Softball Defeated After Late Hawkeye Rally
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Michigan State softball was defeated in game one of its three-game series at Iowa on Friday night, 4-0, from Bob Pearl Field. The Spartans held Iowa scoreless heading into the bottom of the fifth inning.MSU moves to 12-18 (0-4 B1G) on the season while Iowa improves to 15-11 (3-1 B1G).
Senior Liv Grey (8-9) completed 4.1 innings in the circle, striking out four and allowing a pair of earned runs. Grey was relieved in the fifth by junior Madison Taylor who completed the final 1.2 innings of Friday's contest and struck out one.
Sophomore Sydney Doloszycki prevented a Hawkeye hit in the fifth with a diving grab in right field.
Sophomore Hannah Hawley and freshman Payton Conroy each reached base for MSU, with Hawley drawing a sixth inning walk and Conroy getting hit by a pitch in the third.
Iowa used a three-run fifth inning to break open a then 0-0 game. After a one-out Spartan error, the Hawkeyes used back-to-back-to-back singles to bring home three runners. Iowa added an insurance run in the sixth to finish the day with four runs on nine hits.
Hawkeye starting pitcher Jalen Adams did not allow a hit through seven innings.
Up Next
Michigan State will continue its road-series against the Hawkeyes at 3:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday, March 30 from Bob Pearl Field.
Game one recap courtesy of MSU Athletics.
Softball Earns First B1G Win, Splits Day Two in Iowa City
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Michigan State softball got back in the win column on Saturday afternoon, taking game two of its three-game series against Iowa, 8-2. The Spartans fell, 1-0, in a tight game three from Bob Pearl Field after the series finale was moved up a day due to weather concerns.MSU moves to 13-19 (1-5 B1G) while the Hawkeyes are now 16-12 (4-2 B1G).
Game One – Michigan State 8, Iowa 2
Senior Liv Grey (9-9) tossed her sixth complete game of the season in game one, striking out three Hawkeye batters. Grey allowed just four hits and two earned runs in the contest.
Sophomore Hannah Hawley was perfect at the plate going 3-for-3 with a walk, two home runs and three runs batted in. Senior Jenae Wash, sophomore Sydney Doloszycki, senior Anna Fox, sophomore Britain Beshears and redshirt sophomore Mik Anthony also tallied base hits for MSU. Doloszycki reached three times, walking twice and driving in one RBI. Beshears, Wash, Anthony and Fox worked walks.
Doloszycki did it all for the Spartans in the first, singling to center to score Hawley from second, stealing third and scoring on a passed ball to put MSU ahead 2-0.
Hawley recorded her second hit of the game in the third, putting the Spartans ahead 3-0 with a solo home run to left.
Iowa looked to get on the board in the third themselves, loading the bases, but Grey navigated trouble to get out of the inning unscathed.
The Hawkeyes broke through in the fourth after a trio of singles scored a pair of runs, cutting MSU's advantage to 3-2 heading into the fifth.
Hawley's big day at the plate continued in the fifth as her two-out, two-run homer off a fresh Hawkeye pitcher put Michigan State ahead 5-2. Fox drew a two-out bases loaded walk in the sixth to increase the Spartan lead to 6-2.
Senior Alexis Ross saved a potential run with a web gem catch in the bottom of the sixth.
MSU showed patience working four walks in the seventh inning. Wash's walk brought home the pinch-running sophomore Kayla Bane from third. Anthony capped off the inning with an RBI single to center that scored Doloszycki. The Spartans pushed for a second run on the play but were out at home.
Game Two – Iowa 1, Michigan State 0
Junior Madison Taylor (1-7) tossed a gem in the circle throwing six scoreless frames and striking out one. Taylor allowed just one earned run in the seventh inning.
Hawley once again was the star offensively for MSU with a pair of hits in game two. Junior Macy Lee, Doloszycki, Wash, Anthony and Fox also had hits for the Spartans. Doloszycki and Wash each doubled. Lee and Anthony walked to reach base twice in the late game.
Michigan State's best scoring chance came in the fourth when Wash led-off the inning with a double. Wash and Anthony both ended the inning in scoring position.
The MSU defense was excellent in both games, making key plays to prevent runs. It was a major reason why Iowa stranded 10 base runners in game two. Michigan State's defense got out of bases-loaded threats in the second and sixth innings.
In the second, sophomore Payton Conroy and Fox teamed up for an inning-ending double play where Conroy dove to her left and flipped the ball to Fox at second.
Wash charged for a ball and made a diving grab in left to end a bases loaded threat in the sixth.
Iowa led-off the seventh with a triple to quickly put a runner in scoring position. The next batter hit a comeback that ricocheted off Taylor in the circle, allowing the runner to score and end the game.
Up Next
Michigan State makes its return to Secchia Stadium for the first time in 2024 next weekend when it welcomes Indiana to East Lansing on April 5-7. First pitch on Friday, April 5 is set for 5:00 p.m.
Saturday recap courtesy of MSU Athletics.
