Friday, February 10
College Station, Texas
9:00 am CT
Michigan State University
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11
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Texas A&M - Commerce
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5
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H
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Michigan State
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7
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11
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A&M-Commerce
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1
Coach Sho Era Off to 2-0 Start at Texas A&M Invitational
2/10/2023 7:30:00 PM | Softball
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Michigan State softball got its 2023 season underway on Friday at the Texas A&M Invitational, with the Spartans putting together a pair of winning performances to defeat Texas A&M University-Commerce and Tarleton. MSU needed just five innings to defeat A&M-Commerce in the morning game, 11-0, before walking off against Tarleton in a 5-4 victory later that afternoon.
The Spartans improve to 2-0 for the season as head Sharonda McDonald-Kelley picks up the first two wins of her MSU career. 2-0 is the best start to the season for Michigan State since 2017. Of the six head coaches in program history McDonald-Kelley is the only coach to start her career 2-0.
Game One: Michigan State 11, Texas A&M University-Commerce 0
Michigan State got a record-breaking performance out of freshman outfielder Mandy Esman in game one as the Spartans defeated Texas A&M University-Commerce in five innings, 11-0. Facing A&M-Commerce in their inaugural NCAA DI game the Spartans posted 11 runs on 10 hits and drew 11 walks. Michigan State's 11 walks were the most in a single game since a 14-inning marathon against Detroit Mercy on May 1, 2008.
Esman finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate hitting out of the six-hole, collecting a double, a triple and five runs batted in. Esman's five RBIs are the most ever by a Spartan in their collegiate debut through 51 seasons of MSU softball.
Seniors Anna Fox and Camryn Wincher each reached base three times for MSU. Fox drew a pair of walks, singled and earned the Spartans' lone stolen base of the game. Wincher matched the team-high in hits with a pair of singles and drove in a pair of runners for Michigan State. Senior Kendall Kates singled twice and drove in two for MSU. Freshman Sydney Doloszycki also had a pair of base knocks for the Spartans including her first career double in the third inning.
Ashley Miller started her junior campaign right where she left off as a sophomore, pitching a complete game shutout and striking out nine A&M-Commerce batters. Miller's career punchout total sits at 352, just seven away from passing Lauren Kramer (358, 2009-11) for seventh all-time at MSU.
The Spartans started fast as the visitors for Friday morning's game scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Senior Kennedy Wyllie doubled home Fox on a ball struck to left center before being driven home by a Wincher single. Esman doubled Wincher home for her first career RBI.
A seven-run fourth inning blew the game open as the Spartans drew five of their 11 walks and 11 batters stepped into the box. MSU led 5-0 after a Wincher single before Esman's triple to left field cleared the loaded bases. Walks by redshirt junior Jenae Wash and junior AJ Militello loaded the bases back up for Kates who singled up the middle to score a pair.
Game Two: Michigan State 5, Tarleton 4
Redshirt junior Jenae Wash was the hero for Michigan State in game two as her walk-off RBI proved to be the difference in the Spartans' win over the Texans.
Senior Jessica Mabrey, senior Camryn Wincher, freshman Sydney Doloszycki, freshman Mandy Esman, junior AJ Militello and Wash all had hits for the Spartans in game two. Mabrey, Doloszycki, Wash and junior Zaquai Dumas each had RBIs.
Sophomore Faith Guidry drew the start for the Spartans pitching six innings, allowing four runs and striking out four. Fellow sophomore Madison Taylor came on in relief of Guidry and struck out one in a crucial spot in the seventh inning.
Tarleton opened the scoring in the top of the first to put the Spartans in an early 1-0 hole, but freshman Sydney Doloszycki wasted no time tying things up in the home half on a well struck ball to left.
Michigan State took the lead in the second after walks from sophomore Macy Lee and Junior AJ Militello set up senior Jessica Mabrey's RBI bunt single. Freshman Kayla Bane scored on the play after entering the game and stealing a base Lee's stead. A double steal by Mabrey and Militello allowed for the Howell, Mich. native Militello to score from third and give MSU a 3-1 advantage.
Lee was hit by a pitch to lead off the fourth, later coming around to score on a Zaquai Dumas ground out.
The Spartans ran into trouble in the top of seventh when Tarleton scored three runs to tie the game at 4-4. Taylor come on in relief of Guidry and held the Texans to one run after entering the game with runners on second and third.
Wincher and Doloszycki each reached base in the bottom of the seventh to set up a sacrifice bunt situation for Esman. Wash made the most of the runners on second and third to bring pinch runner freshman Hailey Bila home to score.
Up Next:
The Spartans are back in action in College Station tomorrow for a pair of games against Northern Kentucky and Texas A&M. Northern Kentucky is coached by former Spartan assistant coach Kathryn Gleason.
The Spartans improve to 2-0 for the season as head Sharonda McDonald-Kelley picks up the first two wins of her MSU career. 2-0 is the best start to the season for Michigan State since 2017. Of the six head coaches in program history McDonald-Kelley is the only coach to start her career 2-0.
Game One: Michigan State 11, Texas A&M University-Commerce 0
Michigan State got a record-breaking performance out of freshman outfielder Mandy Esman in game one as the Spartans defeated Texas A&M University-Commerce in five innings, 11-0. Facing A&M-Commerce in their inaugural NCAA DI game the Spartans posted 11 runs on 10 hits and drew 11 walks. Michigan State's 11 walks were the most in a single game since a 14-inning marathon against Detroit Mercy on May 1, 2008.
Esman finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate hitting out of the six-hole, collecting a double, a triple and five runs batted in. Esman's five RBIs are the most ever by a Spartan in their collegiate debut through 51 seasons of MSU softball.
Seniors Anna Fox and Camryn Wincher each reached base three times for MSU. Fox drew a pair of walks, singled and earned the Spartans' lone stolen base of the game. Wincher matched the team-high in hits with a pair of singles and drove in a pair of runners for Michigan State. Senior Kendall Kates singled twice and drove in two for MSU. Freshman Sydney Doloszycki also had a pair of base knocks for the Spartans including her first career double in the third inning.
Ashley Miller started her junior campaign right where she left off as a sophomore, pitching a complete game shutout and striking out nine A&M-Commerce batters. Miller's career punchout total sits at 352, just seven away from passing Lauren Kramer (358, 2009-11) for seventh all-time at MSU.
The Spartans started fast as the visitors for Friday morning's game scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Senior Kennedy Wyllie doubled home Fox on a ball struck to left center before being driven home by a Wincher single. Esman doubled Wincher home for her first career RBI.
A seven-run fourth inning blew the game open as the Spartans drew five of their 11 walks and 11 batters stepped into the box. MSU led 5-0 after a Wincher single before Esman's triple to left field cleared the loaded bases. Walks by redshirt junior Jenae Wash and junior AJ Militello loaded the bases back up for Kates who singled up the middle to score a pair.
Game Two: Michigan State 5, Tarleton 4
Redshirt junior Jenae Wash was the hero for Michigan State in game two as her walk-off RBI proved to be the difference in the Spartans' win over the Texans.
Senior Jessica Mabrey, senior Camryn Wincher, freshman Sydney Doloszycki, freshman Mandy Esman, junior AJ Militello and Wash all had hits for the Spartans in game two. Mabrey, Doloszycki, Wash and junior Zaquai Dumas each had RBIs.
Sophomore Faith Guidry drew the start for the Spartans pitching six innings, allowing four runs and striking out four. Fellow sophomore Madison Taylor came on in relief of Guidry and struck out one in a crucial spot in the seventh inning.
Tarleton opened the scoring in the top of the first to put the Spartans in an early 1-0 hole, but freshman Sydney Doloszycki wasted no time tying things up in the home half on a well struck ball to left.
Michigan State took the lead in the second after walks from sophomore Macy Lee and Junior AJ Militello set up senior Jessica Mabrey's RBI bunt single. Freshman Kayla Bane scored on the play after entering the game and stealing a base Lee's stead. A double steal by Mabrey and Militello allowed for the Howell, Mich. native Militello to score from third and give MSU a 3-1 advantage.
Lee was hit by a pitch to lead off the fourth, later coming around to score on a Zaquai Dumas ground out.
The Spartans ran into trouble in the top of seventh when Tarleton scored three runs to tie the game at 4-4. Taylor come on in relief of Guidry and held the Texans to one run after entering the game with runners on second and third.
Wincher and Doloszycki each reached base in the bottom of the seventh to set up a sacrifice bunt situation for Esman. Wash made the most of the runners on second and third to bring pinch runner freshman Hailey Bila home to score.
Up Next:
The Spartans are back in action in College Station tomorrow for a pair of games against Northern Kentucky and Texas A&M. Northern Kentucky is coached by former Spartan assistant coach Kathryn Gleason.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Miller, Ashley (1-0)
L: Meadors, M. (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Wyllie, Kennedy 1 ; Doloszycki, Sydney 1 ; Esman, Mandy 1
3B: Esman, Mandy 1
RBI: Wyllie, Kennedy 1 ; Wincher, Camryn 2 ; Esman, Mandy 5 ; Kates, Kendall 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Fox, Anna 2 ; Wyllie, Kennedy 2 ; Wincher, Camryn 3 ; Doloszycki, Sydney 1 ; Esman, Mandy 1 ; Wash, Jenae 1 ; Militello, AJ 1
SB: Fox, Anna 1
CS: Wash, Jenae 1 ; Kates, Kendall 1
PO: Dumas, Zaquai 1
Batting:
2B: Williams, A. 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
2
R
3
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
5
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
OF
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OF
/ Softball2B
/ Softball
2B
/ Softball2B
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballC
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OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
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LHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball1B
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballA Road Less Traveled | Spartans All-Access
Thursday, April 17
A Higher Standard | Spartans All-Access
Tuesday, February 11
Spartans All-Access: Jenae Wash
Thursday, April 11
Spartans All-Access: Coach Sharonda McDonald-Kelley
Thursday, April 20