May 22, 2004

Box Score

ATHENS, Ga. - Brittney Green and Elizabeth Peterson led Michigan State softball (35-27) at the plate Saturday as both players went 2-for-3 in the 9-1, five-inning loss at Georgia (54-16). The loss eliminates State from the NCAA Regional competition, though the Spartans were one of the last 32 teams in the country still playing on Saturday.

"We ran into a great Georgia team today," said head coach Jacquie Joseph. "I'm proud of the way we played, and we definitely made a nice run in the tournament. I have to give the credit to Georgia in this game. They're a great team, and hit everything we threw at them. They deserve to move on."

Green hade State's only extra-base hit of the game, with her ninth double of the year. Nicole Mercado and Janette Hurtado posted the Spartans' other two hits in the game, as MSU was held to just six hits. Georgia posted its nine runs on 12 hits and one walk, and had two home runs, two doubles and a triple in the game.

The Spartans went 1-2-3 in the top of the first inning, and in the second half of the inning, the Bulldogs put one run on the board, as center fielder Nicole Barber singled to start the game. She stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice and scored on an RBI single from Shannon McKeon. The Spartans got out of the inning trailing just 1-0. MSU posted its first hits of the day in the second inning, as Green and Peterson both singled with one out. Hurtado walked to load the bases, but State couldn't get a run out of the inning. In the bottom of the second, Georgia started the inning off with a double from Courtney Knight. She scored on a triple from third baseman Jade Jarvis. All told, UGA scored five runs on six hits in the second, and took the 6-1 lead into the third.

Green started the Spartan fourth with a double to center field, and scored as Peterson singled to left field. Hurtado singled, and put runners at first and second. Pinch hitter Victoria Morache was robbed of a base hit to left field on a great stop by shortstop Katie Lewis, as she hit into a fielder's choice that got the lead runner. The one run was all State could push across, and the game entered the bottom of the fourth with UGA leading 8-1. McGrew allowed just one hit in the Georgia half of the fourth.

State went 1-2-3 in the top of the fifth, and Georgia added one more run to make the final score 9-1, giving the Bulldogs the run-rule shortened victory.

Beech took the loss and moved her record to 29-16 on the year, which tied the MSU season wins mark. She worked 2.0 innings and allowed seven runs on nine hits and a walk. She did not strike out a Bulldog batter. McGrew threw 2.0 innings in relief, and allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits. She struck out one. Georgia's Kasi Carroll (18-7) picked up the win, and allowed one run on six hits and a wlak in 5.0 innings pitched. Carroll struck out two.

State ends its season at 35-27, the seventh time in the last 11 years the Spartans have posted 30 wins or more. 2004 also marks the first Big Ten Tournament Championship in school history and the first time MSU has advanced to both the NCAA Regional and Big Ten Tournament in consecutive seasons.