Michigan State University
17-13
Detroit Mercy
0-20
Spartans Complete Season Sweep of Detroit Mercy
3/29/2022 9:42:00 PM | Softball
A pair of wins on Tuesday improves Michigan State's overall record to 18-13 with a 4-0 mark at home.
Junior Sarah Ladd turned in a career-best performance in game one, allowing just one hit and striking out a career-high 11 batters in a complete game shutout effort. Ladd retired the first eight batters of the game before a single up the middle broke up her perfect game bid.
T6 | MSU 1 - Detroit Mercy 0
— MSU Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 29, 2022
Two more strikeouts in the sixth gives Sarah Ladd a new career high! She's got 10 punch outs through six innings.#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/pJoFu7sXOu
Fifth year Caitie Ladd and junior Camryn Wincher turned in multi-hit performances for the Spartans in MSU's 2-0 win over Detroit Mercy. Wincher's first inning single up the middle gave Michigan State a 1-0 lead and she would later double. Caitie Ladd's sixth inning single provided the Spartans with a late insurance run, scoring Wincher.
B1 | MSU 1 - Detroit Mercy 0
— MSU Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 29, 2022
Camryn Wincher singles up the middle to score Courtney Callahan from second. Michigan State takes a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/VGqzOqU8S1
Freshmen Macy Lee and Kayleigh Roper also collected hits for the Spartans in game one. Roper tripled to the wall in left center for her first extra-base hit of the night.
Starting in the circle for Michigan State in game two was freshman Ashley Martin, who made the first start of her career. Martin pitched 2.1 innings for the Spartans, allowing four hits and two earned runs while striking out one. Fellow freshman Faith Guidry came on to pitch in relief of Martin and threw 4.2 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out four.
Roper opened up a 2-0 advantage for the Spartans in the second inning with her second career home run, this one a deep blast to left center that had a chance to end up in the Red Cedar River.
B2 | MSU 2 - Detroit Mercy 0
— MSU Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 29, 2022
Roper goes yard! Kayleigh Roper puts Michigan State up 2-0 in the second inning with a home run to left center. That one would've ended up in the Red Cedar River if not for the tree in the way. #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/EAq7wwQaQq
Detroit Mercy fought back to tie the game at 2-2 in the third inning after three consecutive batters reached base. A double down the left field line by McKenna Tanguay made the score 2-1 before Tanguay later came around to score on a fielder's choice.
A double to center field by Macy Lee quickly gave the Spartans a 3-2 lead in the home half of the third as MSU would never look back. A pair of sixth inning runs provided insurance for Michigan State heading into the final inning. Caitie Ladd reached on a double to left center to lead off the sixth, later scoring on a sacrifice fly to center by senior Mackenzie Meech. A double through the left side of the infield by senior Courtney Callahan plated sophomore Zaquai Dumas who reached on an error earlier in the frame.
B3 | MSU 3 - Detroit Mercy 2
— MSU Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 29, 2022
Michigan State retakes the lead following a double to the wall in center by freshman Macy Lee!#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/9J7l518QRy
Callahan and Ladd were perfect at the plate in game two, each reaching base in every at-bat. Ladd was 3-for-3 in game two to one up her 2-for-3 performance in game one. Callahan was 2-for-2 with a double and two walks. Wincher matched her game one performance with a pair of hits in game two, now hitting a team-high .375 for the season.
UP NEXT: Michigan State will meet Toledo at Secchia Stadium on Wednesday, March 30 for some mid-week non-conference action. First pitch is slated for 5:00 p.m. Toledo enters the contest with an 8-16 record this season.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ladd, Sarah (6-4)
L: MURPHY, Liz (0-13)
Batting:
2B: Wincher, Camryn 1
3B: Roper, Kayleigh 1
RBI: Wincher, Camryn 1 ; Ladd, Caitie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Callahan, Courtney 1 ; Wincher, Camryn 1
SB: Callahan, Courtney 1
CS: Ladd, Caitie 1
