Softball Splits a Pair on Day Two of USF Invite: Defeats Michigan St., Falls to Ga. Tech

(Michigan State boxscore)
(Ga Tech boxscore)

3/10/06 -- Long Island scored two runs in the first and posted six in the fifth to push past Michigan State, 6-2 for its third straight victory in the University of South Florida adidas Invitational in Clearwater, Fla. on Friday afternoon.

Sophomore Celina Castillo led off with a walk and moved to second two batters later on a single from classmate Alyssa Winslow. After Randi Gillespie reached first on a walk to load the bases, junior Holly Erwin was aided by a fielder's choice. An error on the Spartans' catcher would plate the first two runs.

With two outs in the top of the fifth, two more LIU runners would score on a bases clearing triple from sophomore Brittany Murphy to push the Blackbirds to a 4-0 edge. After a pitching change and with Murphy aboard, Krystal Meija ripped her first home run of the spring to give LIU a convincing 6-0 advantage.

LIU hurler Jenny Giles (Melbourne, Fla.) threw hitless ball through the fourth, giving up just four hits and allowing two runs.

The Blackbirds fell in the second contest of the day to Georgia Tech, 5-2. With the bases loaded in the first, Murphy tied the game at 2-2 with a two-out double to straight-away centerfield.

The Jackets answered with a run in the next frame and added a score each in the fifth and seventh innings, respectively.

LIU faces host USF on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.