Michigan State University
Indiana
Spartan Baseball Drops Series Finale At Indiana, 11-3
5/9/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 9, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Michigan State baseball team dropped the finale of a four-game series with Indiana Monday, falling to the Hoosiers, 11-3, at IU's Sembower Field. The loss, MSU's third in four games against Indiana, dropped the Spartans' record to 18-25 overall (7-13 Big Ten), while Indiana improved to 25-23 (8-16).
A two-run homer by junior Jay Brant to right field off MSU starting pitcher John Dwan (Libertyville, Ill.) in the first inning gave Indiana an early 2-0 lead. The Hoosiers increased their lead at 3-0 in the second inning on an RBI double by senior Kurt Weigle, scoring senior Corby Heckman, who reached on a Spartan fielding error. Run-scoring doubles by senior Joe Kemp and junior Zach Boswell in the third inning hiked IU's lead to 5-0.
The Spartans cut their deficit to three runs at 5-2 in the top of the fourth. Sophomore left fielder Ryan Basham (Lowell, Ind.) lined his team-leading seventh home run of the season to right field off IU starting pitcher Steve Nielsen. Two batters later, freshman third baseman Steve Gertstenberger (Fort Gratiot, Mich.) walked, stole second and scored on a single by sophomore catcher Kris Morris (Jenison, Mich.) through the left side. But Indiana increased its lead to 7-2 with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, highlighted by an RBI single from Kemp down the right field line.
The Hoosiers scored two additional runs in the seventh inning, pushing the lead to seven runs. Kemp drew a leadoff walk and later scored on a wild pitch. Junior Ryan Parker followed with a single and scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Josh Richardson to right field. A two-run single by Boswell through the right side in the eighth inning gave Indiana an 11-2 lead.
Freshman Tony Clausen's (Jenison, Mich.) pinch-hit solo home run to left field in the top of the ninth provided the game's final margin.
Basham and senior first baseman Erik Morris (Orchard Lake, Mich.) had two hits each to lead the MSU offensive attack, while Gerstenberger, Kris Morris and Clausen each had one of MSU's seven hits.
Kemp paced the Hoosier offensive attack, collecting three hits including a home run, scoring three times and driving in three runs. Boswell (2-for-4, 3 RBI) and Parker (2-for-4, two runs) also had multi-hit games for Indiana, which pounded out 11 hits and drew eight walks.
Nielsen went five innings on the mound for Indiana to improve to 3-3. He gave up two runs on five hits and four walks while striking out two. Adam Poole threw the final four innings for IU, allowing just two hits and one run to pick up his first save. Dwan (1-2) allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and two walks in just two and two-third innings for MSU. Juniors Chris Malec (Lindenhurst, Ill.) and Chris Toepper (Portage, Mich.) pitched well out of the pen, throwing 1.1 and 1.0 innings, respectively, of one-hit scoreless ball.
Michigan State hosts in-state rival Western Michigan at Lansing's Oldsmobile Park in its final home non-conference home of the season on May 11 at 7 p.m.
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