MSU SOFTBALL: Long Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week

First-year infielder McKenzie Long (Alta Loma, California/Los Osos) has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week, as announced by the Conference office on Monday afternoon. It is the first weekly honor of Long’s career, and the second time this season a Spartan has been named Freshman of the Week.

Long led the Big Ten in hitting last week (.727), which included a 7-for-10 performance in Big Ten games. She had a pair of sacrifice hits, two doubles, walked twice, and put up six hits in seven at-bats in the Indiana series, while going 1-for-3 in a 4-3 loss at No. 4 Michigan which included a highlight-reel catch and throw to third to finish off a double play. On the week, she had three doubles and three RBI, an on-base percentage of .769, and a slugging percentage of 1.000.

The freshman has played in all 50 games, ranks third on the team in hitting (.320 overall) and has 41 hits (tied for second on the team). She has also contributed nine doubles and four homers on the year. She leads the Spartans with a .368 batting average in Big Ten games only.

In the season’s first week, redshirt freshman pitcher Kristina Zalewski was named the Freshman of the week for her performance in the Stetson Invitational.

The Spartans wrap up the regular season with five games this week, beginning Tuesday at home vs. No. 24 Notre Dame. A road game at Central Michigan on Wednesday awaits the Spartans before the final Big Ten series of the season, a three-game weekend set with Maryland at Secchia Stadium that begins on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m.