Michigan State University
Ohio State
Big Ten Tournament Ends For Spartan Baseball
5/28/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 28, 2004
MINNEAPOLIS - The Michigan State baseball team (33-26) lost to Ohio State (33-24) in an elimination game in the 2004 Big Ten Tournament at Siebert Field in Minneapolis, ending the season for the Spartans. MSU held a 3-2 lead through five innings, but the Buckeyes used a four-run sixth inning to take the lead and control of the game. Scott Koerber (Sr., Harper Woods) closed out his career with a strong game at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a home run. OSU starting lefthander Josh Newman pitched a complete game for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State scored first, plating two runs in the top of the second inning. Michigan State answered with a single run in the bottom of the second as Koerber belted a solo home run over the left field fence. It was his seventh home run of the season and the second of the tournament, cutting the OSU lead to 2-1.
Michigan State took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third inning. Troy Krider (Fr., Coldwater) walked with one out and advanced to third as Erik Morris (Jr., Orchard Lake) doubled down the third base line. Krider then scored on an Oliver Wolcott (So., Plymouth) infield groundout. Travis Gulick (Jr., East Lansing) followed with a single, scoring Morris and giving MSU a 3-2 lead.
The Spartans had an opportunity to extend their lead in the bottom of the fifth, placing runners on first and third with one out. Gulick stepped to the plate and lifted a pop up down the left field line in foul territory. OSU shortstop Brett Garrard raced over and made a spectacular catch, crashing into the fence. James Moreno (Sr., Holt) had a chance to increase MSU's lead and made a bid for a hit, knocking the ball in the hole between shortstop and third base. Buckeye third baseman Ronnie Bourquin dove to his left making a diving stop and threw out Moreno to end the Spartan threat.
Bourquin then led off the sixth inning and blasted his fifth home run of the year to tie the contest at 3. After Spartan starter Chris Toepper (So., Portage) retired the next hitter, OSU hit back-to-back singles, chasing Toepper from the contest. Jeremy Dow (So., Sunfield) retired the first hitter he faced for the second out of the inning. In the process of walking the next batter, Dow threw a wild pitch allowing the go ahead run to score from third. A two-run single later in the inning extended the Buckeye lead to 6-3.
Ohio State added insurance runs in both the seventh and eighth inning to take an 8-3 lead. Although the Spartans hit three balls to the warning track in the seventh and eighth innings, they never advanced a runner to second base after the fifth inning.
Toepper (4-4) took the loss for the Spartans. In 5.1 innings he allowed five runs on 12 hits, striking out two. Newman improved to 8-6 for the Buckeyes, allowing just three runs on eight hits and three walks, striking out five in a complete game victory.
