GREEN & WHITE

Michigan State roundup: Softball earns walk-off win over Ohio State

Lansing State Journal
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Sophomore Ebonee Echols delivered a two-out bases-loaded single in the bottom of the seventh inning to secure a 7-6 victory over No. 25 Ohio State on Saturday afternoon to secure a series victory over the Buckeyes.

The Spartans (24-17, 7-9 B1G) had 11 hits on the day and played error-free ball to extend their winning streak to six games and also improve their record at Secchia Stadium this season to 7-0.

MSU started its seventh-inning rally with one out, as Kelcey Carrasco and Kelly Zackrison put up back-to-back singles and Lindsey Besson walked to load the bases. Hursh got the second out on an infield popup, but Echols stepped in and delivered her big hit to end the game. Echols finished her day with a 3-for-5 effort at the plate, while Lea Foerster, Kaitlyn Eveland and Kelly Zackrison all had two-hit outings.

Michigan State used three doubles - two from Eveland - to take a 4-1 lead in the third inning. A single run in the fourth and a four-run rally in the fifth for the Buckeyes gave them a 6-4 lead, fueled by a double by Taylor White and a two-run homer by Anna Kirk. MSU got a fifth-inning RBI single from Zackrison to tie the game at 6-6.

OSU’s four-run rally in the fifth was the end of the day for Spartan starter Bridgette Rainey, who threw 4 2/3 innings, scattering eight hits and striking out four. Jordan Watson came on in relief for the second straight day and retired the first five batters in order, and then got some help from Eveland on a double play to end the top of the seventh to earn her seventh win of the season and second of the week, tossing 2 1/3 innings of one-hit relief.

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

WOMEN'S GOLF

Spartans move up to second after two days in Big Ten Championships

Junior Sarah Burnham shot a school and Big Ten Championships record 9-under-par 63 in Saturday’s second round of the league tournament at TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio.

Burnham’s amazing 63 moved her into first place at 8-under-par 136, four shots ahead of the next closest competitors.

As a team, the Spartans moved up three spots into second place with second-round 5-under-par 283. For the tournament, Michigan State is 5-over-par 581, eight shots back of first-place Northwestern, which is 3-under-par 573 after two rounds.

Burnham’s record day started with six consecutive birdies on the front nine, as she was six-under-par at the turn. She birdied five of the first six holes to start the back nine and then birdied the 18th to finish at 9-under-par.

“Watching one of your players be 10-under at one point – you can’t describe how special it was,” MSU head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll said. “Sarah is an incredible player and person. The joy you get from watching someone perform like that is tremendous and we are so happy for her. I think I was more nervous on the back nine than she was. Her putter was hot and she felt great about it all day.

“It was a good example for all of her teammates because of how diligent she is and how hard she works. It’s fun to see fruits of her labor pay off and she definitely deserves it.”

Burnham’s 63 was three strokes better than her previous school-record 66, which she shot twice in 2015. The previous record for lowest round at the Big Ten Championships was 65.

Freshman Allyson Geer and junior Katie Sharp also had solid second rounds. Geer is alone in ninth place after a 1-over-par 73 on Saturday. She is 2-over-par 146 for the tournament. Sharp fired an even-par 72 in round two and is tied for 10th place at 3-over par 147.

Freshman Paz Marfa Sans had a 3-over-par 75 on Saturday and is 8-over-par 152 for the tournament, tied for 21st place.

Sophomore Carolyn Markley is 13-over-par 157 (77-80) and freshman Logan Otter is 20-over-par 164 (85-79).

MSU is nine strokes ahead of third-place Ohio State and 16 strokes up on fourth-place Wisconsin.

Sunday’s final round will get underway at 8 a.m.

- MSU Athletic Communications