Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Sacred Heart
Spartan Baseball Pounds Sacred Heart, 8-2
3/5/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 5, 2006
Michigan State (2-3) baseball scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to cruise past Sacred Heart (0-3) Sunday afternoon at the Winning Inning College Classic in Clearwater, Fla. Playing seven games in eight days while on their spring trip in Florida, the Spartans have opened play in the Sunshine State with a 2-0 record.
With the game scoreless after three innings, the Spartans managed to take a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning as Alan Cattrysse ripped a two-run triple off the left field wall. Sacred Heart rallied to tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the eighth.
The Spartans came to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning hoping to manufacture the go-ahead run, but would do more than that, scoring six runs and putting the game well out of reach. Jamey Embree gave the Green and White the lead for good with a sacrifice fly, and Kyle Day gave MSU a 4-2 cushion with an RBI single to start the barrage.
With two runners on and one out, Sacred Heart intentionally walked Adam Tripp to put the force on at all bases, but the Pioneer's Rob Tencza could not deliver, walking Alan Cattrysse and a fifth run in. Sean Walker followed with a sacrifice fly, and Tripp eventually scored on a throwing error as Sacred Heart attempted to pick-off Cattrysse. Oliver Wolcott cracked an RBI double, pushing the score to 8-2, before the Pioneers retired Steve Gerstenberger, who came to the plate for the second time in the inning, for the third out.
Spartan closer Mike Monterey picked up the win, throwing the final 1.2 innings, to even his record to 1-1 on the year. MSU starter John Dwan recorded his first quality start of the season, going 7.0 innings and allowing no runs on five hits, while striking out eight.
Tencza, Josh Enos and Mike Cahill each went 2-for-4 at the plate for the Pioneers. Tencza (0-1), who moved from the third base to the mound in the eighth inning, was tagged with the loss.
Michigan State will play its third and final game of the Winning Inning College Classic on Monday, facing Lehigh at 11 a.m. MSU beat the Mountain Hawks, 6-3, in the first game of the classic on Saturday.
