Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
UNLV
Spartan Baseball Drops Series Finale At UNLV, 20-8
2/29/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 29, 2004
LAS VEGAS - UNLV third baseman Brent Johnson went 5-for-6 and drove in five runs to lead the Rebels (7-5) to a 20-8 victory over Michigan State (1-2) in the series finale Sunday, Feb. 29 at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. The Spartans opened the three-game series with a 7-6 win Friday night before dropping the last two games.
"This is obviously a disappointing loss for us," Spartan head coach Ted Mahan said. "We are a very young team and it certainly showed today."
For the first time in the series, Michigan State got out of the gate quickly, scoring three times in the opening inning. Alan Cattrysse (Chatman, Ontario) led off the ballgame with a single to left field and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With one out, Travis Gulick (East Lansing, Mich.) singled to center field, sending Cattrysse to third. Cattrysse scored on a wild pitch and Gulick went to third on a throwing error by UNLV catcher Justin Tellam. Erik Morris (Orchard Lake, Mich.) followed with an RBI single to center field, scoring Gulick. Morris stole second and later scored on David Miller's (Whitehall, Mich.) grounder to shortstop.
Michigan State's lead evaporated in the bottom of the first as UNLV sent nine men to the plate, scoring four runs on just two hits. The Rebels got RBI singles from Johnson and Eric Nielsen plus scored runs on a fielder's choice and wild pitch.
UNLV added two runs in the second off Spartan starter Jeff Gerbe (Shelby Township, Mich.), who allowed five earned runs on six hits and issued three walks in two complete innings.
The Spartans rallied to tie the game at 6-6 with three runs in the third. Scott Koerber (Harper Woods, Mich.) opened the inning with a double down the left-field line, and Miller followed with a two-run homer to right field. With one out, James Moreno (Holt, Mich.) singled to right and later scored from second on an RBI single to left field by Cattrysse.
The Rebels took the lead for good in the bottom of the third off freshman right-hander Craig Brookes (Naperville, Ill.). Tellam greeted Brookes with a single to left and Ryan Bird followed with a double. Two batters later, Tellam scored on a fielder's choice, giving UNLV a 7-6 lead.
UNLV broke the game open in the middle innings, scoring three runs in the fourth, two in the fifth and six more in the sixth to build an 18-7 advantage.
Moreno led off the fifth with a triple to left-center field and later scored on a wild pitch from UNLV southpaw Ben Scheinbaum as the Spartans pulled to within 10-7.
Eddie Gill closed out the scoring for UNLV with a two-run homer off Chris Toepper (Portage, Mich.) in the bottom of the seventh.
E.J. Daws (Bozeman, Mont.) opened the eighth for the Spartans with a pinch-hit single. Four batters later, Daws scored on an RBI single by Koerber.
The Spartans emptied the bullpen as seven pitchers saw action, surrendering a combined 18 earned runs, 16 hits and eight walks.
UNLV's Matt Wagner (1-0) picked up the win in relief, while Brookes (0-1) took the loss.
Michigan State begins an eight-game road trip in Florida on Friday, March 5 against Western Michigan in Jacksonville.
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