Michigan State University
Eastern Michigan
Eastern Michigan Rallies To Defeat Spartan Baseball
5/7/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 7, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Eastern Michigan rallied to score eight runs over the last four innings in defeating the Michigan State baseball team, 12-10, on Tuesday afternoon at Kobs Field in East Lansing. With the loss, the Spartans dropped to 29-15 on the season, while the Eagles improved to 24-25. On the afternoon, the two squads combined for 22 runs and 31 hits.
Michigan State got out to a quick start with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Chris McCuiston (Birmingham) hit a double to the base of the wall in left field to drive in Jared Koutnik (Milwaukee, Wis.). Two batters later, James Moreno (Holt) singled to center field, driving in Bob Malek (Canton) and McCuiston.
Eastern Michigan rallied with four runs in the top of the third. With two outs, Tony Palazzolo and Greg Anglin hit back-to-back triples. After a walk, Derrick Peterson doubled to left field, driving in two runs. Peterson would come in to score on a Ryan Ford single. The Spartans answered with a single run in their half of the third as Charlie Braun (Grosse Pointe) scored on a double play.
MSU regained the lead in the fourth, scoring five runs. Jim Duffy (Carleton) drove in Moreno with a double down the left field line. Koutnik and Malek also drove in single runs in the inning while two other runs scored on a throwing error by the Eagle catcher and a wild pitch. The Spartans followed with a single run in the fifth on a James Deliz (Clinton Township) sacrifice fly to take a 10-4 lead.
EMU answered with three runs in the top of the sixth, cutting the Spartan lead to 10-7. Two of the runs came on a Brian Bixler home run to right field. In the top half of the eighth, Eastern Michigan scored four times to take an 11-10 lead. All the runs scored with two outs after a Spartan error allowed the inning to continue and the first run of the inning to score. Ryan Goleski followed with a two-run double to right field and later scored on a Peterson double. The Eagles added an insurance run in the ninth inning, making the final score 12-10.
Dave Pieron earned the victory for Eastern Michigan. In 5.1 innings of relief work, Pieron allowed just one unearned run. Kyle Geswein (Dayton, Ohio) took the loss for Michigan State. After starting the day at first base, Geswein pitched the last two innings of the game. He allowed five runs on six hits, but just one of the runs was earned.
The Spartans return to action on Wednesday, May 8 as they travel to Central Michigan for a 2 p.m. game in Mt. Pleasant.
Eastern Michigan 12, Michigan State 10WP- Dave Pieron (1-0)LP- Kyle Geswein (2-2)Score By Innings R H EEastern Michigan 004 003 041 12 16 4Michigan State 301 510 000 10 15 1
