Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
5-7
UMBC
1-4
Baseball Splits Doubleheader
3/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The Michigan State baseball team (5-7) split its doubleheader on Saturday, losing game one to Akron, 3-1, and defeating UMBC, 5-0 in the Coastal Carolina Invitational. Pitching and defense highlighted a majority of the day, as the Spartans would give up runs in only the first inning of the afternoon. Freshman Alex Troop earned the win in game two for MSU in his first career start, holding UMBC scoreless in his six innings of work.
"Alex was good today," said head coach Jake Boss. "He was in control all the way through the day and we played good defense behind him. He was ahead in the count early and commanded his breaking stuff pretty good. Good first start for him, especially to get a win as a freshman, it was a good day."
Excluding the first inning of game one, the Spartan pitching staff gave up no runs and allowed just nine hits in 17 innings. On the day, the bullpen totaled five perfect innings, allowing no hits and striking out three, with appearances from Andrew Gonzalez, Joe Mockbee, and Jeff Kinley.
"I thought Andrew threw well today in relief in game one," said Boss. "Joe threw well too and we thought our staff would be our strong suit and it has been just that. If we are going to struggle offensively, those guys are going to have to continue to throw well. We feel like we are going to be in every game we play because of that."
In game one, the Zips would put a three-spot on the board in the first inning and that would prove to be all they needed to beat the Spartans, as Akron starting pitcher JT Brubaker went eight innings, allowing seven hits and one run.
"It's very frustrating to split only giving up the one-innings worth of runs," said Boss. "At the same time, it's the way the game works. It is a situation where we need to be better offensively and find ways to get things going and sustain our offense throughout the course of nine innings and we get a chance to do it tomorrow."
After the first, starting pitcher Cam Vieaux held the Zips in check, giving up four hits over his final five innings of work. Vieaux would take the loss in the contest to fall to 0-3 on the year, going seven innings with two strikeouts.
MSU was held scoreless through the first seven innings of the game until Cam Gibson hit an RBI single that scored Johnny Nate to close the gap to 3-1.
It was a different story in game two, as it was Michigan State that jumped out to the early lead and didn't look back. The first three hitters up in the Spartan order all singled and scored to start the bottom of the second, while Ryan Richardson capped off the inning with an RBI double that scored Anthony Cheky to give MSU a 4-0 lead.
It was all Alex Troop and the Spartan defense from there, as the Terriers were held to just three hits for the game. Following a leadoff single in the fourth, Gibson would help the freshman with his arm when he doubled up a runner at first with a perfect throw from left.
"It feels really good to get my first win," said Troop. "It's finally everything you dreamed off and was a good experience. Especially with the struggles hitting lately, the four runs definitely takes a little bit of stress off. We were trying to get going and bring some energy early after losing the first game, so after we got the runs I just tried to keep that going. It is a little different starting and you prepare different, but pitching is pitching, you just have to get outs and keep it simple."
The defense would come to Troop's aid again in the sixth after the first two runners of the inning reached base. A sac bunt put runners at second and third with just one out, but Ryan Richardson and Gibson both flashed their gloves with excellent defensive efforts to get MSU out of the jam unscathed.
"Gibson made two great plays," said Boss. "Those are game changers. Ryan Richardson made a few nice plays today too. Defensively today, we were very good. We are going to have to be until we can break out offensively."
Chad Roskelly went 3-for-4 in game two and Ryan Krill added two hits to lead Michigan State.
Michigan State closes out the Coastal Carolina Invitational tomorrow at 1 p.m. vs. the host Chanticleers.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Troop, Alex (1-1)
L: Staskey (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Barnes 1
SH: Casali 1
Base Running:
SB: Barnes 1
HBP: Barnes 1
Batting:
2B: Richardson, Ryan 1 ; Krill, Ryan 1
RBI: Richardson, Ryan 1 ; Salter, Blaise 1 ; Smith, Hunter 1 ; Cheky, Anthony 1
SH: Nate, Johnny 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Weist, Mark 1 ; Roskelly, Chad 1 ; Krill, Ryan 1 ; Smith, Hunter 1 ; Cheky, Anthony 1
SB: Weist, Mark 1 ; Cheky, Anthony 1
CS: Richardson, Ryan 1
HBP: Weist, Mark 1
PO: Toth, Chase 1
