Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State Events :: Official Athletic Site
April 20, 1997
MSU Softball Drops Extra-Inning Game
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The 8th-ranked Michigan State softball team dropped a 7-2 decision in eight innings to Purdue today at Old College Field in East Lansing.
With the scored tied at 2-2, Purdue pushed a run across in the top of the eighth inning when Jenny Schoen singled home Samantha Mercier. The Boilers eventually loaded the bases and sophomore Kristin Billen capitalized with a grand slam homer to left field, giving Purdue a 7-2 victory.
The loss dropped the Spartans to 43-11 overall and 13-2 in the Big Ten. Purdue improved to 35-19 overall and 8-6 in the conference.
Junior Jacqueline Hall, who relieved Stacey Smith, suffered the loss. Purdue's Sheryl Scheve threw a complete-game, allowing seven hits, walking one and striking out five batters.
Freshman Stephanie Giroux led the Spartans with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate. Giroux's single in the third inning drove home Carrie Fry to tie the game at 1-1. Smith scored Giroux later in the inning with a single to left field to give MSU a 2-1 lead.
Purdue tied the game in the sixth inning when Schoen scored from second base after a throwing error by Michigan State.
Michigan State continues Big Ten play next week with five games on the schedule. MSU will play a doubleheader at Michigan on Tuesday, April 22, at 2 p.m., before travelling to Iowa City, Iowa, for a three game series with Big Ten leader Iowa, April 26-27.
Purdue 7, Michigan State 2 (8 innings)
R H E
Purdue 100 001 05 -- 7 10 0
Michigan State 002 000 00 -- 2 7 2
WP - Sheryl Scheve (21-5) LP - Jacqueline Hall (7-4)LOB - Boilermakers 4; Spartans 5
E - Nixon (PU); Lemasters (MSU), Noffsinger (MSU)
2B - Blasnick (PU); Smart (PU); Giroux (MSU), Phillips (MSU) HR - Billen (PU)