ELON, N.C. – Redshirt senior McKenzie Weber tossed her second shutout of the season as the Elon University softball team earned a 2-0 victory over Big Ten opponent Michigan State on Friday, March 4, to open the first day at the Cardinal Invite.
 
Elon picked up its second win over the season over a Power 5 opponent while improving to 10-5 this year. The Spartans moved to 8-7.
 
At the Plate
• The Spartans outhit the Phoenix, 4-3, with Gabi Schaal going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI to lead Elon. Drew Menscer had the other hit for Elon while scoring a run.
 
In the Circle
• Weber moved to 2-0 on the season with her second complete-game shutout. The Overland Park, Kan., native allowed four hits with two strikeouts while throwing just 71 pitches.
• Weber won the pitchers' duel against her counterpart Ashley Miller for the Spartans, who fell to 4-4. Miller allowed three hits and struck out 14 batters in her complete-game effort.
 
The Rundown
• The Phoenix was able to keep Michigan State off the board in the first and second inning behind some great defensive plays. In the top of the first with a runner on second with two outs, the Spartans attempted to steal third, but catcher Carley Davis was able to get the throw to third to get her caught stealing to end the inning.
• Elon continued its shutout despite Michigan State having its leadoff runner reach in the top of the second on a single. Weber induced the next two batters on a foul out and pop up, but a stolen base moved the runner into scoring position. The Spartans then lined a single into left field with the runner rounding third to score, but Rebecca Murray sent a rope from the outfield to Davis at the plate to keep the shutout intact.
• The Phoenix plated its lone runs of the game in its home half of the third. Megan White led off with a free pass and advanced to second on Menscer's infield single to give Elon a pair on with one out. Both runners moved into scoring position on a ground out before crossing the dish on a two-out bloop single from Schaal to break the scoring stalemate.
• That would be more than enough run support for Weber, who set down the Spartans in order in the fourth and worked around a single in the fifth to keep her shutout intact.
• Weber was also aided by a pair of lineout double plays in the sixth and seventh frames converted by Schaal. Michigan State opened the sixth with a walk before Schaal caught a rope at third put the Spartans two down before inducing the final out on a grounder.
• The story was more of the same in the top of the seventh. Elon recorded the first out on a fly out before MSU reached on a walk. The next batter lined out to Schaal, who was able to double off the runner at first to end the game.
 
On Deck
The second day of the Cardinal Invite for the Phoenix begins tomorrow, March 5, as Elon plays Detroit Mercy to start the day at 12 p.m. before facing Michigan State in a rematch at 2:30 p.m.