Spartan Softball Places Second at FGCU Invite After Falling to South Carolina, 11-3

 

Four Spartans named to All-Tournament Team. Photo courtesy of MSU SID.

 

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Michigan State softball team (7-3) had its win streak snapped at four games after falling to South Carolina, 11-3, in the final game of the Homewood Suites/Hilton Garden Inn FGCU Tournament on Sunday, Feb. 20. With the loss, the Spartans place second overall at the tournament with a weekend record of 4-1.

 

Already with a 1-0 lead, the Gamecocks netted three additional runs for insurance in the top of the fourth inning. Dana Hathorn singled down the left field line to score Jackie Slawson who was running for Kaitlin Westfall. Westfall reached base with a single up the middle. Hathorn wound up crossing home after Laura Mendes reached base after an error at second. Kylie Morin wound up scoring after a throwing error by Spartan catcher for USC’s third run of the inning. Morin came in to pinch run for P.J. Fulmer who reached base with a single to right. South Carolina ended the top half of the fourth with three runs on three hits.

 

Trailing USC 4-0, senior Lindsey Hansen led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo homer to left field. MSU continued its rally with back-to-back doubles by sophomore Jayme O’Bryant and junior Lauren Kramer. O’Bryant wound up scoring off of Kramer’s double to put MSU down by two, 4-2. The Spartans closed out the inning with two runs on four hits.

 

South Carolina put the first run on the board in the top of the third. USC’s Lackey reached base to lead off the inning after an error by the pitcher. Hannah Milks doubled to center to score Lackey from second.

 

A two-run fifth and a five-run sixth capped off USC’s scoring. Milks led off the fifth with a single and was driven home after Julie Sarratt homered to left field to put South Carolina up 6-2.

 

The sixth inning opened for the Gamecocks with a single by Dillon. A single to center by Samie Garcia scored Dillon. Garcia ended up scoring after Sarratt reached base on a throwing error by the shortstop. The next two USC runs came after Molly Brossart doubled to left to score Sarah Eidt who was pinch running for Sarratt and Milks. Milks singled to third to get on base. South Carolina pulled out to a 10-2 lead after Eidt and Milks scored. The final run of the inning came after Westfall singled to drive in Redondo who was running for Brossart.

 

Michigan State scored its last run off of the game after junior Brett Williams blasted a solo homer to left field in the bottom of the sixth.

 

Sarratt earned the win for South Carolina as she pitched 3.0 innings of action. Sarratt recorded three strikeouts while allowing one earned run on three hits. Sarratt improves to 2-0 on the season. Audrey Broyles earned the start for USC and pitched the first 3.0 innings of the game. Broyles had one strikeout while allowing two earned runs on five MSU hits.

 

Freshman Cassee Layne falls to 3-2 on the year with the loss against South Carolina. Layne recorded four runs, one of which was earned, on four hits and posted two strikeouts. Kramer pitched 2.1 innings in relief and allowed seven runs, three earned, on six hits.

 

Following the tournament, four Spartans were named to the Homewood Suites/Hilton Garden Inn All-Tournament Team for their performances over the course of the weekend. Receiving honors as a pitcher was Layne. Layne ended with a 0.46 ERA with a 2-1 record for the weekend. She allowed only one earned run all weekend while posting two shutout wins. In her 15.1 innings of work, Layne posted 12 strikeouts. Joining Layne with designated player honors was Kramer. Kramer ended the tournament with a .365 batting average while posting two doubles. Kramer also went 2-0 within the circle for MSU and recorded nine strikeouts in 13.1 innings. Earning honors at the shortstop position was Hansen with her three homers this weekend. Hansen posted a 1.000 slugging percentage along with a .357 batting mark. Hansen notched 14 total bases and drove in four RBIs while scoring five runs. Junior Ali Grant earned honors as outfielder for MSU. Grant ended the weekend scoring five runs while batting .467. Grant also recorded eight total bases along with two RBIs.

 

MSU returns to action next weekend (Feb. 25-27) when it travels to Tempe, Ariz., for a three-game set against Arizona State. Both Friday’s and Saturday’s contest will start at 9 p.m. ET while Sunday’s game will start at 2 p.m. ET.