Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Purdue
Spartan Bats Explode In Series Finale Vs. Purdue
4/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 25, 2004
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - After managing just five runs in the first three games of a four-game series, the Michigan State baseball team's offense caught fire Sunday, pounding 15 hits including three home runs as MSU salvaged the final game of the series with a 12-1 victory over Purdue. Nine different players had hits for Michigan State (20-18, 8-8 Big Ten), while Purdue (19-18, 9-7) was limited to only three hits as a team.
James Moreno (Holt, Mich.) and David Miller (Whitehall, Mich.) both had three hits for the Spartans, and Moreno had a season-high five runs batted in, including three on a home run. Erik Morris (Orchard Lake, Mich.) and Oliver Wolcott (Plymouth, Mich.) each had two hits, including a home run by Morris, while Wolcott scored three times and Morris scored twice.
John Dwan (Libertyville, Ill.) picked up the win on the mound, throwing six solid innings, allowing just one run on three hits and two walks while striking out three. Dwan allowed just two runners to reach second base while improving to 2-0.
MSU roughed up Purdue starter Chris Toneguzzi for eight runs, all earned, on eight hits and two walks in 3.2 innings, dropping his record to 2-3.
Michigan State threatened in the first, when Wolcott drew a one-out walk, and moved to third on a two-out single by Moreno. But Sean Walker (Round Lake, Ill.) grounded into a fielders choice to end the threat.
MSU finally took its first lead of the series, exploding for four runs in the top of the third. With one out, Morris singled to center and stole second. Wolcott followed with a triple to deep right center, plating Morris with the first run. Travis Gulick (East Lansing, Mich.) drew a walk to put runners on the corners, and Moreno followed by blasting his eighth home run of the year over the left field fence, giving the Spartans a 4-0 lead.
Purdue answered with one run in the bottom of the third off Dwan, using a single, a hit batter, a double steal and a ground out to cut the margin to 4-1.
Michigan State added to its lead with five more runs in the fourth inning. Troy Krider (Coldwater, Mich.) was hit by a pitch with one out, and Morris followed by lining his sixth home run of the year over the fence in left center, making the score 6-1. Wolcott followed with a single, and one out later, stole second. Moreno then picked up his fourth RBI of the game, lacing a single to left, scoring Wolcott. After Jay Buente came in to pitch in relief, Walker greeted him with a towering two-run homer to left, moving the lead to 9-1.
MSU pushed across two more insurance runs in the top of eighth. Krider led off with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. With one out, Wolcott walked, and Gulick lined a double down the left field line, scoring Krider. Moreno then lofted a sacrifice fly to deep center field, scoring Wolcott and raising the lead to 11-1.
MSU added one more run in the ninth, thanks to a leadoff single by Miller, a double by Ryan Basham (Lowell, Ind.), and an RBI groundout by Adam Tripp (Saugus, Calif.).
Michigan State will play Eastern Michigan at Oldsmobile Park in Lansing Wednesday, April 28, at 7 p.m.
