University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Softball Team Loses a Pair at Michigan State
4/29/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The University of Minnesota softball team was swept in a doubleheader at Michigan State on Sunday, falling 4-3 and 5-2 to the Spartans. The Gophers fell to 21-21 overall and 3-8 in the Big Ten, while MSU won its fourth consecutive game to improve to 30-24 and 6-8 in the conference.
In Game 1, the Golden Gophers overcame an early 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning only to have it disappear in the bottom of the seventh, when the Spartans took advantage of a pair of walks to score two runs to escape with the victory.
Sophomore pitcher Briana Hassett had her 20-scoreless innings streak come to an end in the first inning and took the loss for the Gophers, surrendering four runs on six hits while striking out seven.
Lisa Parks led Minnesota offensively, going 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI double. Mandy Valadez went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while Megan Higginbotham was also 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Michigan State took advantage of a leadoff walk to Nikki Nicosia in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead. Nicosia moved up to second on a sac bunt and took third when her sister, Traci Nicosia, hit a one-out single. Dayna Feenstra followed with a sac fly to center to score the first run of the game for the Spartans.
MSU added a run in the third, with the Nicosia sisters providing the offense again. Nikki Nicosia hit a one-out single to left, stole second and advanced to third on Nicole Mercado’s flyout to center. Traci Nicosia followed with a single to right to score her sister and put the Spartans up 2-0.
Parks got a run back for the Gophers with her team-leading eighth home run of the season, a solo shot which cut MSU’s lead to 2-1.
Minnesota took its first lead of the game with a pair of runs in the sixth inning. Higginbotham started the rally with a leadoff single and, two batters later, Valadez tripled to tie the game at two apiece. Parks followed with a double to score Valadez for her second RBI of the game as the Gophers pulled ahead of Michigan State, 3-2.
Hassett picked up three of her seven strikeouts on the day in the sixth to hold the lead for Minnesota heading into the final inning, but a pair of walks in the bottom of the seventh proved costly, as both runners scored for the Spartans. Gino Mondo drew a base on balls to start the inning and Kara Weigle followed with a walk of her own two batters later. Back-to-back singles from Nicole Nicosia and Mercado tied the game at three apiece before Traci Nicosia got the game-winning RBI.
Michigan State handed Minnesota a 5-2 loss in the second game, using a three-run sixth inning to sweep the doubleheader.
Katie Meyer and Casey Wheeler both went 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Gophers, while Parks picked up her third extra-base hit of the day with a leadoff triple in the bottom of the seventh inning, but it was not enough for Minnesota. Rene Konderik took the loss in the circle, allowing five runs on seven hits.
MSU again jumped on the Gophers early by scoring a run in the first inning. Caitlin Mahoney hit a two-out RBI single to right field to score Mercado and give the Spartans the early 1-0 advantage.
Minnesota responded to tie the game in the bottom of the second. Meyer got things going with a one-out single before being replaced by Sila Fernandez on the basepaths. Fernandez stole second and moved up to third on a groundout from Shannon Stemper before Wheeler brought her home with a single to left field to knot the score at one apiece.
It did not stay tied for long, however, as the Spartans used three straight singles in the top of the third inning to take the lead right back.
Michigan State opened up a four-run lead in the by putting three more on the board in the sixth. The first three batters in the inning all reached to load the bases for the Spartans with none out. Weigle brought the first run home with a sac fly and Nikki Nicosia followed with a single to center to score two more, giving the Spartans a 5-1 lead.
The Gophers got a run back in the bottom of the seventh after a leadoff triple from Parks, who was replaced on the basepaths by Bethany Wolvington. Meyer followed with an RBI single to center, but the next three batters were retired in order to end the game.
Minnesota will wrap up the regular season this week by facing a pair of teams from Wisconsin. The Gophers will host UW-Green Bay in a doubleheader at 4 p.m., Wednesday before the Badgers come into town for a weekend series with games scheduled for noon on both Saturday and Sunday.
In Game 1, the Golden Gophers overcame an early 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning only to have it disappear in the bottom of the seventh, when the Spartans took advantage of a pair of walks to score two runs to escape with the victory.
Sophomore pitcher Briana Hassett had her 20-scoreless innings streak come to an end in the first inning and took the loss for the Gophers, surrendering four runs on six hits while striking out seven.
Lisa Parks led Minnesota offensively, going 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI double. Mandy Valadez went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while Megan Higginbotham was also 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Michigan State took advantage of a leadoff walk to Nikki Nicosia in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead. Nicosia moved up to second on a sac bunt and took third when her sister, Traci Nicosia, hit a one-out single. Dayna Feenstra followed with a sac fly to center to score the first run of the game for the Spartans.
MSU added a run in the third, with the Nicosia sisters providing the offense again. Nikki Nicosia hit a one-out single to left, stole second and advanced to third on Nicole Mercado’s flyout to center. Traci Nicosia followed with a single to right to score her sister and put the Spartans up 2-0.
Parks got a run back for the Gophers with her team-leading eighth home run of the season, a solo shot which cut MSU’s lead to 2-1.
Minnesota took its first lead of the game with a pair of runs in the sixth inning. Higginbotham started the rally with a leadoff single and, two batters later, Valadez tripled to tie the game at two apiece. Parks followed with a double to score Valadez for her second RBI of the game as the Gophers pulled ahead of Michigan State, 3-2.
Hassett picked up three of her seven strikeouts on the day in the sixth to hold the lead for Minnesota heading into the final inning, but a pair of walks in the bottom of the seventh proved costly, as both runners scored for the Spartans. Gino Mondo drew a base on balls to start the inning and Kara Weigle followed with a walk of her own two batters later. Back-to-back singles from Nicole Nicosia and Mercado tied the game at three apiece before Traci Nicosia got the game-winning RBI.
Michigan State handed Minnesota a 5-2 loss in the second game, using a three-run sixth inning to sweep the doubleheader.
Katie Meyer and Casey Wheeler both went 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Gophers, while Parks picked up her third extra-base hit of the day with a leadoff triple in the bottom of the seventh inning, but it was not enough for Minnesota. Rene Konderik took the loss in the circle, allowing five runs on seven hits.
MSU again jumped on the Gophers early by scoring a run in the first inning. Caitlin Mahoney hit a two-out RBI single to right field to score Mercado and give the Spartans the early 1-0 advantage.
Minnesota responded to tie the game in the bottom of the second. Meyer got things going with a one-out single before being replaced by Sila Fernandez on the basepaths. Fernandez stole second and moved up to third on a groundout from Shannon Stemper before Wheeler brought her home with a single to left field to knot the score at one apiece.
It did not stay tied for long, however, as the Spartans used three straight singles in the top of the third inning to take the lead right back.
Michigan State opened up a four-run lead in the by putting three more on the board in the sixth. The first three batters in the inning all reached to load the bases for the Spartans with none out. Weigle brought the first run home with a sac fly and Nikki Nicosia followed with a single to center to score two more, giving the Spartans a 5-1 lead.
The Gophers got a run back in the bottom of the seventh after a leadoff triple from Parks, who was replaced on the basepaths by Bethany Wolvington. Meyer followed with an RBI single to center, but the next three batters were retired in order to end the game.
Minnesota will wrap up the regular season this week by facing a pair of teams from Wisconsin. The Gophers will host UW-Green Bay in a doubleheader at 4 p.m., Wednesday before the Badgers come into town for a weekend series with games scheduled for noon on both Saturday and Sunday.
Players Mentioned
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/ SoftballHighlights: Gophers 6, Central Michigan 1
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