Spartan Softball Defeats Miami Redhawks 9-1 :: Bianca Mejia blasts third career home run in Spartans' victory.

March 22, 2008

OXFORD, Ohio - Michigan State softball, (13-12), blew past Miami (OH) Saturday afternoon, 9-1, in near-freezing weather at the Miami Softball Diamond in Oxford, Ohio. A six-run first inning and a two-run homer by Bianca Mejia in the fourth set up the Spartans for a run-rule win as Nikki Nicosia singled to center the bottom of the fifth to drive in Lindsey Hansen as MSU defeated the Redhawks in its first game of the Best Western Miami Invitational.

Senior hurler Lesley Noel threw all five innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out three batters, to improve to 6-8 overall. At the plate, Mejia led the Spartans with three RBI, while Mejia, Nikki Nicosia and Kara Weigle each had two hits against Miami.

The Spartans quickly erased Miami's one-run lead in the bottom of the first with six runs on six hits and one Redhawk error. Nikki Nicosia doubled to open the inning and then scored on a costly catching error by Miami second baseman Meghan Mawn as Weigle arrived safely at first. Mejia would drive in Weigle with a single to center, and Keely Gruner came in to pinch run as MSU took a 2-1 lead.

Caitlin Mahoney singled to left, bumping Gruner to second, and Gina Mondo followed with an RBI double to left, as Gruner scored and Mahoney picked up third base. Abby Lincoln came in to pinch run for the Spartans but would be tagged out on her way home, the inning's second out, when Jessica LeFevre put the ball in play. But the Spartans weren't finished putting up runs as Heidi Purtzer drove in Mondo and LeFevre, and Aidem scored Purtzer, to put MSU ahead 6-1, before Miami brought in Meredith Linch on the mound, and retired the inning.

After two scoreless innings, Mejia furthered Michigan State's lead with a 2-run home run off of the scoreboard in right center, giving the Spartans an 8-1 advantage. The homer is the third of the redshirt freshman's career.

The Spartans were originally scheduled to play Penn State on Saturday, but due to inclement weather and rescheduling, the game was cancelled. Michigan State will continue tournament action tomorrow, Sunday, March 23, against Youngstown State at 10 a.m. and Toledo at 12 p.m.