April 26, 2008

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EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State suffered a 11-3 loss to the Wolverines Saturday afternoon at Old College, as the Spartans dropped to 25-24 overall and 7-9 in Big Ten play. Sixth-ranked Michigan improved to 43-4 overall and 15-1 in league action.

The Spartans hit the road to close out the weekend in University Park, Pa., playing a Sunday twinbill at Penn State beginning at 12 p.m.

Bianca Mejia cranked out her ninth home run of the year, a two-run bomb straight out across center field in the bottom of the third inning. Mejia drove in Jessica LeFevre, who singled to lead off the inning, and the pair of runs inched Michigan State back in the game, as the Wolverines' lead was cut to 9-3 after three.

Michigan, much like yesterday, got things started with a home run, as Dorian Shaw sent a three-run long ball over the left-center wall in the second. With a 3-0 lead, the Wolverines singled and brought up Teddi Ewing, who picked up a pair of RBIs with a homer that bounced off and over the left-field wall.

The inning continued with only one out and the bases loaded, as Samantha Findlay stepped into the batter's box. Findlay crushed out a grand slam over the left-field wall - her 18th home run of the season and second of the series. A grounder to Gina Mondo and a Noel strikeout ended the inning, with the Wolverines leading 9-0.

With two outs in the bottom of the second, Jessica Bracamonte rocketed a double to the right-center wall, settling on the warning track. Lindsey Hansen easily rounded the bases to score - Hansen walked on the previous at bat - on Bracamonte's fifth double of the season.

After Mejia's two-run homer to cut the Wolverine lead to 9-3, Michigan tacked on two runs in the fourth, going up 11-3. The UM lead would hold on as the final, retiring the game in five innings.

The Spartans finished the day with five hits, and Lesley Noel threw the complete game and tallied two strikeouts.