Michigan State University
8-10, 1-1
Minnesota
12-14, 1-1
Softball Outlasts Minnesota in Slugfest, Battles in Extra Innings Against Northwestern
3/15/2025 8:05:00 PM | Softball
MSU moves to 8-11 (1-2 B1G) after its first three contests in Oklahoma City. The Spartans will face Northwestern for the fourth and final game of the B1G x OKC series on Sunday at 11 AM ET.
Game One – Michigan State 13, Minnesota 11
Freshman Jacey Schuler started in the circle for the second time in as many games against Minnesota lasting 2.1 innings before being relieved by sophomore Ava Mullen. Freshman Carsyn Cassady (1-1) was the pitcher of record for MSU going 3.2 innings and striking out two. Cassady allowed three earned runs on four hits. Senior Faith Guidry picked up two outs for the Spartans in the seventh before senior Madison Taylor entered with the game on the line, getting a game-ending strikeout to earn her fourth career save.
MSU tallied a season-best 14 hits, its eighth time with 10 or more hits in a game this season. Four Spartans had multi-hit performances led by sophomore Hannah Greer's career-high three. Junior Hannah Hawley, sophomore Kendall Smiley and freshman Ava Coffinger all finished with two hits. Hawley led the team with three RBIs, and junior Kaelin Cash, Smiley and Greer posted two apiece. Freshman Natalia Kenyatta and junior Sydney Doloszycki drew two walks each as MSU walked eight times in total, a season best.
Michigan State scored 11 runs on eight hits in the second inning. All runs scored with two outs already on the board. Sixteen Spartan batters came to the plate in the frame as MSU nearly batted around twice. Doloszycki, Coffinger, Smiley and Hawley all reached base twice in the inning with Coffinger tallying a pair of hits.
T2 | MSU 4 - MINN 0
— Michigan State Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 15, 2025
Kaelin Cash drives it up the middle to score two more in the second!#GoGreen | #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/c5RHrBkzeL
A two-out bases loaded hit by pitch started the scoring before a Golden Gopher wild pitch brought a second Spartan run in. Cash drove in two runners on a single up the middle and the inning was extended when senior Macy Lee reached on an error that scored one. An RBI double off the bat of Doloszycki extended the Spartan lead to 6-0 before a Greer RBI single made it 7-0. With the bases loaded MSU got back-to-back-to-back singles off the bats of Coffinger, Smiley and Hawley to increase the lead to 11-0.
Greer added one to the Spartan scoring tally in the third when her single through the left side scored Beshears making it 12-0.
T3 | MSU 12 - MINN 0
— Michigan State Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 15, 2025
Hannah Greer singles through the left side with the bases juiced to add to our lead!#GoGreen | #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/qBiA15FcxO
Minnesota cut into the MSU advantage in the home half of the third inning scoring five runs on seven hits to make it 12-5. Cassady entered the game with one out and bases loaded in the third, picking up an inning-ending double play to get out of the jam.
Hawley put a charge into one to lead off the fourth inning with a solo home run for the Spartans. Her fourth long ball of the season tied her for the team high and put MSU ahead 13-5.
T4 | MSU 13 - MINN 5
— Michigan State Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 15, 2025
Hannah Hawley says see ya! Her fourth long ball of the season to tie Britain Beshears for the team lead#GoGreen | #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/xG7THDQzgb
The Golden Gophers avoided the run rule in the fifth scoring a pair of two-out runs to trail 13-7. Cassady earned her second strikeout of the outing, but a Minnesota triple extended the inning. A two-out three-run home run off a Gopher bat pulled Minnesota within 13-10 of MSU entering the seventh.
Minnesota loaded the bases with two outs in the final frame when Taylor entered the game to shut the door for MSU. Taylor struck out the Gophers' Cosgriff swinging to end the game.
Ice in her veins! Madison Taylor enters to face the final batter of the game and sends Minnesota down swinging!#GoGreen | #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/MfjSSIF0JJ
— Michigan State Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 15, 2025
Game Two – Northwestern 8, Michigan State 7 (8 Inn.)
Junior Faith Guidry got the start in game two, striking out two over 3.0 innings with four earned runs allowed. Guidry was relieved in the fourth by senior Madison Taylor who had a strong outing allowing just one hit and striking out one with two earned runs crossing. Freshman Jacey Schuler (5-5) was the pitcher of record, allowing an earned run in extras.
Junior Hannah Hawley continued a monstrous offensive day finishing game two 3-for-4 at the plate with her second home run of the day and a walk. Hawley led the team with three RBIs while junior Kaelin Cash and sophomore Hannah Greer added one RBI apiece. Greer reached base three times in game two with a double and two walks.
Northwestern took an early lead scoring a pair of first inning runs. The Spartans were quick to respond however when Cash singled up the middle, scoring sophomore Kendall Smiley, to halve the Wildcat advantage at 2-1.
B2 | NU 3 - MSU 2
— Michigan State Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 15, 2025
Back within one after this solo homer from Sydney Doloszycki!#GoGreen | #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/ZmBYRhr7sD
A big second inning by the Spartans saw them pull ahead, 5-3. Doloszycki led-off the inning with a solo home run to right field before a two-out three-run blast by Hawley.
B2 | MSU 5 - NU 3
— Michigan State Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 15, 2025
Hannah Hawley with a three run bomb for the lead!#GoGreen | #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/9786fkBPsv
After the Wildcats scored one in the top of the third, Michigan State tallied two runs in the home half starting with a bases loaded walk by senior Mik Anthony. Two batters later, Greer scored on a wild pitch to give MSU a 7-4 lead.
Northwestern evened the odds in the fourth, plating three runners on a two-out triple to left center field.
Both pitchers started to find a groove in the later innings as Taylor retired eight consecutive Northwestern batters over three scoreless frames in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. The Spartans were held scoreless over the final five innings of the contest after getting off to a hot start.
T6 | MSU 7 - NU 7
— Michigan State Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 15, 2025
Sydney Doloszycki makes the diving grab in center as the Spartans retire Northwestern 1-2-3 in the sixth!#GoGreen | #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/VLFHEBytop
A two-out solo home run by Northwestern's Kelsey Nader provided the Wildcats with an 8-7 edge in extra innings.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cassady, Carsyn (1-1)
L: Richardson (0-1)
S: Taylor, Madison (1)
Batting:
2B: Doloszycki, Sydney 1
HR: Hawley, Hannah 1
RBI: Smiley, Kendall 2 ; Hawley, Hannah 3 ; Cash, Kaelin 2 ; Doloszycki, Sydney 1 ; Greer, Hannah 2 ; Coffinger, Ava 1
SH: Greer, Hannah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Smiley, Kendall 1 ; Hawley, Hannah 2 ; Cash, Kaelin 1 ; Beshears, Britain 2 ; Lee , Macy 1 ; Doloszycki, Sydney 2 ; Greer, Hannah 1 ; Kenyatta, Natalia 1 ; Coffinger, Ava 2
SB: Smiley, Kendall 1 ; Herman, Hannah 1 ; Coffinger, Ava 1
HBP: Hawley, Hannah 1 ; Cash, Kaelin 1 ; Lee , Macy 1
Batting:
2B: Snippes 1
3B: Tobias 1 ; Burnett 1
HR: Easton 1
RBI: Tobias 1 ; Krapf 1 ; Werner 2 ; Snippes 2 ; Easton 4 ; Burnett 1
SF: Krapf 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tobias 2 ; Valencia 1 ; Werner 1 ; Snippes 2 ; Cosgriff 2 ; Easton 1 ; Burnett 2
HBP: Krapf 1
