Michigan State roundup: Softball nips No. 25 Ohio State, 3-2

Michigan State improved to 6-0 at home this season with a 3-2 victory over No. 25 Ohio State on Friday afternoon at Secchia Stadium.

The Spartans (23-17, 6-9 B1G) got a stellar outing from starter Kristina Zalewski and a four-out relief effort from Jordan Watson to pick up her fourth save of the season. Zalewski finished her day with seven strikeouts to improve to 3-6 overall. She also moved into a tie for second place on MSU's career strikeout list with 408, tied with Stacey Smith (1994-97).

Shelby Hursh went 4 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking four for the Buckeyes, and Morgan Ray went the final 1 2/3 innings without allowing a base hit to the Spartans. MSU had just four base hits on the day. Lilli Piper and Maddie Marotti each had a pair of hits for the Buckeyes (27-12, 10-5 B1G).

In a game billed "for lovers of offense" in a Big Ten promotion, the teams were scoreless with two hits each through three innings, as Hursh and Zalewski kept their opposing lineup in check.

MSU got on the board first, when Sarah Gutknecht scored on a sac fly by Lindsey Besson in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Spartans pushed their lead to 3-0 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth on RBI singles by McKenzie Long and Kaitlyn Eveland. OSU plated two runs in the top of the sixth and had their eyes on a seventh-inning rally, but Watson allowed just one hit in recording the final four outs of the game.

The teams play game two of the Big Ten series on Saturday at Secchia Stadium at 1 pm. Senior Gutknecht will be honored in a pre-game ceremony.

WOMEN'S GOLF

Spartans in fifth place after opening round of Big Ten Championships

MSU is in fifth place at Big Ten Championships after shooting an opening-round 10-over-par 298 on Friday at the par-72, 6,357-yard TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio. The Spartans have three players in the top 20, led by junior Sarah Burnham and freshman Allyson Geer, who are tied for eighth place after both firing 1-over-par 73s.

Northwestern leads the field after an even-par 288 in the first round. Wisconsin (3-over-par 291), Michigan (7-over-par 295) and Ohio State (8-over-par 296) round out the top five.

After a 3-over-par 39 on the front nine holes, Burnham recorded back-to-back birdies to start the back nine. She also birdied the 18th hole to finish 2-under-par on the back nine.

Geer was 1-over-par through 12 holes and then consecutive bogies on the 15th and 16th threatened to up her opening round total. But Geer responded in a big way with an eagle on the par-5, 477-yard 18th hole to finish the back nine at even par.

Geer’s eagle was her team-leading fourth of the year.

Junior Katie Sharp shot a 3-over-par 75 and is tied for 20th place. Sharp, who was 2-over-par on the front nine, birdied three of the first four holes after the turn to finish the back 1-over-par.

Sophomore Carolyn Markley and freshman Paz Marfa Sans both shot 5-over-par 77s and are tied for 35th place.

Freshman Logan Otter carded a 13-over-par 85.

Elodie Van Dievoet of Michigan leads the field with a 3-under-par 69.

Saturday’s second round will get underway at 8:30 a.m.

- MSU Athletic Communications