Michigan State University
Michigan
Bates Strikes Out 11 Wolverines In 4-3 Win
4/20/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 20, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State baseball team split a doubleheader with Michigan, Saturday (April 20) afternoon at Kobs Field. MSU took game one, 4-3, behind an 11-strikeout performance from Nick Bates (Sr., Blissfield). Michigan took game two, 19-4. The Spartans are now 25-9 overall and 8-6 in the Big Ten while the Wolverines are now 12-21 and 7-8 in the conference.
In game one, Bates kept Wolverine hitters off balance in earning his eighth win of the season. He allowed just five hits on his way to pitching his fifth complete game of the season. His 11 strikeouts were a career best.
In the third inning, an error by Michigan proved to be costly as Brett Wattles (Jr., Rochester) reached on a miscue and later scored when Chris McCuiston (Sr., Birmingham) drove him in with a single down the left field line.
MSU extended its lead in the fifth, scoring three times. McCuiston again came through, knocking a bloop double to right field that scored Jared Koutnik (Sr., Milwaukee, Wis.) and Bob Malek (Jr., Canton). James Moreno (So., Holt) later singled in McCuiston.
Michigan fought back in the top of the sixth, with Brock Koman hitting a three-run home run to left field to cut the MSU lead to 4-3.
Rich Hill struck out 11 Spartans, but suffered the loss for U-M to fall to 2-4.
In game two, the Wolverines jumped ahead with three runs in the first and then two more in the second. State responded with two runs in the second frame, courtesy of a run-scoring single by Charlie Braun (Jr., Grosse Pointe) and double by Moreno.
Michigan came back with five runs in both the third and the fifth innings, taking a 15-3 lead. The Wolverines also put up four more in the sixth off two hits and one MSU error, taking a 19-3 lead. Travis Gulick (Fr., East Lansing) closed out the day's scoring in the Spartan half of the sixth, driving in a run on a double down the left field line, making the final score 19-4.
MSU starter Pat Gill (Jr., Grandville) suffered the loss, surrendering five runs off five hits while U-M's Jim Brauer picked up the win to go to 2-4.
The two teams will complete the series, Sunday (April 21) in Ann Arbor at 1 p.m.
Game 1Michigan State 4, Michigan 3WP- Bates (8-1)LP- Hill (2-4)Score By Innings R H EMichigan 000 003 0 3 5 3Michigan State 001 030 x 4 4 0
Game 2Michigan 19, Michigan State 4WP- Brauer (2-4)LP- Gill (5-2)Score By Innings R H EMichigan 325 054 0 19 17 2Michigan State 021 001 0 4 8 3
