The MSU softball team kicked off the Big Ten season by taking three of four contests from Illinois and No. 22 Northwestern.
In Sunday's doubleheader with the Illini, the Spartans (21-9 overall, 3-1 Big Ten) shut out Illinois (21-7, 2-2) 3-0 in the first game with freshman designated hitter Elizabeth Peterson providing all the offense they needed.
She hit a solo homer to left field in the bottom of the first inning that was just inside fair territory. In the third inning, she belted Illinois pitcher Amanda Fortune's (12-5) pitch just over the centerfield wall, scoring senior centerfielder Sandy Lewis who singled to center field prior to Peterson's blast.
"You look for pitches to hit," Peterson said. "But I just look for a quality at-bat every time I step up to the plate."
In the nightcap, a pitching duel developed between MSU sophomore Stephanie Christner (4-4) and Illini pitcher Sherri Taylor (5-2).
Through the first seven innings of regulation and an extra inning and a half, no runs crossed the plate.
Both teams squandered several opportunities to score. MSU left six runners on base, while the Illini stranded five.
But in the bottom of the ninth, Illinois first base Jenna Hall singled to left for the Illini's first hit since the fourth inning. And, after a Lewis error allowed Hall to advance to third, Illinois rightfielder Erin Montgomery smashed a Christner pitch over the wall in left to give the Illini a 2-0 win.
"The pitch was where I wanted it," Christner said.
"I had a little too much plate on it and she was able to get around on it."
MSU kicked off the weekend on a winning note as they defeated the Wildcats 3-0 and 6-3 on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
In Friday's shut-out victory, MSU scored all its runs in the bottom of the first inning as junior first base Natalie Furrow crushed Wildcat pitcher Courtnay Foster's (8-5) pitch over the right field wall, driving in Lewis and Peterson.
That was all the offense the Spartans needed as junior pitcher Jessica Beech (15-3) picked up the first of three wins on the weekend, allowing seven hits and three walks while fanning three batters.
Saturday's contest with Northwestern was much more competitive as the Wildcats jumped on Christner and took a 3-0 lead into the top of the third.
In the bottom of the third, Peterson put the Spartans ahead for good with a grand slam that cleared the scoreboard in left field to give them a 4-3 advantage en route to a 6-3 win.
With three conference wins over the weekend, the Spartans need just two more Big Ten victories to eclipse last season's 4-15 mark.
Despite the team's success, head coach Jacquie Joseph says her team should have walked off the field with an unblemished conference record.
"I think we blew it," she said. "Our motto this season has been never satisfied. I think we should have won all four games. You cannot waste a pitching performance of that quality."
Joseph said it was too early to be negative and her team is doing everything it needs to do to be successful.
After the loss, Beech said hitting would be key if the team hopes to compete for the Big Ten crown.
"In the Big Ten, you can't take a day off at the plate," she said. "If we're going to continue to be successful, we have to show up everyday."
