Led by several record-setting events, the MSU gymnastics team outscored Rutgers University 195.735-to-191.350 Saturday.
The Spartans’ score was the fourth highest in school history.
MSU took first place in all four events.
Junior Ilene Cohen, freshman Anna Hunsinger and junior Christy Linder took first, second and third place respectively in the uneven bars. Cohen edged out Hunsinger for first place by .025 of a point, finishing with a personal- and team-best in uneven bars.
Hunsinger won all-around with a season-best of 39.05 while Linder took third. Bonnie Hart of Rutgers placed second.
‘U’ opens in defeat
The women’s softball team (0-4) opened its season scoring only three times against a combined 43 runs from Illinois State, Oklahoma State, Arizona State and Iowa.
Oklahoma State (6-0) took charge early in the first game with 14 runs. MSU junior utility Robyn Golden put the Spartans on the board with a home run.
MSU was unable to score against Illinois State and pitcher Andrea Rast. Rast propelled the Redbirds to a 8-0 win.
Iowa presented another shutout as the Hawkeyes started the game with five runs and ended the game winning 13-0.
The Spartans finished the tournament with a 7-2 loss to Arizona State. Arizona held off the Spartans until the top of the seventh when Janette Hurtado batted in Sandy Lewis and Lauren Pederson.
Runners finish open
The women’s track and field team competed in the Jack Skoog Open at Central Michigan on Friday, taking 12 top-five finishes.
Sophomore Sarah Adelaine captured MSU’s only first place finish with a weight throw of 57-09 1/4, and later took fourth place in the shot put.
Spartan runners placed third in the 200-meter dash, fourth in the 800-meter dash, and fourth in the 60-meter high hurdles.
Freshman Michelle Rzepka and junior Nicole Grucz tied for second in the pole vault. Junior Nadia Ricketts took home third place in both the triple jump and the long jump.
Wrestling tops ‘Cats
The wrestling team (5-8 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) defeated Northwestern 23-12 on Friday.
No. 18 MSU trailed 6-0 until junior Karl Nadolsky scored a major decision over Mike Kimberlin.
The Spartans took the lead when sophomore Nathaniel Mesyn beat Andrew Curran.
On Sunday, MSU’s two-game winning streak ended in College Park, Pa., with a 17-16 loss to Penn State.
