Walkoff Sinks Spartans In Nightcap of Twinbill

GAME CAPSULE

Maryland swept a Saturday doubleheader from Michigan State, earning a 6-1 win in the opening game and walking off a 5-4 win in the nightcap. MSU falls to 7-13, while Maryland is now 11-13

MSU's offense struggled in the first game with just a pair of base hits, but woke up for game two and rattled off eight base hits.

In game one, the homestanding Terps rattled off 11 base hits to score the 6-1 victory, despite three Spartan pitchers combining for nine strikeouts and just two walks. Two of those 11 hits were triples. Ashley Miller took the loss with just one inning of work, surrendering two earned runs and allowing four base hits. Both Sarah Ladd and Jala Wright had four strikeouts each in their relief stints.

The Spartans suffered heartbreak in game two, coming back from an early deficit to head into the seventh inning tied at 4-4. MSU had the go-ahead run gunned down at the plate on a sac fly attempt in the top half of the frame, and then saw the Terps win it on a sac fly to left when the play at the plate deemed the runner safe. Kendall Kates went 2-for-3 in the second game, while Sarah Ladd was the hard-luck loser after surrendering three hits in three relief innings, walking just one.

Michigan State plays a rescheduled game at Michigan on Wednesday before opening up an eight-game homestand against Penn State next Friday.

PLAYER HIGHS

Mackenzie Meech had three base hits on the day, including her first homer of the year and a double.
Kendall Kates went 2-3 in the nightcap with a runner caught stealing.
Sarah Ladd tossed five innings, all in relief. She struck out five and scattered six hits.

STATS AND STORYLINES – GAME ONE

Maryland plated two runs in the bottom of the second and three more in the bottom of the third to take an early lead. A e plated the first two runs, and then an error and three singles led to the three in the third.
Ashley Miller gave up the first two runs of the game to Maryland, issuing a leadoff walk followed by a triple and single. She was relieved in the circle by Sarah Ladd who issued a walk before striking out two of the next three batters to get out of the inning.
In the third, a pair of one-out singles followed by an error led to the first run, and a double steal allowed Gracie Voulgaris to plate the second run. A two-out single brought home the third score of the frame.
Mackenzie Meech hit her first homer of the season to break up the no-hitter in the fourth, also her first homer of the season.
Jala Wright came on in the circle to start the fourth, and allowed a one-out single to put a runner on. She got the second out on a ground ball to first, but Campbell Kline tripled to bring in the runner for a 6-1 lead.
MSU threatened in the sixth with a walk by pinch hitter Zaquai Dumas and a base hit by Meech, but both were stranded.
MSU put two on with one out in the top of the seventh, with Wincher drawing a walk and Kates reaching on an error when the shortstop fumbled the throw to second, allowing pinch runner Brooke Snyder to go to third and Kates to reach second. Katie Quinlan walked to load the bases, but a popup ended the inning.
Mackenzie Meech had a homer and a single for the Spartans in game one.
Ashley Miller took the loss, surrendering a pair of earned runs and four hits in one inning pitched. Sarah Ladd allowed two earned runs on three hits and striking out four, and Jala Wright went three innings, scattering four hits and striking out four.

STATS AND STORYLINES – GAME TWO

Maryland scored a pair in the bottom of the first. McFarland was hit by a pitch and then an infield single by Kerr put the first two runners on, and after a ground ball out, an infield single brought both runners home for the 2-0 lead.
MSU countered right away in the top of the second. Janae Wash started things off with a single, and Cam Wincher reached on a fielder's choice, Kendall Kates legged out an infield single, and Zaquai Dumas followed with her first collegiate base hit and RBI to score Wincher to cut the Maryland lead to 2-1. Pinch hitter Shae Schreckengost singled Kates home, and Dumas scored on a double steal to give the Spartans a 3-2 lead.
Leading off the top of the third, Mackenzie Meech doubled to left, moved to third on a sac bunt by Alexis Barroso, and came home on a sac fly by Marissa Trivelpiece which made it 4-2.
Maryland came back within a run in the bottom of the fourth on a solo homer by Michaela Jones, and kept the inning going with a double to left by JoJo McRae. Sarah Ladd came out of the bullpen and gave up an RBI single to Taylor Liguori, but got out of the inning with a strikeout and Kates gunning down a stolen base attempt at second.
The Spartans had the go-ahead run on base in the top of the seventh with a leadoff walk to Callahan, but Meech's sac fly attempt didn't allow enough time for Callahan to come home from third, as she was gunned down at the plate for the third out of the inning.
A play at the plate decided the game in the bottom of the seventh, when Jaeda McFarland led off the frame with a triple to right. The Spartans walked Okada and Kerr to load the bases, and Haley Ellefson put a fly ball into left. McFarland scored from third on the sac fly for the final 5-4 margin.
Kendall Kates had a pair of base hits in the game, two of MSU's eight, a weekend high.
Sarah Ladd took the loss after allowing only one run, walking two (both intentional) and striking out one. Ashley Miller went 3.1 innings in the start and gave up four runs on five hits, striking out three.

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Team Stats

Mackenzie Meech

Caitie Ladd

Alexis Barroso

Jenae Wash

Players Mentioned

Alexis Barroso

Zaquai Dumas

Kendall Kates

Sarah Ladd

Mackenzie Meech

Ashley Miller

Katie Quinlan

Shae Schreckengost

Brooke Snyder

Marissa Trivelpiece

Jala Wright

Players Mentioned

Alexis Barroso

Zaquai Dumas

Kendall Kates

Sarah Ladd

Mackenzie Meech

Ashley Miller

Katie Quinlan

Shae Schreckengost

Brooke Snyder

Marissa Trivelpiece

Jala Wright