Michigan State University
Wayne State
Spartan Baseball Rallies To Defeat Wayne State, 13-12
4/15/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 15, 2003
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to rally and defeat Wayne State, 13-12, in a wild game Tuesday afternoon (April 15) at Kobs Field. The Spartans improve to 10-20 for the season, while the Warriors fall to 14-12. The game featured 25 runs, 20 hits and 10 errors for both teams combined, including five lead changes.
Down 12-10 in the last of the ninth, the Spartans rallied for the game's fifth and final lead change to come out with the one-run win. The Spartans loaded the bases on back-to-back singles and a walk to start the inning. James Moreno (Jr., Holt) scored the first run of the ninth as WSU's Joe Neal was called for catcher's interference. The next batter, Brett Wattles (Sr., Rochester), plated Jim Deliz (So., Clinton Twp.) with a walk to tie the game at 12. That brought up MSU co-captain Charlie Braun (Sr., Grosse Pointe), who was looking for his first hit of the day. With the infield playing in, Braun lined a shot past the shortstop to drive in the winning run for MSU.
The Spartan offense collected 11 hits in the game, including four home runs and two triples, but the defense struggled with seven errors. Travis Gulick (So., East Lansing) hit two homers in a game for the first time in his career as he went 3-for-3 with four RBI, three runs and a triple. Each of Gulick's home runs easily sailed past the scoreboard in left field.
Center fielder Brett Wattles also had a nice day at the plate, registering two hits - including a deep homer in right-center field - to go along with three RBI and two runs scored.
Gulick's second homer of the day in the bottom of the sixth gave MSU a 10-9 lead after Wayne State scored three runs in the top half of the inning. The Warriors answered in the seventh with three more runs on only one hit but three costly Spartan errors.
Left-handed reliever Ryan Kurtz (Jr., Toledo, Ohio) threw the final two innings of the game and only allowed one base runner to pick up his first win of the season.
Freshman Jeremy Dow (Sunfield) made his Spartan debut on the mound as the starter, but exited early after allowing six runs, five earned, on three hits and three walks in 1 1/3 innings of work.
MSU clawed back from the 6-2 deficit after the first inning and a half with three runs in third and two in the fourth. Gulick hit his first homer, a two-run shot, in the third and Moreno added an RBI single. Wattles belted his fourth homer of the season in the fourth.
MSU returns to action for a single game vs. Western Michigan tomorrow night (April 16) at Oldsmobile Park beginning at 6 p.m.
GAME SUMMARY R H EWSU 240 003 300- 12 9 3MSU 203 203 003- 13 11 7
WP: Kurtz-MSU (1-0)LP: Lokuta-WSU (2-1)
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