With less than a month left in the regular season, this weekend marks a crucial point in the MSU softball team's year.
The Spartans' two opponents this weekend, starting at 4 p.m. today against Purdue, hold the last two spots in the Big Ten conference.
MSU (24-19, 4-8 Big Ten) faces the Boilermakers for a rematch at noon on Saturday, and then plays a doubleheader against Indiana starting at noon Sunday. All games are at Old College Field.
"This is going to be the test of time for us this weekend," senior outfielder Angel Merren said. "On paper we should beat them, but it's the Big Ten and anything goes."
The Spartans, currently eighth in the Big Ten, hope to grab some wins this weekend to distance themselves from Ohio State, Purdue and Indiana - the teams that sit below MSU in the conference. And the Spartans know how much Purdue and Indiana are itching to pass MSU in the standings.
Despite the added pressure, MSU head coach Jacquie Joseph said these upcoming games mean no more than games played last week or the week before.
"It's going to be an out-and-out battle and I don't look at it like they're below us," she said. "Every team in the Big Ten is capable of winning, period."
Joseph focused on the positives aspects of the team instead of being concerned with the three-game losing streak MSU hopes to snap.
"We've done things that other teams haven't done, particularly offensively," Joseph said. "We're scoring more runs, creating more offense than we've ever created."
"Our offense has gotten steadily better, and now we just need our pitching to be a little bit more consistent."
Joseph said both senior Jessica Beech and freshman Christy McGrew will see pitching time throughout the weekend.
Scouting Purdue: The Boilermakers are in the midst of a three-game win streak, sweeping their most recent series against Indiana University-Purdue, both of the wins coming as shutouts. Freshman Brooke Baker pitched the win in game one and sophomore Diana LaRiva took game two, which included three strikeouts.
Scouting Indiana: With a 2-8 conference record, the Hoosiers are last in the Big Ten. Indiana is coming off a 3-2 extra-innings win against No. 30 Louisville. Too bad it didn't count for the Hoosiers' conference record. MSU leads the Big Ten in batting average at .315, while Indiana has a .257 batting average.
