Michigan State University
Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt Holds Off Spartan Baseball, 5-4
3/6/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 6, 2003
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Michigan State scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth but it wasn't enough to defeat Vanderbilt as the Commodores held off the Spartans, 5-4, Thursday night (March 6) at Harmon Field. MSU slips to 3-6 for the season, while Vandy improves to 9-5.
The Spartans finally got to Commodore starter Robert Ransom (2-0) in the ninth inning as he had held the MSU offense to six hits and one run through eight. Down 5-1 in the ninth, MSU began the inning with four consecutive singles capped by a Jim Deliz (So., Clinton Twp.) RBI base hit through the left side. Burrill scored on the next play when Erik Morris (So., Orchard Lake) hit into a fielder's choice to VU third baseman Tony Mansolino. However, Mansolino's throw to second base short-hopped second baseman Rucker Taylor and kept the bases loaded with no outs. Brett Wattles (Sr., Rochester) then grounded out to short, scoring Koerber from third.
With one out and runners on second and third, VU intentionally walked Alan Cattrysse (Fr., Chatham, Ontario) to load the bases. Jensen Lewis then came on in relief for Vandy and got the next two Spartan hitters out on a strikeout and a popout to end the game.
MSU starter Bryan Gale (Jr., Decatur) gave up seven hits and three earned runs in seven innings to take the loss (2-1).
Vanderbilt jumped out to a 2-0 lead after two innings. In the first inning, Matt Zeller scored from first on a single and a throwing error. VU went ahead 2-0 in the second on a RBI double by Jonathan Douillard.
Warner Jones provided the rest of VU's scoring, hitting a two-run homer in the fourth and knocking a RBI triple in the eighth.
Travis Gulick (So., East Lansing), Morris, Burrill and Koerber all had two hits apiece for the Spartans.
MSU returns to action to face North Florida on Saturday, March 8 at 7 p.m.
GAME SUMMARY R H EVU 110 200 010- 5 9 2MSU 000 100 003- 4 10 1
WP: Ransom - VU (2-0)LP: Gale - MSU (2-1)
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