Entering the game at 8-12, the Spartans faced an Oakland team struggling at 6-13. A warm, sunny day set the stage for a back-and-forth contest at Secchia Stadium.

Freshman Carsyn Cassady got the bump today for MSU, throwing for four innings on 64 total pitches. Cassady started off the ball game with a hitless inning, which was backed by a strong start on the offensive end. Junior first baseman Britain Breshears wasted no time making an impact, blasting a three-run homer to right-center for an early 3-0 lead.

"It was huge to kind of get that momentum early," head coach Sharonda McDonald-Kelley said postgame. "Britt’s been working so hard, you know, I see her in the cages doing extra this morning, preparing for this in that moment. I was happy to see her coming through in that spot."

The early lead, however, was short-lived as sophomore third baseman Brooklyn Wyczalek took Cassady long for a three-run shot to left field to tie the game. The home run was a near-mirror picture of Breshears’ run, foreshadowing what would be a back-and-forth momentum driven game.

MSU’s bats went quiet in the second, allowing Oakland to take the lead in the third when freshman first baseman Kayla Turmell lined an RBI single up the middle for a 4-3 edge.

The back-and-forth battle continued in the fourth as fifth-year shortstop Colette Allen launched a solo homer to tie it at four. Oakland responded immediately, with senior shortstop Madi Herrington sending a solo shot to left to reclaim the lead.

Following Herrington’s homer, McDonald-Kelley turned to the bullpen, calling on sophomore right-hander Ava Mullen. Mullen would pitch one inning with two strikeouts before being replaced by senior left-handed pitcher Madison Taylor, who would end the game. Cassady finished her night with one strikeout and five earned runs. 

It was in the relief duty where McDonald-Kelley found the Spartans take control of the game.

"It was huge," McDonald-Kelley said of the bullpen performance. "We asked them to keep us close, give us a chance so we feel like our offense is good enough to finish it for us.It was big for Ava and (Taylor) to kind of shut down."

The bullpen delivered, keeping Oakland scoreless the rest of the way and allowing MSU’s offense to take charge. Junior third baseman Hannah Hawley crushed a solo homer to deep center, tying the game once again. Moments later, junior center fielder Sydney Doloszycki lifted a sacrifice fly to put MSU ahead for good.

MSU would end the game 7-5 over Oakland, with the final run coming late in the sixth inning on a RBI walk by Hawley. MSU improved to 9-12 (1-0 at home) and now turns its attention to a three-game series against Big Ten rival Ohio State starting March 21.