March 23, 2008

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

OXFORD, Ohio - Michigan State softball finished action at the Best Western Miami Invitational Sunday afternoon in Oxford, Ohio, splitting a pair of games to go 2-1 in the tournament and extend its overall record to 14-13. The Spartans defeated Toledo 11-2 in five innings, after dropping their morning game against Youngstown State, 6-2. Kara Weigle highlighted MSU's offense with a grand slam in the top of the fifth against the Rockets, giving the Spartans their final runs to clinch their second run-rule win of the weekend.

Junior Gina Mondo and freshman Heidi Purtzer also tallied a home run each through the course of the day. Purtzer's long ball, the first of her career, was in the top of the fourth against Youngstown State, while Mondo's three-run shot helped spark the Spartans' lead against Toledo; the homer is Mondo's fourth of the year. From the circle, Lesley Noel threw all five innings, and struck out two batters, to improve to 7-8 this season.

Mondo's first inning three-run shot over left center boosted the Spartans ahead 3-0, but Toledo's lead-off batter Stong retaliated with a home run to right field. Michigan State would close out the opening stanza maintaining a 3-1 lead.

In the top of second, with one MSU run already hung on the board during the inning, Toledo brought in a fresh arm in the circle, as Shana Szypka came in with the bases loaded. Caitlin Mahoney flied out to left field, but Nikki Nicosia was able to tag up at third and score before Toledo could escape the inning, down 5-1.

The third inning passed without incident, but Michigan State caught fire again as Jessica LeFevre singled to first and was later driven in by a Kara Weigle triple. Mahoney was up next and pushed Abby Lincoln home from third with a sacrifice bunt; Lincoln was pinch running for Bianca Mejia, who reached on a walk.

After Weigle's grand slam put MSU ahead 11-1 in the top of the fifth, Toledo replaced Szypka on the mound with Hannah Rockhold, who finished off the inning with the final out. The Rockets managed a single run in the bottom of the fifth, but MSU's defense held off their attempted offensive run and closed the game 11-2.

Against Youngstown State, the first inning was highlighted by an RBI single to centerfield by Mahoney. The shot flew by the shortstop and gave Weigle ample time to round third and score, as MSU took an early 1-0 lead. But the Penguins rebounded in the bottom of the first with four runs, three of which were earned on McKenzie Bedra's home run that bounced off the left-field pole, giving Youngstown State the 4-1 advantage.

Kelly Confer came in to pitch for MSU two batters into the second inning, but after relatively quiet second and third innings, Purtzer's shot over the left-center fence inched the Spartans closer to Youngstown State's lead, 4-2, in the top of the fourth. But the Penguins tallied a run in the bottom of inning to increase their margin to 5-2.

Noel entered the circle in the bottom of the sixth, with runners on first and second, and while a single to right field drove in one run, Mahoney threw out the batter attempting to advance to second to close out the inning while the Penguins led 6-2.

The Spartans will return to action Tuesday, March 25 with their home opener against Bowling Green at Old College Field, beginning at 3 p.m.