Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Indiana
Spartans Win Wild Game Vs. Indiana, 15-13
5/8/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 8, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State baseball team opened a four-game series against Indiana with a thrilling 15-13 victory Saturday at Kobs Field. The Spartans (24-20, 11-10 Big Ten) scored a season high in runs and twice overcame a four-run deficit to win. Indiana (23-22, 7-14 Big Ten) and Michigan State combined for six home runs, five doubles and two triples, and the teams combined for 12 runs in a wild seventh inning.
Senior James Moreno (Holt, Mich.) was 3-for-5 and drove in three runs, and had the game's big blow, crushing a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to give Michigan State a 14-13 lead. Freshman Sean Walker (Round Lake, Ill.) had three hits and drove in two runs, as did freshman Troy Krider (Coldwater). Junior Travis Gulick (East Lansing, Mich.) had just one hit, but it was a clutch one, as his bases-loaded triple preceded Moreno's home run in the bottom of the seventh. Gulick finished with four RBI.
Indiana jumped on top quickly, scoring three times in the first off of MSU freshman John Dwan (Libertyville, Ill.), and once more in the second to take a 4-0 lead. But the Spartans answered with four runs of their own in the bottom of the second. Moreno bunted for a hit and later scored on a one-out single by senior David Miller (Whitehall, Mich.). After a hit batter, Krider doubled to deep center, plating two runs. Krider then scored on a two-out hit by sophomore Oliver Wolcott (Plymouth, Mich.) to knot the score at 4-4.
Michigan State took its first lead of the day in the bottom of the fourth, when sophomore Alan Cattrysse (Chatham, Ontario) led off the inning with his fourth home run of the season to make it 5-4. Krider then bunted for a hit and moved to second when junior Erik Morris (Orchard Lake, Mich.) was hit by a pitch. A sacrifice moved both runners over, and Krider scored on a Gulick ground out. Moreno then reached on a bad-hop single to second, scoring Morris and giving MSU a 7-4 cushion.
Indiana scored twice in the top of the fifth on a Joe Kemp home run, but MSU got both runs back in the bottom of the sixth. Wolcott reached on an error and moved to second on a Gulick sacrifice. Moreno struck out for the second out, but Walker crushed his ninth home run of the season to push the lead to 9-6.
The seventh inning started fittingly enough with a home run by Indiana's Seth Bynum, but it proved to be just one of 12 runs scored in the inning by the two teams. A Kevin Mahar home run tied the game at 9-9, and Indiana didn't stop there. A bunt single and two walks loaded the bases before freshman Craig Brookes (Naperville, Ill.) struck out Reggie Watson for the second out. But Jay Brant had a bases-clearing triple to give Indiana a 12-9 lead, and Bynum followed with an RBI double to cap off the seven-run inning for the Hoosiers.
MSU's seventh inning started with a walk, but each of the next two hitters was retired. Morris walked and Wolcott followed with a sharp single to right, loading the bases for Gulick. Just as Jay Brant had done in the top of the seventh, Gulick came through with a two-out bases-clearing triple, trimming the lead to 13-12. Moreno then launched his 10th home run of the season to left center, putting MSU on top 14-13.
The Spartans added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. Freshman Ryan Basham (Lowell, Ind.) led off with a single, moved to second on a ground out and to third on a Krider single. Morris then lofted a sacrifice fly to center, putting MSU on top 15-13.
Senior Adam White (Jenison, Mich.), who had thrown a 1-2-3 inning in the eighth, shut the door on Indiana in the ninth, snaring a line drive up the middle to end the game while picking up his third save of the season. Brookes earned the win in relief to improve to 3-4 despite giving up a pair of runs in the seventh.
It was a rough day for both pitching staffs, as 10 pitchers combined to allow 28 runs, of which 25 were earned, on 29 hits, 11 walks, six hit batters and four wild pitches. White was the only pitcher for either team who did not allow at least one run.
Indiana's Doug Fleenor (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up Gulick's triple and Moreno's home run in the seventh. The Spartans roughed up Indiana starter Nick Vitielliss for seven earned runs in three-plus innings.
Michigan State and Indiana will continue the series with a doubleheader Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. The final game will be played Monday, also at 1 p.m.
