Michigan State University
Michigan
Koerber Grand Slam Keys Spartan Victory
5/6/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 6, 2001
East Lansing, Mich. - The Michigan State baseball team (27-23, 9-13) downed intrastate rival Michigan (24-22, 9-11), Sunday, May 6, by a score of 8-5 at Kobs Field. The win gave MSU a three-games to one season series victory over the Wolverines. A grand slam by Scott Koerber (Fr., Harper Woods) in the second inning keyed the Spartan victory.
MSU took a 3-0 lead in the first despite not registering any hits. Instead, the Spartans were aided by four walks and three Wolverine errors. Chris McCuiston (Jr., Birmingham) and Brady Burrill (So., Newhall, Calif.) scored when Scott Koerber reached on an error. James Moreno (Fr., Holt) scored when Brett Wattles (So., Rochester) walked.
Koerber stepped to the plate in the second, again with the bases loaded, and blasted the first grand slam of his career over the scoreboard in leftfield. It was his second home run of the season. The Spartans increased their lead to 8-0 in the fourth when Jared Koutnik (Jr., Milwaukee, Wis.) scored on a double play. Michigan got on the scoreboard in the fifth with one run off a single by Jeff Trzos.
The Wolverines added another run in the seventh and scored three more in the eighth off three hits to cut the lead to 8-5. Domanick Squires (Jr., Rochester Hills) entered in relief in the eighth and earned his ninth save of the year to end the Wolverine threat. His nine saves rank him second on the Spartan single-season saves list.
Spartan starter Kyle Geswein (Jr., Dayton, Ohio) pitched six and one-thirds innings allowing six hits and striking out two to improve to 3-5. Michigan starter Rich Hill suffered the loss and fell to 2-5.
On the afternoon, centerfielder Bob Malek (So., Canton) went 2-for-4. He stands at 82 hits on the season, just two away from the MSU single-season record.
The Spartans return to action against Oakland Tuesday, May 8 at Kobs Field, game time is 3 p.m.
Michigan State 8, Michigan 5WP-Geswein (3-5)LP-Hill (2-5)Score By Innings R H EMichigan 000 010 130 5 12 4Michigan State 340 100 00x 8 7 0
