A late rally by the MSU softball team fell short as the Spartans lost at home to Central Michigan on Wednesday.
The 6-5 loss to the Chippewas (22-17) dropped MSU’s record to 17-30, 4-6 Big Ten.
“Our motto is keep getting better,” MSU head coach Jacquie Joseph said. “And we do keep getting better, but getting better and winning are two different things.”
Joseph said the Spartans can’t rely on late inning surges, adding they need to be more consistent to stay competitive in the Big Ten.
The late inning surge, enjoyed by fans, proved to be all for naught for the Spartans.
Down 6-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Spartans loaded the bases with two outs as senior outfielder Shealee Dunavan came to the plate. Her triple down the left field line drove in three for MSU, and narrowed the Chippewa lead to just one.
Freshman first baseman Natalie Furrow struck out to end the inning, but Dunavan’s three RBIs gave the Spartans new life.
“You start thinking, we can win this game,” said freshman Brittney Green, who plays third base. “Your confidence definitely goes up.”
Despite the boost in confidence the Spartans failed to get the ball out of the infield in the bottom of the seventh.
“It is frustrating when you’re losing 6-5 and you know you’re in it, then you go 1-2-3,” Dunavan said.
Joseph said the Spartans have nothing to be ashamed of concerning the end of the game. She said the Chippewas took advantage of early Spartan mistakes and held on for the win.
“They scored four runs on two hits,” she said. “We threw the ball into right field, we wild pitched a run in, we dropped the ball at the plate ... we just shot ourselves in the foot out of the gate.
“Now I’m very pleased we came back and made a game of it, but so what. It all looks the same in the book, an ‘L.’”
Joseph said she can’t beat her team up for not doing something they’re not capable of doing.
“It’s not like we’re really, really good so we’re blowing it,” she said. “We’re not really good. We’re very young and we’re very injured.”
Joseph said the Spartans have dealt with everything from ACL tears to broken thumbs to sickness.
As a result, the Spartans started four freshmen and three sophomores against the Chippewas.
“These are injuries I’ve never had, and we’ve had them all in one year,” Joseph said. “Does that mean we throw in the towel and cry about it? No.”
With 10 conference games remaining, Joseph said MSU still has a shot at making the Big Ten Tournament.
This weekend, the Spartans have a doubleheader at Ohio State on Friday and a weekend series at Penn State.
“It’s easier to play on the road, because there’s no distractions,” Joseph said. “I can’t wait to leave.”
