Spartan Softball Welcomes Northwestern on Wednesday, Travels to Central Michigan on Thursday

 EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State softball team (18-21, 4-6 Big Ten) will close out its four-game homestand as it hosts Northwestern at Old College

 EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State softball team (18-21, 4-6 Big Ten) will close out its four-game homestand as it hosts Northwestern at Old College Field on Wednesday, April 21 for a midweek doubleheader slated to begin at 3 p.m. The following day, Thursday, April 22, the Spartans will travel to Mount Pleasant, Mich., for a single game against Central Michigan at 4 p.m.

 

Last Time Out

MSU welcomed No. 20 Ohio State to East Lansing last weekend (April 17-18) for two games. In the opening game of the series on Saturday, the Buckeyes struck early, downing the Spartans 12-3. In the second game, even though MSU was the first to score offensively, OSU rallied back to eventually defeat the Spartans, 7-3.

 

Series History

Michigan State trails both Northwestern and Central Michigan all-time. Against the Wildcats, the Spartans are 28-63, while posting a record of 24-55 against the Chippewas. MSU lost both to NU and CMU in 2009.

 

Scouting the Spartans

Leading the Spartans at the plate is junior Lindsey Hansen with her .400 batting average. In 39 starts this season, Hansen leads the team, and the conference, with 16 doubles. Hansen’s slugging percentage of .767 is currently fourth in the league, while her 92 total bases bring her in second. Freshman Kylene Hopkins leads the team on the base paths with 15 stolen bases.

 

Sophomore Lauren Kramer leads the pitching staff with a record of 13-11. Kramer, in 150.0 innings pitched, has posted 131 strikeouts. Kramer’s 29 appearances tie her for fourth most in the Big Ten this season.

 

Scouting the Wildcats

Emily Allard has certainly impressed this season for the 18-18 Wildcats. On the year, Allard has recorded a .379 batting average along with 25 stolen bases. In the conference, Allard has improved her batting average to .538. NU has a record of 4-5 in Big Ten contests this season.

 

Leading the way for Northwestern on the rubber is Lauren Delany. In 26 appearances this season, Delany has an overall record of 9-12, going 3-4 in the conference. In 121.1 innings of work, Delany has recorded 146 strikeouts, while limiting the opposition to a .210 batting average.

 

Head coach Kate Drohan is in her ninth season at the helm of the Wildcats, posting a record of 327-152-1 while at NU.

 

Scouting the Chippewas

Central Michigan currently sits at 21-13 overall on the season. CMU is led offensively by Jill Schultz with her .371 batting average. Molly Coldren, however, leads the team in slugging with a .679 mark, tallying eight homers and 72 total bases. Coldren also leads the team with 29 hits on the year.

 

Kara Dornbos and Kari Seddon have split time within the circle for Central Michigan. Dornbos currently boasts the best ERA on the team (2.21) in 85.1 innings pitched. Seddon leads the team with an 11-7 record, striking out 102 batters faced. Each pitcher has limited the opposing batter to under a .250 batting average – Dornbos: .249 and Seddon: .207.

 

Margo Jonker is in her 31st season as head coach at CMU and has tallied 999 career wins.

 

Next Up

The Spartans will travel to West Lafayette, Ind., for their final midweek doubleheader of the season when they play Purdue on April 28. The doubleheader will begin at 3 p.m.