Spartan Baseball Completes Sweep Of Indiana

Monday, May 10

East Lansing, Mich.

1:00 PM

Michigan State University

Indiana

5/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

May 10, 2004

Box Score

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State baseball team completed its second series sweep of a Big Ten opponent this season, beating Indiana twice in its last at-bat Monday at Kobs Field. The Spartans scored three times in the seventh inning to rally for a 4-3 win in a game that was suspended after six innings Sunday, before pushing across a run in the bottom of the ninth for a 6-5 victory in the regularly scheduled game. The victories, which ran MSU's win streak to five games, improved the Spartans' record to 27-20 overall and 14-10 in the Big Ten, while Indiana fell to 23-25 and 7-17.

Freshman Troy Krider (Coldwater) was involved in the winning play in both games, singling home the winning run in the bottom of the seventh in the first game, before scoring the winning run after a single by sophomore Oliver Wolcott (Plymouth, Mich.) in the finale.

In the suspended game from Sunday, MSU trailed 3-1 after six innings in a game that was halted due to darkness and lightning in the area. The Spartans had just scored their first run of the game prior to the suspension without the benefit of a hit. A pair of walks and a wild pitch put runners on second and third with one out, when a sacrifice fly by junior Travis Gulick (East Lansing, Mich.) scored Krider. The play turned into a double play when junior Erik Morris (Orchard Lake, Mich.), who had advanced to third, was called out for failing to tag up, ending the inning.

The Spartans opened the seventh inning facing Indiana relief pitcher Doug Fleenor, which was a blessing considering that Indiana starter Josh Lewis did not surrender a hit during his six innings on the mound Sunday.

Senior James Moreno (Holt, Mich.) quickly broke up the no-hit bid with a leadoff single. One out later, senior David Miller (Whitehall, Mich.) and freshman Ryan Basham (Lowell, Ind.) drew walks, loading the bases. Sophomore Alan Cattrysse (Chatham, Ontario) ripped a double to left center, scoring two runs and tying the game at 3-3. Brian Lortz relieved Fleenor, but fared no better, as Krider lined a single to right field, bringing home the winning run.

Sophomore Dan Noble (Troy, Mich.) pitched a scoreless seventh inning to earn his first collegiate victory. Freshmen Clay Kovac (Mundelein, Ill.) had pitched six solid innings Sunday, allowing three runs, of which just two were earned, on seven hits and three walks while striking out four.

In the final game of the series, MSU didn't have to come from behind, but after surrendering a late lead, still managed some late-inning heroics.

The Spartans scored in the first without a hit, as Morris and Wolcott both walked. A double steal put runners on second and third, and Morris scored on an RBI groundout by Gulick.

After Indiana tied the score at 1-1 in the top of the second, sloppy Hoosier defense helped MSU put four more runs on the board in the bottom half of the frame. Miller walked to open the inning and moved to third on a single by Cattrysse. A double play groundout scored Miller with the go-ahead run, and Krider followed with a single. Morris then hit a grounder to third that was bobbled for an error, keeping the inning alive. Wolcott followed with a grounder that IU second baseman Jay Brant first booted, then threw into the dugout for a pair of errors, scoring Krider. Gulick then laced a single to left, scoring Morris and Wolcott.

After that, the Spartan bats were silent for the next six innings as Lortz, who had again entered in relief, allowed just two hits during that span. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers pushed across single runs in the sixth and seventh innings against Spartan freshman Craig Brookes (Naperville, Ill.) to cut the lead to 5-3. Senior Adam White (Jenison, Mich.) entered to start the eighth and allowed a pair of runs to tie the game before pitching a scoreless ninth.

In the bottom of the ninth, Krider singled up the middle with one out off of Lortz, who was replaced by Adam Pegg. Morris greeted Pegg by drilling a single to right center, advancing Krider to third. With the infield drawn in and the outfielder playing shallow, Wolcott lined a single over the centerfielder Reggie Watson's head, plating Krider with the winning run.

White earned the win in relief to improve to 4-1 after allowing two runs, one earned, on one hit and a pair of walks in his two-inning stint. Brookes provided a stellar effort, giving up just three runs, of which just two were earned, on five hits and three walks while striking out four over the first seven innings.

Michigan State will travel to Western Michigan Wednesday for a 3 p.m. game before visiting Penn State for a four-game series Friday-Sunday (May 14-16).