EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State softball returns to the banks of the Red Cedar this weekend for a three-game series against Illinois on April 19-21. The Spartans are set to host a reunion for the 2004 B1G Championship team on Saturday, April 20 with numerous alumni expected to return to campus.
All three games this weekend will be streamed on B1G+. For live coverage links visit the softball schedule page here.
ABOUT THE 2004 SPARTANS
The 2004 Michigan State B1G Tournament championship team was one of underdogs. MSU finished 36-26 that season with an 8-12 mark in regular season conference play to earn the No. 8 seed at the B1G Tournament.
Against all odds, the Spartans upset top-seeded and No. 6-ranked Michigan (5-1), fourth-seeded Northwestern (2-0) and second-seeded Illinois (7-5) to win the title and earn a trip to an NCAA Regional.
The Spartans were led by All-B1G first team selections Jessica Beech and Angel Merren, along with third team honorees Dayna Feenstra and Natalie Furrow. Beech, Feenstra and Furrow were named NFCA All-Region selections, and Beech was a second team NFCA All-American.
Beech, Furrow and Merren were named to the All-B1G Tournament team alongside Brittney Green who was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. Alongside Green, Elizabeth Peterson was named to the All-Tournament team at the NCAA Regional. MSU went 2-2 at the regional with wins over Texas A&M and Massachusetts.
SPARTANS DROP MIDWEEK AT MICHIGAN
Michigan State was defeated in the second half of its two-game season series with Michigan on Tuesday night on Big Ten Network, 5-1. The Wolverines scored all five of their runs in the first inning.
Junior Madison Taylor came on to pitch in relief and tossed a career-best 5.2 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and a walk. Taylor entered the game with one out in the first before recording outs on 17 of the next 21 batters she faced. One Michigan baserunner reached on an error.
Sophomore Hannah Hawley provided the offense with her 11th home run of the season. That long ball tied Hawley for the team lead in homers.
ABOUT ILLINOIS
Illinois is 16-25 overall and 3-10 in the B1G this season. The Illini took the series victory against Maryland, 2-1 on April 5-7. Illinois is No. 96 in the latest NCAA RPI with a season-best victory over…
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