Baseball Falls Short at OSU, 6-5

Saturday, March 21

Columbus, Ohio

3:05 PM

Michigan State University

9-10, 1-1

Ohio State

13-6, 1-1

Michigan State

Ohio State

Ryan Krill knocked in his third RBI of the season.

3/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 21, 2015

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A day after defeating Ohio State in a one-run game, the Spartans found themselves on the opposite end Saturday, falling to the Buckeyes, 6-5, at Bill Davis Stadium in Columbus. Michigan State is now 9-10 overall with the loss and 1-1 in the Big Ten.

After the Spartans scored the first run of the game, the Buckeyes (13-6, 1-1) responded to go ahead 5-1 and never relinquished their lead. MSU pulled to within a run in the sixth, but couldn't come up with the tying run.

"We've shown character all year and our guys never believe we're out of a game," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "We missed a lot of opportunities and left a couple guys on base and you can't do that when you're playing a good ball club."

Freshman Kory Young led MSU at the plate, going 3-for-4.

"Kory took advantage of his opportunity today," Boss said. "He was sick most of spring break and he's starting to feel better and hit some balls hard. It was a good day and he's got a bright future ahead of him."

Ryan Richardson gave MSU a 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the top of the second inning, but Ohio State responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame to claim a 4-1 advantage. Leading, 2-1, OSU's Troy Montgomery closed the inning with a two-out, two-run homer to right field.

Three walks put the Spartans in position to cut into their deficit in the top of the third inning, but OSU starter Travis Lakins was able to induce a ground ball and then a fly ball off the bat of Richardson to end the threat.

The Buckeyes responded by adding to their lead in the bottom of the third on an RBI groundout by Nick Sergakis, making the score 5-1.

Brandon Hughes made it a 5-2 game with an RBI single in the fourth inning, but the bat of Sergakis helped OSU reclaim its four-run lead when he belted a run-scoring single to left field in the bottom of the fifth.

Trailing, 6-2, in the top of the sixth, the Spartans rallied for three runs - all with two outs. Cam Gibson drove in Young with an RBI single and Ryan Krill followed in the next at-bat with a two-run homer to right field that pulled MSU within one, 6-5.

Reliever Andrew Gonzalez, who took over in the fifth inning, held the Buckeyes to just two hits over the final four frames, including retiring the final nine OSU hitters.

"Andrew was really good today," Boss said. "He came into the game in a tough spot and was really in damage-control mode; he kept us in the ball game. He's not afraid of any situation and he showed it today by throwing very well."

The Spartans stranded a two-out double by Young in the eighth inning and then left a pair of runners on base in the ninth.

MSU starting pitcher Cam Vieaux was tagged with the loss as he allowed six runs (five earned) off nine hits in four innings.

The two teams will close the weekend series with game three tomorrow at 1 p.m. Live audio will be available at SpartanSportsNetwork.com and on the SSN 24/7 mobile app, while Gametracker will be available at msuspartans.com.