Michigan State University
Northwestern
Baseball Falls In Big Ten Tournament Opener
5/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 22, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Northwestern scored four runs in the last two innings to rally and defeat Michigan State, 4-2, in the opening game of the 2002 Big Ten Baseball Tournament in Minneapolis, Minn. The game was played under overcast skies with a strong wind blowing straight in from centerfield. With the loss, the Spartans fell to 36-18, while Northwestern improved to 25-27. MSU will now attempt to advance through the loser's bracket as it faces Iowa at 12:00 p.m. CDT.
"It was a very good baseball game, we just didn't make enough plays to win," said MSU head coach Ted Mahan. "The weather was definitely a factor, but it was the same for both teams. Credit Northwestern because they hit the line drives and ground balls necessary to score runs today."
Michigan State got on the board early with single runs in each of the first two innings. In the bottom half of the first, Charlie Braun (Grosse Pointe, Mich.) led off with an infield single. After advancing to second on a wild pitch, Braun scored as Chris McCuiston (Birmingham, Mich.) laced a double down the right field line.
In the second inning, James Moreno (Holt, Mich.) was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame. Two batters later, Scott Koerber (Harper Woods, Mich.) singled to right field, advancing Moreno to third. Kevin Crews (Hinckley, Ohio) followed with a sacrifice fly, driving in Moreno.
The Spartans threatened again in the fourth but left two runners on base. After that, however, Northwestern starter Gabe Ribas settled into a groove, retiring 12 straight Spartans during one stretch between the fourth and eighth innings.
While Ribas held the Spartan hitters to two runs, Nick Bates (Blissfield, Mich.) made life difficult for Wildcat batters. Through the first seven innings, he allowed five hits, while striking out six. In the eighth inning, Northwestern managed to break the scoring drought. Eric Roeder led off with a home run to left field, pulling NU within a run. Brandon Ackley followed with a single and would later come around to score on a Bates wild pitch, tying the game at 2.
In the top of the ninth, Northwestern loaded the bases with three singles to start the inning off Spartan reliever Kyle Geswein (Dayton, Ohio). After a fielder's choice forced one Wildcat runner at home, David Gresky delivered a clutch one-out single to right center, driving in two.
In the bottom half of the ninth, McCuiston doubled for the second time in the game. Jon Mikrut relieved Ribas and retired the next three Spartans to end the game to pick up his fifth save on the year.
Ribas earned the Wildcat win. In eight-plus innings of work, he struck out seven batters, while allowing five hits and two runs. Bates pitched eight innings for MSU, striking out six, while allowing eight hits and two runs.Geswein took the loss for Michigan State, allowing four hits and two runs in one-third of an inning.
McCuiston was the only Spartan with two hits on the day. His two doubles give him 20 for the season, establishing a new MSU single-season record.
The Spartans will face Iowa tomorrow after the Hawkeyes lost to Indiana, 7-4, on Wednesday.
Northwestern 4, Michigan State 2WP - Gabe Ribas (6-4)LP - Kyle Geswein (2-4)Save - Jon Mikrut (5)
Score By Innings R H ENW 000 000 022 4 12 0MSU 110 000 000 2 5 0
