Michigan State University
Central Mich
MSU Baseball Downs Central Michigan, 6-2
4/5/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 5, 2000
EAST LANSING, Mich. - While on Monday night it was a trio of seniors who led the MSU basketball squad to victory, it was a different story on the baseball diamond Wednesday afternoon as three freshman helped propel the Spartans to a 6-2 victory over intrastate rival Central Michigan University at Kobs Field.
With the win MSU improves to 8-17 on the year and 4-1 at home, while Central Michigan falls to 16-8 on the season.
Freshman pitcher Ryan Golem (Dearborn, Mich.) went eight strong innings en route to his first collegiate victory. Over eight innings the six-foot-six inch hurler surrendered just one run on four hits while striking out four and gave MSU some much needed consistency from the starting position spot.
Offensively, freshmen outfielders Bob Malek (Canton, Mich.) and Brett Wattles (Rochester, Mich.) triggered the Spartans attack. Malek and Wattles each drove in a pair of runs. Malek knocked in a run in both the third and fifth innings and Wattles drove in both his runs in the decisive third inning in which MSU scored four runs to take a commanding 4-1 lead.
Sandwiched between the play of Golem, Malek and Wattles was the play of senior co-captain Mike Pisani (Rochester, Mich.). Pisani scored two runs, got two hits and earned a walk on the afternoon. More importantly, after his fifth inning double Pisani is just one double away from tying the MSU record for most career doubles held by Scott Ayotte, who hit 47 from 1992-95.
Additionally for MSU, Chris McCuiston (So., Birmingham, Mich.) and Troy Bergman (Grosse Point, Mich.) each drove in one run in the Spartans 6-2 win.
MSU will be at home again Friday at 3:00 p.m. when it will host Penn State in the first of a four game series over the weekend.
Game Summary R H ECMU 010 000 001 2 5 1MSU 004 010 01 6 8 1
LOB: MSU (6), CMU (4)E: Zisgo-MSU, Helps-CMU2B: Pisani (11)-MSUHR: Sanborn-CMUSB: McCuiston(3)-MSU, Uzarski-CMUWP: Golem (1-0)LP: Pleiness (0-1)
