Michigan State University
Purdue
Purdue Tops Baseball 3-1 In Big Ten Opener
3/24/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 24, 2000
West Lafayette, Ind. - The Michigan State baseball team (4-13, 0-1 Big Ten) fell to Purdue, 3-1, in its Big Ten opener on Friday afternoon, March 24.
Purdue (11-6, 1-0 Big Ten) took an early 1-0 in the third inning. Singles by Mike Duursma and David Blomberg put two runners on for the Boilermakers with two outs. An error by third-baseman Troy Bergman (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) scored Duursma on the next play.
The Boilers increased their lead with one run in the sixth on an RBI single by Daryl Hallada. Hallada drove in Kris Luce, who walked and stole second to lead off the inning.
Purdue completed its scoring with an unearned run in the seventh. With two outs and no runners-on-base, an error by shortstop Charlie Braun (Grosse Pointe, Mich.) put Duursma on first. Reaching second after a walk, Duursma scored his second run of the game on an RBI single by Bloomberg, putting the Boilers up 3-0.
MSU scored its lone run in the eighth on an RBI single by Mike Pisani (Rochester, Mich.). The single brought in Braun, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. The RBI was Pisani's ninth on the year.
Michigan State put up one last rally in the ninth. Brett Wattles (Rochester, Mich.) led off the inning with a pinch-hit single, followed by a pinch-hit Chris McCuiston (Birmingham, Mich.) walk. A sacrifice bunt by Ted Demetral (Sterling Heights, Mich.) advanced both runners, putting the two in scoring position with only one out. However, the Spartans could not muster another hit, closing the game out with consecutive strikeouts.
Josh Axelson (Brooklyn, Mich.) took the loss for the Spartans (0-2). Axelson pitched seven innings, allowing six hits and only one earned run. He also struck out eight Boilermakers.
Purdue starter Ben Quick threw eight innings for the win, improving his record to 2-2. Andy Helmer picked up the save, his fifth on the season.
Michigan State had six hits in the game and left 11 runners-on-base.
MSU returns to action tomorrow, March 25, in a doubleheader at Purdue. The first game is slated for a 1:00 p.m. start.
Game Summary R H EMSU 000 000 010- 1 6 2PU 001 001 10x- 3 6 0
LOB: MSU (11), PU (6)E: Braun-MSU, Bergman-MSUSB: Albaugh-MSUSAC: Demetral-MSUWP: Quick-PU (2-2)LP: Axelson (0-2)SV: Helmer (5)
