Jackie Joseph and Spartan Softball Improve Their Season Record to 4-0!

Michigan State moved to 4-0 on the season with a pair of wins at the Westin Lake Mary Leadoff Classic at Stetson, posting a 6-0 shutout win over Morehead State

Michigan State moved to 4-0 on the season with a pair of wins at the Westin Lake Mary Leadoff Classic at Stetson, posting a 6-0 shutout win over Morehead State in the first game of the day and getting some seventh-inning heroics to post a 3-2 win over the host Hatters in the nightcap. Kristina Zalewski earned the victory in both games, starting game one and going four innings. She entered in relief in game two, tossing 2.1 shutout innings and earning her first career save.

While MSU had game one in hand early, the Spartans scored twice in the first inning against Stetson, withstood a rally by the Hatters that tied the game at 2-2, then got a big RBI double from Stephanie Sanders in the top of the seventh to extend its winning streak to four games.

“This weekend is really about trying out a lot of combinations and lineups, and seeing what we are capable of in different situations,” said head coach Jacquie Joseph. “I was happy with how we hit the ball, and how our pitchers performed. We have a lot of players that are coming back from injuries this season, and so today was such a victory within a victory for players like Kristina Zalewski and Dani Goranson. Dani hasn’t thrown in a game in 18 months, so today was a lot about perseverance for her. ‘Z’ missed more than half of last season. Then, Stephanie Sanders, who battles her own injury problems, comes up with a big hit to win the game for us against Stetson. I like the mindset, and I like the effort. Now we need to stay focused on the things we are working on.”

Michigan State 6, Morehead State 0

Kristina Zalewski and Dani Goranson combined on a two-hit shutout of Morehead State in its first game on Saturday, marking a valiant return from injury for both pitchers.

The Spartans put a pair of runs on the board in the first inning, as Gutknecht led off with an infield single. Foerster laid down a bunt to move Gutknecht to second, and legged it out for a safe call at first. A wild pitch advanced both runners, and Sanders flied out to right to plate Gutknecht for a 1-0 lead. After Kujawa drew a walk, Long came in and grounded out to second, scoring Foerster for the two-score lead.

MSU plated third more in the bottom of the third. Lea Foerster led off with a single to left, and she moved to third on a sacrifice by Stephanie Sanders and a groundout by Kassidy Kujawa. McKenzie Long followed with a four-pitch walk, and immediately stole second to put runners at second and third. Sydney Heath pinch-hit for Alyssa McBride, and reached on an error by the second baseman, which sent home both both runners. McBride re-entered to run for Heath, and scored on a single to right by Stoffer, but the catcher was then caught in a rundown for the third out of the inning.

After Jaccquie Reiser was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the fourth, she stole second then advanced to third on a groundout by Friemuth. Gutknecht came to the plate and lined out to left, scoring Reiser for a 6-0 lead.

Dani Goranson came on to pitch for MSU in the top of the fifth, spelling Zalewski who went four innings, striking out a career-high seven and didn’t allow a run. Goranson’s outing was a successful one as well, going three innings and surrendering just one seventh-inning single. She struck out four, facing just one batter over the minimum.

Michigan State 3, Stetson 2

A seventh-inning double up the left-field line by senior Stephanie Sanders sent home the game-winning run as Michigan State held off host Stetson, 3-2, to improve to 4-0 on the season. MSU stranded eight runners, including leaving the bases loaded in both the second and third innings, but got another strong combined pitching effort, this time from Valerie Kaff and Kristina Zalewski.

The Spartans are off to the best start to a season since 2008, when MSU started 4-0 at the Seminole Classic in Tallahassee. Four players are hitting .400 or better through four games, while the team has allowed just three runs in it’s four games.

Gutknecht led off the game with a homer to left on the second pitch of the game, the seventh round-tripper of her career. Two batters later, Sanders doubled to deep center, and Kassidy Kujawa advanced her to third on a high pop-up in the infield that fell just out of the third baseman’s reach. After Kujawa stole second, McBride dropped a hit into shallow right, plating Sanders. Kujawa was thrown out at the plate trying to get another run on the board, which ending the inning.

MSU threatened again in the second. Destinee Luna led off with a base hit to second, and then stole second. Besson sacrificed her over to third, then Freimuth was hit by a pitch to put a pair of runners on. The Hatters intentionally walked Gutknecht to load the bases, but Foerster lined into a double play to end the Spartan threat.

MSU stranded three runners again in the third. Kujawa lined a one-out single into left, and McKenzie Long followed with a single to right to move Kujawa to second. The runners advanced on a passed ball, then Chelsea Hostetler walked Alyssa McBride on five pitches to once again load the bases. Hostetler got Destinee Luna looking, then got Lindsey Besson to fly out to center to work out of a second straight jam.

The home team threatened in the bottom of the third, as Kaff hit Amanda Grimaldo to put a runner on with two outs, and Meza followed with a single to right center that put runners on the corners. Kaff got her second strikeout of the inning when she got Griffon to look at a called third strike, and the Spartans got out of the inning.

MSU went down fairly quietly in the top of the fourth, but got a big challenge from Stetson in the bottom of the inning as they had runners at the corners, opening the frame with back-to-back singles and a fielder’s choice. Brandt stole second to put both runners in scoring position, but Kaff got Hawn to pop out to McKenzie Freimuth at first for the second out of the inning. Kaff then got Jazz Vasquez to ground out to third to work out of the jam.

The host team tied the game at two in its half of the fifth. Kaff got a pop up for the first out of the inning, but Amanda Grimaldo followed with an infield single. Demi Meza stepped in and launched a shot over the wall in right to tie the score. With Stetson eyeing a go-ahead opportunity, Kaff got Jessica Griffin to fly out to right, but Kayla Drury laced a single to right just past the outstretched arms of Freimuth to keep the inning alive. Zalewski came in to relieve Kaff at that point, as the sophomore exited after 4.2 innings, allowing eight hits and two runs, striking out four. Kelsey Waters was the first batter faced by Zalewski, and she struck her out on four pitches.

The Spartans were retired in order in the sixth despite all three batters making good contact, which sent Zalewski back out to the circle to try to quiet the surging Hatter bats. Courtney Brandt fouled off multiple pitches before finally sending a single down the right-field line, but she was thrown out at second when Hawn grounded to third on a fielder’s choice. Zalewski got Vasquez to strike out, then Tenbroeck to ground out to get out of the inning.

MSU was aggressive in the top of the seventh, leading to it’s game-winning run. Foerster got on with a one-out single, stole second, and motored home on the double up the left-field line by Sanders. Kujawa and Long were retired as the Hatters kept the game manageable, but Zalewski was up to the challenge to close out the game. She got Grimaldo (popup) and Meza, the earlier hero (struck out swinging) to put two outs on the board, but Ellie Stoffer, who came in behind the plate for Besson, was tagged for catcher’s interference, putting a runner aboard. Drury was retired on a grounder to third, which was easily handled by Gutknecht and fired across to Freimuth to polish off the win.

Zalewski earned the win, her second of the day, allowing no runs and just one hit, striking out three in the victory. She has yet to allow a run in her two appearances, surrendering just two hits in 6.1 innings.

MSU takes on Akron on Sunday morning at 10 am to finish off the tournament.