April 5, 2007
Spartan Game Notes
Live Audio: PBP Adam Ruff; via www.msuspartans.com
Livestats: Gametracker; via www.msuspartans.com
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State softball team is set to host Ohio State in its 2007 Big Ten home opener on Friday (4 p.m.) at Old College Field. Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday a 1 p.m. The Spartans will conclude weekend play on Sunday in a doubleheader with Penn State scheduled to begin at noon. Ohio State holds a 53-34 lead in the all-time series with MSU, while Penn State holds a slight 20-18 edge all-time against Michigan State.
A Look At The Spartans
Michigan State enters weekend action with a 19-17 overall record. The Spartans dropped back-to-back six-inning decisions (11-3, 8-3) to No. 8 Northwestern in its opening series of Big Ten play on April 1. State most recently split a doubleheader with Detroit (5-4 (L), 13-8 (W)) on Tuesday.
Series History
Ohio State - Ohio State holds a 53-34 lead in the all-time series with MSU, including a 7-3 mark over the past five seasons. OSU swept the season series in 2006 with a 13-4 run-rule victory in game one, and 4-0 win in game two in Columbus.
Penn State - Penn State holds a slight 20-18 upperhand in the all-time series with the Spartans. The Nittany Lions hold a 7-3 record over the past five seasons. State managed just two hits in a two-game set last season, both 1-0 MSU losses.
A Look At The Buckeyes
Ohio State enters weekend action with a 21-13 overall record, including a 4-0 mark in Big Ten play. The Buckeyes opened the conference season with consecutive series sweeps against Minnesota and Wisconsin last weekend. OSU has two wins against ranked opponents this season, including a 2-1 victory against then-No. 22 Fresno State in February, and a 10-7 win against then-No. 17 California. Sam Marder leads the squad at the plate with a .349 (30-for-86) average, including 30 hits and 30 RBI. Jamee Juarez is 9-7 in the circle, and owns a team-best 1.82 ERA, good enough for fifth in the league.
A Look At The Nittany Lions
Penn State enters weekend play with a 16-12 overall record, including a 2-0 mark in conference play. PSU will travel to Michigan for a two-game series prior to Sunday's doubleheader with the Spartans. The Nittany Lions swept a two-game set with Wisconsin last weekend, while its series with Minnesota was cancelled due to weather. Danielle Kinley holds a team-best .412 average (35-for-85) at the plate, including 11 doubles and 24 RBI. Ashley Esparza has a team-low 2.46 ERA in 21 appearances, while Jenn Reynolds leads the squad with eight victories in the circle.
Detroit Doubleheader Recap
State split a non-conference doubleheader with Detroit on Tuesday at Buysse Field. MSU tallied four runs on four hits in the game-one loss, but rebounded with a season-best 17 hits and 13 runs in game two. Junior third baseman Caitlin Mahoney matched the second-highest single-game RBI total in MSU history with six in game two. Freshman hurler Kelly Confer improved to 3-0, allowing eight hits in the complete-game victory.
Big Ten Statistics
In the most recent Big Ten statistics (April 5), Michigan State is sixth in team batting with a .281 average, and 10th in team pitching with a combined 3.51 ERA. Kara Weigle is 10th in individual batting (.379) while she also leads the league with eight triples, ranks tied for eighth with 44 hits and is third with 39 RBI.
Breakout Numbers
Sophomore catcher Kara Weigle is just 11 RBI and four triples away from Michigan State single-season highs in both categories. Weigle's current totals of eight triples, four home runs and 39 RBI are all career-highs for the Naples, Fla., native, while she is just one hit shy of a career-high.
Spartan Honor Roll
Sophomore catcher Kara Weigle earned her first career Big Ten Player of the Week award on Feb. 20. Weigle hit .667 (10-for-15) with four triples and two home runs to earn all-tournament honors at the Hampton Inn Bama Bash. She was the first MSU Player of the Week honoree since the 2005 season. The Naples, Fla., native earned Co-Player of the Week honors on March 27 for her contributions at the Miami Invitational. Junior outfielder Traci Nicosia joined Weigle on the Hampton Inn Bama Bash All-Tournament Team. Nicosia contributed seven hits, including three doubles and five RBI for the Spartans.
Home Openers
Michigan State is 17-18 all-time in home openers after a March 28 loss to Bowling Green. The Spartans are now 9-5 in home openers under current head coach Jacquie Joseph.
This And That
Through the first 36 games of the season, junior Nikki Nicosia has posted the longest individual hitting streak at nine games. Jessica LeFevre has a six-game hitting streak in '07, and both Gina Mondo and Traci Nicosia have posted five-game hitting streaks this season.
Mercado's Multiple Talents
After playing the majority of her first three seasons for the Green and White as the starting right fielder, this season "Neeko" has also contributed solid defense in the Spartan infield, making nine starts at second base. She currently ranks 12th all-time with 165 career hits, and is just one triple away (10) from claiming the fifth-highest total in Spartan history, currently held by Shealee Dunavan.
Pitchers Climbing The Charts
In the circle, senior hurler Rachel Turney is fourth all-time with 369 career strikeouts, and junior pitcher Lesley Noel ranks third with seven career saves to her credit. The duo have combined for nine wins and 107 strikeouts this season.
Speedy Nicosia
On the bases, keep an eye on junior speedster Nikki Nicosia. Nicosia has claimed sole possession of fourth place all-time (49) with a team-best 14 stolen bases thus far in 2007. Nicosia passed two-time All-American Jessica Beech (42) to claim the spot.
Single-Season "Close Calls"
Both Kara Weigle and Caitlin Mahoney have matched the second-highest single-game RBI total in MSU history this season with six. Weigle tallied six in the season-opener against Toledo, and Mahoney hit the mark with six against Detroit on April 3. Dayna Feenstra owns the top spot on the list after posting seven against Wright State during the 2006 season.
Perfect Hair Day
Behind Megan Hair's first-career perfect game, the MSU softball team won its sixth straight, and improved to 9-6 with a non-conference doubleheader sweep (9-0, 8-0) of Saint Joseph's on March 6 at the EC Moore Complex in Clearwater Fla. Hair's flawless game was the first in the Big Ten Conference this season, and the first individual perfect-game performance in MSU history, as the only other recorded perfect outing was a combined effort by Becky Gray and Jessica Beech against IPFW during the 2002 season.
Dayna "Feeneee" Feenstra
Senior Dayna Feenstra continues to climb her way toward the top of the career record book in multiple categories. The Lakewood, Calif., native ranks 10th with 170 career hits, third with 42 career doubles and second 21 career home runs. Feenstra began the season in a bit of an offensive slump, but has rebounded in recent weeks, contributing 17 hits and 10 RBI since March 8.
Winning Ways
Freshman hurler Kelly Confer has contributed both in the field and in the circle this season for the Spartans. The Tampa, Fla., native has 11 hits and three RBI, and owns a flawless 3-0 record in three starts for the Spartan pitching rotation. Confer earned her third victory of the year in a 13-8 MSU win over Detroit on April 3.
Season Openers
With its 13-9 victory over Toledo on Feb. 16, MSU has won five-straight season-opening contests. In the 36-year history of Spartan softball, Michigan State has gone 26-10 in season-opening games, including a 10-4 mark under current head coach Jacquie Joseph.
MSU On The Radio
All of MSU's home Big Ten Conference contests will have live audio available via msuspartans.com. Scott Moore, also the voice of Michigan State hockey, will handle play-by-play duties.
