Michigan State ride’s Barroso’s walk-off hit to third win in a row

MSU+infielder+Alexis+Barroso+prepares+to+field+the+ball+during+a+scrimmage+on+Oct.+9%2C+2021+against+Notre+Dame%2F+Photo+Credit%3A+Sarah+Smith%2FWDBM

MSU infielder Alexis Barroso prepares to field the ball during a scrimmage on Oct. 9, 2021 against Notre Dame/ Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM

Caden Handwork, General Assignment Reporter

EAST LANSING- After a doubleheader sweep against Detroit Mercy on Tuesday, Michigan State squared off against visiting Toledo on Wednesday afternoon . 

Thanks to sophomore Alexis Barroso’s walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th inning, the Spartans won their third game in the past two days. With the MSU, improved to 19-13 overall and 5-0 at home with its win over Toledo.

This was the second time that Barroso has registered a walk off hit for MSU in her career, her first came on April 25, 2021 against Purdue in a 3-2 home win. 

“I knew I wanted to hit it hard somewhere no matter where but when it got up the middle, I knew Courtney was coming home,” Barroso said.

The Spartans started off the game strong in the bottom of the first inning with a Jessica Mabrey lead-off home run. In the second inning, MSU and Toledo traded runs to make the score 2-1 in favor of MSU. Toledo pinch-hitter Sidney Griffith was walked to tie the game at one, but Mabrey hit an RBI single in the bottom of the second to give the Spartans the 2-1 lead. 

Mabrey had a solid game atop the MSU order, notching three hits, two RBI’s and scoring a run. As a team, MSU compiled 10 hits and two errors. 

Camryn Wincher and Caitie Ladd also both had multi-hit games for the Spartans.

MSU infielder Camryn Wincher prepares to field the ball during the Spartans’ doubleheader win over Detroit Mercy on March 29, 2022/ Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM

A throwing error by Rocket second baseman Lily Beyer in the bottom of the fourth would drive in MSU catcher Kendall Kates to give the Spartans a 3-1 lead.

In the top of the sixth, the Rockets would tie the game courtesy of a Kendra VanderLugt sacrifice fly and a Bri Robenson RBI single. After the sac fly, MSU starting pitcher Ashley Miller would come out of the game. 

She was charged with two earned runs in five innings of work to go along with four strikeouts.

Junior Sarah Ladd was tasked with trying to slow down the Toledo offense; she would promptly give up the game-tying run. 

MSU would briefly fall behind after Toledo catcher Aubrey Reed hit a solo home run in the top of the eighth off of Ladd, but fifth-year senior Caitie Ladd would also smack a solo shot of her own to left field in the bottom of the eighth to knot the game up at four and back up her sister.

The score would stay tied at four until Barroso’s walk-off single scored senior outfielder Courtney Callahan from second in the bottom of the 11th. Callahan started MSU’s scoring rally with a one-out single. She would then steal second base to put herself in scoring position.

MSU pitcher Ashley Martin shakes hands with Alexis Barroso (32) during the Spartans doubleheader victory over Detroit Mercy on March 29, 2022/ Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM

Ladd (7-4) picked up the win after going six innings of two-run ball. She also registered seven strikeouts while only yielding three hits.

After getting swept by Northwestern over the weekend, MSU has now won three games in a row and will look to continue its recent string of success against Ohio State for a three-game set beginning on Friday. The Buckeyes are currently 21-6 on the season with notable wins over Louisville, UNC, South Carolina, Indiana (twice) and Kentucky.

First pitch is set for 6 p.m.