Two-year conference losing streak ends

If there is one play, one pitch, that IU's 2003 softball season will be remembered by it will be Michigan State junior Jessica Beech's seventh inning pitch that sophomore Ashley Griffiths smashed over the right center fence to end the game and end IU's two-year, 33-game Big Ten losing streak. \nAfter losing game one 7-0, thanks in large part to five unearned runs, the Hoosiers rebounded and rallied twice in game two to beat the Spartans 5-4 to earn IU's first Big Ten victory in two years.\nMSU started the scoring in the fifth with four runs in the top of the inning, highlighted by a three-run triple down the right field line off the bat of senior Tiffany Wallace. But IU answered with a four-run inning of its own behind home runs from junior Dawn Ramynke and senior Stormy Hanson. The four-run inning for the Hoosiers ended a 27 scoreless-inning drought in Big Ten play. IU upped its record to 18-28, 1-13 in the Big Ten. \nIn game one, Beech went the distance allowing just five hits, no earned runs and striking out 12 Hoosiers on the way to her 21st win of the season. The shutout was her 11th of the season. \nThe Spartans broke the game wide open with four unearned runs in the fourth and added one more in the sixth. Junior Heather Stillians pitched six innings, scattering seven hits, while punching out two. The loss is the 15th of the year for Stillians. \nThe Hoosiers were unable to carry their momentum into Ann Arbor, Mich., on Sunday while looking for their second Big Ten win, as the Wolverines beat the Hoosiers 9-1, 9-0 in both games of the doubleheader. \nA leadoff home run in game one by junior Valerie White saved the Hoosiers from suffering their second no-hitter of the season. Michigan ace and senior Marissa Young shut down the Hoosiers attack by not allowing another run or hit the rest of the game. She struck out 12 of the 16 batters faced in five innings before the mercy rule was put into effect. \nThe quick-paced game was the 29th loss of the season for IU, while pushing UM's record to 35-10 and 12-3 in conference play. \nSophomore Katie Witham suffered her 13th loss of the season going just an inning and a third, giving up four runs on four hits. \nGame two did not fare much better as IU recorded just two hits and were shutout 9-0 in front of 969 fans at Alumni Field. \nIU left Ann Arbor with just three hits in two games and lowered its Big Ten mark to 1-15 and 18-30 overall. \nThe maize-and-blue scored all they needed in the third and a lot more as they put up a nine spot on just five hits in the inning. Stillians took her 16th loss of the season pitching two and a third innings of three-hit ball but surrendered four earned runs.\nHanson and senior Heather Suca recorded the lone hits for the Hoosiers. \nNext for IU is a home and home series against rival Purdue beginning Saturday in West Lafayette.