Saturday, April 27
East Lansing, Mich.
12:00 PM ET
Michigan State University
2
vs
6
Northwestern
Players Mentioned
2B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C/3B
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
SS/UTL
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
Photo by: Rey Del Rio/MSU Athletic Communications
Wildcats Secure Series Win, 6-2
4/27/2019 2:52:00 PM | Softball
Zackrison Has Single, RBI Triple vs. Wildcats
SPARTAN SYNOPSIS
No. 14 Northwestern secured a series win with a 6-2 victory in the first of two games today against the Spartans at Secchia Stadium.Â
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Michigan State hung with the Big Ten leader, but a pair of errors in the sixth helped the visitors to a pair of insurance runs that turned a 3-1 game into a 5-1 contest. MSU scored in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI triple by Kelly Zackrison. tosbut NU got the run back with a solo shot in the top of the seventh.Â
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McKenna Gregory made her third straight start and pitched five strong innings, scattering nine hits snd striking out two. Alli Walker came on in relief and struck out the first two batters she saw and allowed two hits in her two innings of work overall.
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Zackrison had a single, a triple, and an impressive diving catch in left field to lead the Spartans on the day. Caitie Ladd had an RBI double as well for MSU (15-31).Â
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Northwestern (40-, 19-0 B1G) had four players with two base hits: Skyler Shellmyer, Morgan Nelson, Jordyn Rudd, and Rachel Lewis, who had a double, solo homer, and two RBI.   Pitcher Danielle Williams picked up a complete game, allowing three base hits and striking out 13.Â
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The Spartans and Wildcats complete the series in the nightcap of today's doubleheader.Â
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TOP PERFORMERS
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STATS AND STORYLINES
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No. 14 Northwestern secured a series win with a 6-2 victory in the first of two games today against the Spartans at Secchia Stadium.Â
Â
Michigan State hung with the Big Ten leader, but a pair of errors in the sixth helped the visitors to a pair of insurance runs that turned a 3-1 game into a 5-1 contest. MSU scored in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI triple by Kelly Zackrison. tosbut NU got the run back with a solo shot in the top of the seventh.Â
Â
McKenna Gregory made her third straight start and pitched five strong innings, scattering nine hits snd striking out two. Alli Walker came on in relief and struck out the first two batters she saw and allowed two hits in her two innings of work overall.
Â
Zackrison had a single, a triple, and an impressive diving catch in left field to lead the Spartans on the day. Caitie Ladd had an RBI double as well for MSU (15-31).Â
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Northwestern (40-, 19-0 B1G) had four players with two base hits: Skyler Shellmyer, Morgan Nelson, Jordyn Rudd, and Rachel Lewis, who had a double, solo homer, and two RBI.   Pitcher Danielle Williams picked up a complete game, allowing three base hits and striking out 13.Â
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The Spartans and Wildcats complete the series in the nightcap of today's doubleheader.Â
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TOP PERFORMERS
- Kelly Zackrison was 2-for-3, posting a single and an RBI triple to go with an impressive diving catch in left field that ended the fourth inning.Â
- Caitie Ladd had a double and an RBI.
- McKenna Gregory went five innings, scattering nine hits and striking out two, while Alli Walker came on in relief and struck out two and allowing just two base hits.Â
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STATS AND STORYLINES
- A leadoff walk to Rachel Lewis followed by a double from Morgan Nelson put the first run on the board for the Wildcats early in the top of the first. A fly ball and groundout moved Nelson to third, and she came home on a single by Jordyn Rudd for a 2-0 lead.Â
- The Spartans started with a similar fire -Caitie Ladd led off the home half of the first with a triple to right center, and she came home on a deep fly ball into foul territory that was corralled by right fielder Emma Bartz.Â
- In the bottom of the third, Danielle Williams loaded the bases, striking out two batters between the three walks she issued to Courtney Callahan, Charla Echols, and Melanie Baccay. but she got out of the inning with a ground ball to third. Â
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- Northwestern broke through again in the top of the fifth. Shellmyer led off with a single up the middle, went to second on a wild pitch, and was brought home on a double by Lewis. With Morgan Nelson at the plate, Lewis was gunned down by Charla Echols as she tried to steal third.
- The Widcats put two on the board in the top of the sixth, with some help from a pair of errors from MSU. Rudd singled to lead off the inning, went to third on an error, and came home on a Novak double. After the Spartans made a pitching change, replacing starter McKenna Gregory with Alli Walker.   Opposing pitcher Danielle Williams reached on an infield error that scored Novak, but the sophomore then struck out the next two batters. Williams then slipped as she attempted to steal second and got caught in a rundown that ended the inning.Â
- In the home half of the sixth, MacKenzie led off the inning and was hit by a pitch. After a pair of strikeouts for Williams, Kelly Zackrison stepped in and laced a triple to the wall in right center on the first pitch she saw, bringing home Meech to cut the deficit to 5-2.Â
- Northwestern got the run back just three pitches into the top of the seventh, as Lewis sent an 0-2 offering over the wall in center field.   Walker got a foul out to right and a fielder's choice after a walk to Maeve Nelson for the second out of the inning, but Rudd singled to left to keep the inning alive for Lily Novak. She grounded out to second to end the threat.Â
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