Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Minnesota
Baseball Falls Twice at Minnesota
4/8/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 8, 2001
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The Michigan State baseball team fell by scores of 14-2 and 3-0 to Minnesota in a doubleheader on Sunday (April 8). The Spartans are now 13-14 and 2-6 in the Big Ten. The losses marked the first time MSU has been under .500 since March 17. The Gophers improved to 19-12 and 7-2 in the Big Ten.
Game one began with the first three Minnesota batters reaching base, including an RBI single by Jack Hannahan that scored Sam Steidl. The Gophers took a three-run lead (3-0) in the second inning off a double by Steidl, which scored two runs.
The Spartans put up no hits through the first three innings until Rick Court (Sr., Grosse Pointe) singled to center field and then advanced to second on a passed ball in the fourth. Two batters later, Brady Burrill (So., Newhall, Calif.) drove in Court on a single to center field, making the score 3-1.
The Gophers broke open the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring nine runs, highlighted by a three-run homer to left field by Josh Holthaus that gave Minnesota an eight-run lead. Minnesota scored three more runs of two hits to take a 12-1 lead, and added another run in the fifth and one more in the sixth to make the score, 14-1.
Brett Wattles (So., Rochester) hit a triple to right field in the top of the seventh inning to score Jared Koutnik (Jr., Milwaukee, Wis.), making the final score, 14-2.
MSU starting pitcher Scott Brandell (Sr., DeWitt) pitched three and two-thirds innings, yielding eight hits and nine runs. Ryan Golem (So., Dearborn) finished the game for the Spartans, giving up four hits, five runs (two earned) and struck out two. For the Gophers, Mike Kobow picked up his fifth win of the season, pitching six innings and allowing just three hits.
Game two saw the Gophers take an early one run lead in the first inning off a solo homer by Jack Hannahan. The Spartans threatened in the fourth, as Court and Kyle Geswein (Jr., Dayton, Ohio) reached on singles but were left stranded when Burrill flied out to center field. MSU threatened again in the fifth inning, as two of the first three batters reached base but were again left abandoned.
The Gophers doubled their lead in the fifth when a double by Luke Appert scored Josh Howard and added a solo homer in the sixth inning, making the final score 3-0.
Both Court and James Moreno (Fr., Holt) went 2-for-3 in the losing effort.
Geswein threw his second complete game of the season for MSU, he gave up six hits, three runs and struck out four. C.J. Woodrow also threw a complete game for the Gophers and allowed six hits.
The two teams will meet again Monday (April 9) in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. EDT.
Game 1Minnesota 14, Michigan State 2WP- Kobow (5-1)LP- Brandell (1-2)Score By Innings R H EMichigan State 000 100 1 2 4 2Minnesota 120 911 x 14 12 2
Game 2Minnesota 3, Michigan State 0WP- Woodrow (4-3)LP- Geswein (2-3)Score By Innings R H EMichigan State 000 000 0 0 6 0Minnesota 100 011 x 3 6 0
