May 8, 2005
Box Score
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State (24-27-1) starter Rachel Turney (14-15) stifled Miami's bats on Sunday afternoon in the opening game of a doubleheader as her offense put up four runs between the second and third innings to top the RedHawk softball team (30-23), 4-0.
The RedHawks managed just three hits, putting three runners in scoring position with one each in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings. One RedHawk runner reached third, when Kaitlin Kitzler (Columbus, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales) moved within 60 feet of home on a two-out wild pitch in the seventh.
MSU's Victoria Morache hit a two-out, two run home run to put the home squad up 2-0 in the bottom of the second inning, and Megan Darhower followed in the next inning, the last for senior starter Jackie Poggendorf (Phoenix, Ariz./Shadow Mountain), with a two-run, two-out single for a 4-0 Spartan lead. Poggendorf (18-14) earned all four runs while giving up five hits, walking four and fanning three.
Junior Courtney Salmon (Auburn, Wash./Auburn) finished the game in the circle for Miami, giving up one hit in three innings of work with no walks and three strikeouts. Turney finished with eight strikeouts and a walk in her seven-inning, three-hit effort.
The two teams finish up their doubleheader with the second contest beginning at approximately 2:15 p.m. Yesterday, with Eastern Michigan's doubleheader sweep of Western Michigan, Miami clinched the third seed in the upcoming Mid-American Conference Tournament. Though the team's opponent won't be known until later Sunday afternoon, Miami opens the tournament at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Firestone Stadium.
