Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Ohio
Baseball Salvages Weekend Split At Ohio
3/18/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 18, 2001
ATHENS, Ohio - The Michigan State baseball team put the brakes on a two-game slide by beating Ohio University in a doubleheader Sunday (Mar. 18) by scores of 14-9 and 10-4. The Spartans lost the first two games of the series to drop below .500, but won the last two to go to 8-7 on the season, while Ohio falls to 5-6.
In the first game of the day, MSU started the scoring in the second inning with three runs. Kevin Crews (Jr., Hinckley, Ohio), who got his first start of the year, hit a two-RBI single while an Ohio error at third-base gave the Spartans another run. Ohio cut the lead to 3-2 with a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning.
Game one was highlighted by an eight-run third inning for MSU. Chris McCuiston's (Jr., Birmingham) hit a two-RBI double that dropped just inside the leftfield line, Bob Malek (So., Canton) knocked a two-RBI single to right-center and Scott Koerber (Fr., Grosse Pointe) hit another two-RBI single. The Bobcats answered with a solo home run the bottom of the third, while State added two more runs in the fourth to take a 13-3 lead.
Ohio cut into the Spartans' lead in the fifth, scoring six runs, thanks in large part to a grand-slam home run by Cory Keylor and a two-run shot by Chuck Lombardy, making the score 13-9.
MSU added one more run to make the final score, 14-9. Nick Bates (Jr., Blissfield) picked up the win while Bryan Gale (Fr., Decatur) got his second save of the year, pitching the final three innings.
In game two, with the game tied at one in the third, Brady Burrill (So., Newhall, Calif.) hit a RBI-single down the right field line to score Rick Court (Sr., Grosse Pointe) from first base to go ahead. Ohio tied the game at two in the bottom of the frame on a double. Ohio answered with one run in the bottom of the inning off a double.
State took a 4-2 lead in the fourth off back-to-back RBI hits by Malek and Court. The Spartans took control in the eighth, crossing home plate six times off six hits and a costly Bobcat error to take 10-2 lead. Ohio responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning off a two-RBI double by Adam Fox.
John Huizinga (Jr., Wayland) got his first win of the season, pitching effectively in seven complete innings, giving up just two runs on eight hits.
The Spartans travel to Champaign, Ill., next week to begin Big Ten Conference play, as they will take on Illinois in a four-game series beginning Friday, Mar. 23.
Game 1Michigan State 14, Ohio 9 R H EMichigan State 038 201 0 14 13 0Ohio 021 060 0 9 11 2
Win- Bates (2-1)Loss- Novosel (1-3)S- Gale (2)
Game 2Michigan State 10, Ohio 4 R H EMichigan State 101 200 060 10 18 0Ohio 101 000 020 4 12 1
Win- Huizinga (1-1)Loss- See (0-2)S-none
