Michigan State University
13-23
Notre Dame
20-24-1
Softball Drop Close Call Against Fighting Irish
4/15/2025 8:39:00 PM | Softball
MSU moves to 13-23 overall while Notre Dame improves to 20-24-1. The Spartans resume B1G action this weekend hosting new B1G opponent Washington for a three-game series on April 18-20 at Secchia Stadium.
Freshman Carsyn Cassady struck out four over 2.2 innings to start the game, surrendering one earned run on four hits. Seniors Madison Taylor (1-6) and Faith Guidry followed Cassady out of the bullpen. Taylor recorded a pair of outs mid-way through the contest before Guidry entered to pitch 2.2 clean frames allowing just one hit. Freshman Jacey Schuler came in to pitch the seventh throwing a spotless final inning.
Junior Hannah Hawley and sophomore Payton Conroy hit solo homers, and sophomore Kendall Smiley drove in one on an RBI single. Reaching twice on Tuesday was junior Kaelin Cash with a single and hit by pitch, and sophomore Hannah Greer drew a walk.
After Cassady struck out a pair of Irish batters in the top of the first, Hawley wasted no time putting the Spartans on the board in the home half of the opening inning with a lead-off opposite field home run.
Lead-off oppo shot for Hannah Hawley, her 10th of the season!#GoGreen | #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/4eQ9ZuRmdG
— Michigan State Softball (@MSU_Softball) April 15, 2025
A bit of two-out swinging from the Fighting Irish gave Notre Dame a 2-1 lead in the top of the third. Conroy quickly leveled the score at 2-2 however hitting Michigan State's second opposite field home run of the day to lead-off the bottom of the third.
Payton Conroy ties the game at 2-2! MSU's second opposite field home run of the game evens the score.#GoGreen | #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/B6odQgZRrt
— Michigan State Softball (@MSU_Softball) April 15, 2025
Two Michigan State errors helped led to Fighting Irish runs to start the fourth inning giving Notre Dame a 4-2 advantage. In the bottom of the fourth a two-out single through the right side by Smiley brought pinch running junior Hailey Bila in from second base to cut into the Fighting Irish lead, 4-3.
Kendall Smiley puts a ball into right to bring us back within one run in the fourth, 4-3!#GoGreen | #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/Anx7pIxfwr
— Michigan State Softball (@MSU_Softball) April 15, 2025
Pitching in relief, Guidry and Schuler retired the final eight Fighting Irish batters in order and shut Notre Dame out over the last three innings. The two pitchers combined to allow just one hit over 3.2 innings of work.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Shannon Becker (6-2)
L: Taylor, Madison (1-6)
Batting:
2B: Addison Amaral 1
RBI: Addison Amaral 2 ; Rebecca Eckart 1
SH: Jane Kronenberger 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Caroline O'Brien 1 ; Emily Tran 1 ; Rebecca Eckart 1 ; Micaela Kastor 1
Batting:
HR: Hawley, Hannah 1 ; Conroy, Payton 1
RBI: Hawley, Hannah 1 ; Smiley, Kendall 1 ; Conroy, Payton 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hawley, Hannah 1 ; Bila, Hailey 1 ; Conroy, Payton 1
HBP: Cash, Kaelin 1
