Michigan State University
Indiana
Baseball Drops Two To Indiana
4/13/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 13, 2002
The Michigan State baseball team lost twice to Indiana, Saturday (April 13) 1-0 in game one and 8-4 in game two. It was the first time this season the Spartans failed to sweep a doubleheader. MSU is now 21-8 overall, 5-5 in Big Ten play, while IU improved to 26-7 and 8-3 in the conference. Game one's 1-0 loss marked the first time all season the Spartans had been shut out.
Game one featured two of the Big Ten's best pitchers, MSU's Nick Bates (Sr., Blissfield) and Indiana's Zach Otte, each of whom lived up to his billing by combining to hold hitters to just 11 hits. Bates pitched a complete game, giving up six hits while punching out nine batters, but suffered his first loss of the season to fall to 7-1. IU's Otte earned the win, pitching a complete game five-hitter.
Indiana scored the game's lone run in the second inning with the help of three consecutive singles. The Spartans threatened in the second, sixth and seventh innings by putting runners on base, but couldn't drive them in.
In game two, the offenses got back on track as Indiana scored twice in the first inning, followed by three Spartan runs in the bottom of the first frame on RBI-singles by Brett Wattles (Jr., Rochester), Chris McCuiston (Sr., Birmingham) and James Moreno (So., Holt). IU reclaimed the lead in the second, however, scoring four times.
Bob Malek (Jr., Canton) got one run back in the Spartan half of the second with a sac fly, but IU added two more runs in the third to make the score, 8-4.
Jon Huizinga (Sr., Wayland) took over for starter Tim Day (Fr., West Chester, Ohio) in the second inning and scattered four hits while fanning six Hoosiers. Nick Vitielliss picked up the win for Indiana to go to 5-0.
The two teams will close the four-game series tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Kobs Field.
Game 1Indiana 1, Michigan State 0WP- Otte (6-1)LP- Bates (7-1)Score By Innings R H EIndiana 010 000 0 1 6 0Michigan State 000 000 0 0 5 0
Game 2Indiana 8, Michigan State 4WP- Vitielliss (5-0)LP- Day (5-2)Score By Innings R H EIndiana 242 000 0 8 11 0Michigan State 310 000 0 4 8 3
