Ogilvie Homers, Softball Comes Up Short Against Michigan State, 11-5
Ogilvie racked in three hits, including a solo home run on Sunday against Big Ten opponent, Michigan State.
The Central Connecticut softball team gave Michigan State's six-game winning streak a run for its money in its final match of the 8th Annual Bulldog Invitational on Sunday, March 5. The Blue Devils trailed by just one run after five innings, until a five run offensive spurt in the sixth sealed the Spartan win. Freshman Sarah Ogilvie racked in three hits, including a solo home run, and gave up just two hits in two innings as CCSU's starting pitcher.
The Blue Devils move their record to 0-5, and Michigan State improves to 12-3.
Central's starting right fielder, sophomore Kerri Dadalski rocketed a double to left field in the first inning. Ogilvie then singled up the middle, to give CCSU the 1-0 lead over the Spartans. Michigan State scored two runs in the bottom of the inning, beginning with a lead off double from Lea Foerster.
With two outs in the top of the second, the Blue Devil offense rallied back to fill the bases with Dadalski at the plate. Dadalski was retired by Spartan pitcher, Kristina Zalewski, bringing Ogilvie back out to the mound. MSU was held hitless, thanks to textbook fielding from Central.
At the plate, Ogilvie crushed a solo homerun at the top of the third off of Zalewski, who hadn't given up a homer all season. The shot ignited CCSU for three more runs to take a 5-2 lead over its Big Ten opponent.
After Michigan State opted to switch pitchers, rookie Tori Constantin hit a left-center gap shot for an RBI double, bringing Emily Cronin in to home plate. Junior Brittany McNulla then delievered a single to right field with the bases juiced that scored Debrosse and Zadrozny.
Junior Emily Sargent relieved Ogilvie in the bottom half of the third, forcing the Spartans into a ground-out, and two pop-ups. MSU racked in five hits in the fourth inning, scoring four to regain a the lead at 6-5.
With runners on first and third, Sargent put a halt to the Spartans scoring opportunity in the fifth inning, causing their ninth batter, Melanie Baccay, to pop up right back to the circle.
Facing their third pitcher of the game, the Blue Devils recorded one hit in the final two innings. Michigan State hit a three-run homer and scored five to conclude its final contest at the 8th Annual Bulldog Invitational.
The Central Connecticut softball team will travel to the University of South Florida for the USF Under Armour Showcase. CCSU will play the University of Penn on Thursday, March 9 at 1:00 p.m. at the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex in Clearwater, FL.
