B1G Play Opens Friday at No. 7 UCLA

Michigan State (13-10, 0-0 B1G) at No. 7 UCLA (22-3, 3-0 B1G)
Dates/Location	Friday-Sunday, March 13-15 Los Angeles, Calif. \| Easton Stadium \| GameDay Central
Tickets	UCLA Ticket Office
Webstreams	Friday (10 pm ET) \| Saturday (9 pm ET) \| Sunday (3 pm ET)
Live Statistics	Click Here
Game Notes	Michigan State \| UCLA
Social Media	Facebook X Instagram

Around the Horn
What you need to know about Spartan softball

• Michigan State opens Big Ten play this weekend when it travels to No. 7 UCLA. The Bruins, ranked No. 7 in the national polls, opened Big Ten play last weekend with a sweep of Wisconsin (14-9, 8-0, 16-9) and are coming off a 9-1 run-rule victory over LMU on Wednesday. Overall, the Bruins sit at 22-3 and have not lost since Valentine's Day, putting together a 16-game winning streak.

• MSU won three of four games last weekend in Raleigh, taking part in the Marucci Classic at NC State. The Spartans dropped a one-run decision to the host Wolfpack on day one (4-3), but came back with a big offensive day on Friday with wins over Stetson (10-6) and Mercer (11-2) before closing out the tournament with a 5-4 victory over Stetson in a rematch. The Spartans sit at 13-10 as their Conference games begin.

• MSU hit .267 in its four games at NC State, with 10 of 29 hits going for extra bases: four doubles, one triple, and five homers. The Spartans walked 23 times in their four games at NC State, the most free passes in a weekend this season. MSU's five homers last weekend were the most for the Spartans in any weekend so far this season.

The Spartans have 39 doubles through 23 games, which is sixth in the Big Ten; their 1.70 doubles per game ranks fifth. At its current pace, MSU is on track for 90+ doubles in its 54-game schedule. MSU has had 90+ doubles just twice: in 2017 (91), and in 2004 (94).

• MSU turned four double plays in four games last weekend, and its 10 double plays on the season rank fourth in the Big Ten (0.43/gm).

• Last weekend, Sydney Doloszycki hit .417 (5-for-12 with a double and two homers). She also drove in a team-high seven runs. Overall, Doloszycki leads the Spartans with 16 RBI, ranks second in batting average (.317), and stolen bases (3).

• Junior Kendall Smiley has been a big producer of timely hits for the Spartans. She has contributed 14 RBI and 21 base hits (two doubles, two triples), with five walks, hitting .280. She is 3-for-3 on stolen base attempts and has played an error-free right field (36 putouts). She has a team-best 12-game active hitting streak.

• Zoie Bernard has put together an impressive collegiate debut. She owns or shares the team lead in batting average (.358), slugging (.617), on-base percentage (.441), hits (29), runs scored (19), doubles (7), triples (4), and stolen bases (5-6).

• Bernard is second in the Big Ten and fourth nationally in triples (4), ranks 13th in the league in doubles (7) and 15th in base hits (29).

• MSU's pitching staff has thrown four complete games over the last 12 contests. Jacey Schuler and freshman Alex Starr twirled MSU's first two complete games of the season against Howard (2/21, 2/22) and Carsyn Cassady contributed a three-hit effort in a 2-1 complete game victory over Dayton (3/1). Schuler went the distance last weekend vs. Mercer.

Around the Horn
What you need to know about Spartan softball

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Players Mentioned

Zoie Bernard

Carsyn Cassady

Sydney Doloszycki

Jacey Schuler

Kendall Smiley

Alex Starr

Michigan State University Athletics