April 23, 2008

Box Score

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State softball (25-22, 7-7) earned a pair of wins Wednesday afternoon, sweeping Oakland (13-22) in a doubleheader at Old College Field, 8-2 and 8-5. Second baseman Gina Mondo drove in five runs for the Spartans, while designated player Jessica LeFevre went a perfect 4-for-4 and scored five times. In the circle, Shae Bass (8-4) pitched the entire first game, with six strikeouts, while Kelly Confer (1-1) earned the second win after throwing six innings.

"It's wasn't so much about sweeping the series as it was about getting back-to-back good pitching games," said head coach Jacquie Joseph. "We really needed to get back on the right track, especially heading into this weekend play. And right now our thoughts are with Bianca [Mejia], and her health."

Mejia, who went 3-for-3 in game one, left the second game on a stretcher after a forceful collision with Audrey Sabourin, who was attempting to steal second. The two collided as Mejia was catching the throw from Caitlin Mahoney, and Sabourin was going in to slide. Sabourin was unharmed and reached second safely.

After two empty innings in the first contest, Michigan State struck first with three runs in the bottom of the third. With two runners on, Mondo drove in LeFevre and advanced Mejia to third with a fielder's choice. Lindsey Hansen picked up a pair of RBI with a single to left, as both Mondo and Mejia were able to score.

Mejia doubled to score LeFevre in the fourth inning with two outs, putting MSU ahead 4-0, before Oakland generated some efficient offense. In the top of the fifth, the Golden Grizzlies scored their only runs with an RBI triple and an RBI single with no outs. But the Spartans came up with three outs on the next three at bats to halt the momentum and maintain the lead.

With four insurance runs in the sixth - two of which were driven in by Mondo's ninth double of the season - MSU sealed game one's win, 8-2.

The Spartans opened game two with a three-run lead, chalking up runs in the bottom of the third. With the bases loaded and one out, Mondo roped a base-clearing double to left-center field, her 10th double of the season, and drove in Kara Weigle, Kristen Aidem, and LeFevre.

Oakland responded with a run in the top of the fourth, but Michigan State improved its lead to 7-1 with four runs in the bottom of the inning. Jessica Bracamonte singled, and then rounded the bases on a wild pitch and fielder's choice to eventually score on an illegal pitch. LeFevre came up and bunted safely to first base, and after stealing second, Aidem drove her in with a single to right-center field. Aidem's hit and RBI are her first in seven games. Weigle tripled to score Aidem and Mondo singles to score Weigle as the Spartans pushed their lead to six runs.

Bracamonte batted in the final run of the day for Michigan State as she doubled to right-center and drove in Heidi Purtzer. The Grizzlies managed a pair of runs in the top of the sixth and seventh innings, but the Spartans held on for the 8-5 victory.

The Spartans will play a home-and-home series with Michigan this weekend, traveling to Ann Arbor for Friday's game at 6 p.m., before returning to East Lansing for game two at 12 p.m. Fans can listen to Friday's match-up for free, as Scott Moore broadcasts the game at www.msuspartans.com.

Saturday's game at Old College Field is the final home conference contest for MSU this season.