12-pitch at-bat before earning the free pass to put two runners back on base, signaling another pitching change for the visitor. She struck out the first batter she faced but then walked Ladd to load the bases; Melanie Baccay brought a run home with a ground ball into the middle infield to make it a 7-6 game, and gave Baccay her third RBI of the day.

In the home half of the sixth, MSU rallied to tie the game with two outs. Quinlan singled, stole second, and came around to score on an RBI double by Joanna Bartz to tie the game at 7-7. After a wild pitch and a walk to Ebonee Echols to put runners at the corners, Penn State went back to the starter Parshall in the circle, and she got the third out with a fly ball that was corralled in foul territory.

Gregory retired the first two batters she faced in the top of the seventh – Vallejos, who was 3-for-3 coming to the plate, and Meghan Williams (1-for-1 with two sac hits). She walked Fey, but the center fielder was called out on the ensuing play for leaving first base early, ending the inning.

Caitie Ladd was the leadoff batter for MSU in the bottom of the seventh, and needed only the first pitch - an offering she sent over the wall in center field for the walkoff victory for the Spartans.

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Team Stats

Katie Quinlan

Caitie Ladd

Charla Echols

Joanna Bartz

Players Mentioned

Melanie Baccay

Joanna Bartz

Charla Echols

Ebonee Echols

McKenna Gregory

Caitie Ladd

Mackenzie Meech

Katie Quinlan

Alli Walker