Softball Splits with Michigan State – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/18/1998 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 18, 1998
EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan State softball team split a doubleheader with Ohio State today at Buckeye Field in Columbus, Ohio. The Buckeyes captured the first game, 6-1, while the Spartans came back to take the nightcap, 3-1. The Spartans, who dropped the front end of a doubleheader for the fifth-straight Big Ten weekend, stand at 25-14 overall and 8-7 in the league with the split. Ohio State is 22-19 overall and 5-10 in the league.
In the first game of the day, Michigan State scored first when sophomore Carrie Fry doubled home pinch runner Jennifer Andrew.
The Spartans held a 1-0 lead until the fourth inning when the Buckeyes used a two-out rally to score three runs off of starting pitcher Stefanie Noffsinger. Noffsinger gave up three-straight singles, while an MSU error led to two of the three runs in the inning. Ohio State added another three runs in the sixth inning off of reliever Jacqueline Hall.
Noffsinger suffered the loss (12-8), allowing four hits in 3.2 innings of work. She allowed three runs, walked one and struck out one batter. Hall threw 2.1 innings of relief, giving up four hits, three runs, walking one and striking out one.
MSU collected just five hits in the game, three of which were doubles by Carrie Fry, Margaret Hollis and Stacey Phillips.
OSU’s Kristi Martin picked up her seventh win of the season, allowing five hits and just one run in the complete-game effort. Martin walked one and fanned three.
The Spartans rebounded in game two, scoring two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Senior Danielle Manzardo delivered the big hit with a double to left field that scored Andrew and junior Tiffany Yager.
MSU added an insurance run in the sixth inning when junior Molly Hugan delivered a pinch-hit double to bring home Noffsinger and give the Spartans a 3-0 lead.
Hall started the game and held the Buckeyes in check until the sixth inning. With two outs in the top of the sixth, Ohio State put runners on second and third with back-to-back singles. Sophomore Erica Strutz came on in relief and got Holly English to ground out to third base to end the rally.
Ohio State again put together a two-out rally in the top of the seventh, tagging Strutz for three-straight singles and its first run of the game. Strutz maintained her composure and got Renae Weigel to fly out to center for the final out of the game and a 3-1 Spartan win.
Hall collected the win, improving her season record to 5-3. She scattered six hits in 5.2 innings of work, walked two and fanned two. Strutz tossed 1.1 innings, giving up three hits and one run.
Fry led the Spartan offensive attack with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate. Noffsinger went 2-for-2 and scored a run, while Manzardo was 1-for-2 with a pair of RBI.
Ohio State and Michigan State conclude their three-game series with a single contest on Sunday, April 19 at noon at Buckeye Field.
Site: Columbus, OH (Buckeye Field)
Results: Ohio State 6, Michigan State 1; Michigan State 3, Ohio State 1
Records: Michigan State 25-14, 8-7 Big Ten; Ohio State 22-19, 5-10 Big Ten
Next Game: Sunday, April 19 – at Ohio State, noon (1 game)
