Michigan State University
Northwestern
Spartan Baseball Loses Big Ten Doubleheader At Northwestern
5/21/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 21, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. - The Michigan State baseball team dropped its Big Ten doubleheader against Northwestern Saturday, May 21, at NU's Rocky Miller Park in Evanston, Ill. The Spartans lost an early four-run lead in the first game en route to a 7-5 defeat, and lost the nightcap, 10-4. With the losses, MSU falls to 21-31 (9-18 Big Ten), while Northwestern improves to 26-27 (14-17) on the season.
In the first game, the Spartans scored four runs in the top of the second, claiming a 4-0 lead. Sophomore right fielder Adam Tripp (Saugus, Calif.) led off the inning in style, hitting his team-leading eighth home run of the season to left field. Freshman first baseman Mike Monterey (Farmington Hills, Mich.) lined an RBI single down the left field line for his first collegiate RBI, while a throwing error by the Wildcats scored another Spartan run. Sophomore shortstop Troy Krider (Coldwater, Mich.) completed the scoring with an RBI triple to right center, scoring freshman center fielder Ryan Sontag (Monroe, Mich.), who singled on the previous play. Northwestern cut its deficit in half in the bottom of the second thanks to a run-scoring triple from senior Mike Phelps and freshman Max Mann's RBI sacrifice fly to right field.
The Wildcats pulled within one run in the fourth inning on a two-out RBI double by sophomore Geoff Deitz to left field, scoring Phelps, who singled past the left side of the infield to lead off the inning. NU came back to score four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, building a 7-4 advantage. A two-RBI single from Phelps past the first base line highlighted the inning for the Wildcats.
Michigan State dropped NU's lead down to two in the top of the seventh when junior Jamey Embree (Grosse Pointe, Mich.) hit an RBI pinch-hit single with two outs to left field, scoring senior catcher Erik Morris (Orchard Lake, Mich.). Morris led off the inning with a single and reached second on a wild pitch. On the next play, NU reliever Chris Hayes forced an infield groundout by Monterey to end the game.
Phelps went 3-for-3 at the plate with three RBI to pace Northwestern, while junior Mark Ori tallied two hits and drove in a run. Sophomore Dan Schwartz (3-5) earned the victory for the Wildcats after pitching only one-third of an inning. Hayes posted his ninth save of the season despite giving up a run on two hits in the seventh inning.
Krider led Michigan State's 14-hit attack by going 3-for-4 at the plate. Junior reliever Jeff Gerbe (1-3) took the loss for the Spartans, allowing two runs on two walks. Sophomore starting pitcher Craig Brookes (Naperville, Ill.) recorded four strikeouts for MSU, but gave up four runs on eight hits in five and two-third innings of work.
In the second game, the Spartans took an early 1-0 lead on a two-out run-scoring hit from sophomore left fielder Ryan Basham (Lowell, Ind.) that scored Sontag, who opened the game with a leadoff walk. Northwestern tied the game at 1-1 in the second inning when sophomore Caleb Fields hit an RBI single through the left side off MSU starting pitcher Mike Takashima (Rochester Hills, Mich.), scoring junior Anthony Wycklendt, who reached base with a one-out double.
Michigan State added two runs in the top of third to reclaim a 3-1 lead, highlighted by an RBI double by Erik Morris and an RBI fielder's choice from Basham. The Wildcats dropped MSU's advantage down to a run on a run-scoring single by senior Jon Mikrut in the bottom of the third. An RBI single by Ori down the left field line highlighted a three-run fourth inning for Northwestern, giving the hosts a 5-3 lead.
Basham brought home Sontag, who lined a one-out double, with a run-scoring single to bring the Spartans within a run in the top of the fifth. NU scored two runs on back-to-back RBI singles from Fields and Dietz in its half of the fifth, increasing its lead to 7-4. Senior pinch hitter Julian Romero tagged a two-run single to left field that was part of a three-run sixth inning that helped the Wildcats close out the scoring.
Fields went 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in two runs to lead the Wildcats, while Ori had two hits and scored a run. Sophomore Andrew Smith (3-5) captured the win for Northwestern despite giving up four runs on six hits over five innings. Schwartz pitched two innings of one-hit ball to earn his second save of the season.
Morris and Sontag each posted two hits with a double to lead Michigan State at the plate. Takashima (2-4) took the loss for the Spartans, allowing seven runs (four earned) on six hits in four and one-third innings of work.
The series finale is scheduled for Sunday, May 22 at 1 p.m. at Rocky Miller Park.
