Michigan State University
Indiana
MSU Baseball Splits Doubleheader With Indiana
4/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 1, 2006
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Senior right-hander Jeff Gerbe kept the Hoosier bats at bay in game one as Michigan State (11-10, 2-1) baseball earned a 2-1 victory, but the Spartans fell in the nightcap, 12-7, splitting Saturday's doubleheader with Indiana (8-13, 1-2) at Oldsmobile Park.
In his third complete seven-inning effort of the season, Gerbe (3-2) surrendered just one run on four hits, outlasting IU starter Clint Crosier in a game one pitcher's duel. MSU had just three hits in the game but took full advantage of its base running opportunities to pull out the win. Crosier was dealt the loss and falls to 2-1 on the year.
Michigan State took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, capitalizing on two Indiana errors. Adam Tripp reached on a fielding error, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. Tripp later crossed the plate on well-placed RBI-single to right center by Alan Cattrysse.
After five scoreless innings, Indiana managed to tie the score at 1-1 in the top of the sixth. Much like the Spartans' first score, IU produced the run after its lead-off batter reached on an error.
In the bottom half of the sixth, with bases loaded and one out, Sean Walker poked a fielder's choice grounder to the IU shortstop and Ryan Basham crossed the dish for what proved to be the game-winning run.
"We had a solid performance from (Jeff) Gerbe today," MSU head coach David Grewe stated. "He hit his spots and we had great defense behind him. We need to see that type of play in both games though, and today it wasn't there."
The first few innings of game two looked promising, but five errors late in the game would cost the Spartans as Indiana snagged a 12-7 victory.
With the game knotted, 3-3, heading into the fourth inning, IU's bats came alive for four runs on five hits to jump out front 7-3. The Spartans tried to play catch up and mustered two runs in the home at bat of the inning to cut the lead to 7-5.
Both teams scored a pair of runs in the sixth, and the Spartans were still within two headed into the final inning. Using two MSU miscues and three hits, the Crimson and Cream posted three runs in the seventh and struck out the side on defense to take a 12-7 win.
Cattrysse pounded out four RBI on the day for State, while Kyle Day went 3-for-4 with an RBI.
Keith Haas paced the Indiana attack, going 4-for-6 with two RBI and two stolen bases. As a team, IU swiped nine bags, seven of those coming in the second game.
Michigan State will try to pick up the series win Sunday, with the fourth and final game of the series scheduled for noon. The game has been bumped up from its original start time of 1:00 p.m., and it will be televised live on Comcast.
