Michigan State University
Iowa
MSU Baseball Splits Doubleheader at Iowa
4/28/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 28, 2002
IOWA CITY, Iowa - Tim Day (Fr., West Chester, Ohio) pitched a three-hit shutout in the second game as the Michigan State baseball team split a doubleheader Sunday at Iowa. Iowa (19-20, 8-11 Big Ten) won the first game, 4-3, before Michigan State (28-11, 10-8) salvaged the second contest, 3-0.
In the opener, Nick Bates (Sr., Blissfield) suffered just his second loss of the season, slipping to 8-2 after giving up four runs on six hits and five walks. The usually explosive MSU offense was limited to just three runs for the second straight game, and collected only five hits.
MSU managed only three hits through the first six innings, and they all came in the third inning when the Spartans broke through for three runs. Trailing 1-0, Bob Malek (Jr., Canton) tripled in a pair of runs, and Chris McCuiston (Sr., Birmingham) followed with a single through the left side to plate Malek.
The Spartans still led 3-1 into the bottom of the fifth when Iowa exploded for three runs, including a two-out, two-run single that gave the Hawkeyes the lead.
MSU tried to rally in the seventh, as Jared Koutnik (Sr., Milwaukee, Wis.) led off with a sharp single to left field. After a failed bunt attempt, Malek lined a single to center to move the tying run to second base, but Koutnik would be stranded there. McCuiston hit a rocket deep to left but into the teeth of a strong wind that was caught for the second out, and Kyle Geswein (Sr., Dayton, Ohio) grounded into a fielder's choice to end the game.
In game two, Day worked his way out of a big jam in the third inning then settled down to pitch his fourth complete game of the season, while snapping Iowa's seven-game winning streak. Iowa had loaded the bases with two outs in the third thanks to a walk and two hit batters, but Day induced Andy Jansen, the No. 3 hitter for Iowa, to fly out to left. Day struck out four while walking just one to improve to 7-2.
The Spartans got on the board in the second inning when McCuiston doubled down the right field line, moved to third on a long Geswein single and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of James Moreno (So., Holt).
The Spartans added a pair of runs in the fourth inning, when Travis Gulick (Fr., East Lansing) doubled home Geswein, and Brett Wattles (Jr., Rochester) lofted a sacrifice fly which scored Moreno.
MSU resumes play Friday, May 3 at 3 p.m. when Illinois visits East Lansing for the first contest of a four-game series.
Iowa 4, Michigan State 3WP- Hasz (3-2)LP- Bates (8-2)S- Jensen (5)Score By Innings R H EMichigan State 003 000 0 3 5 0Iowa 010 030 X 4 6 2Michigan State 3, Iowa 0WP- Day (7-2)LP- Hollenhorst (1-2)Score By Innings R H EMichigan State 010 200 0 3 7 1Iowa 000 000 0 0 3 1
