Spartans Get Walk-Off Win Over Western Michigan, 5-4

Wednesday, April 8

East Lansing, Mich.

3:05 PM

Michigan State University

16-14

Western Michigan

11-16

Western Michigan

Michigan State

4/8/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

April 8, 2015

Box Score

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State baseball team used a ninth-inning rally to defeat Western Michigan in walk-off fashion by a score of 5-4 on Wednesday afternoon at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field. The Spartans improved to 16-14 on the year with the win, their fourth straight dating back to a weekend sweep over Oregon.

"I give our guys a lot of credit for coming back and putting together a lot of good at-bats in the ninth inning," MSU Head Coach Jake Boss Jr. said.

"Blaise [Salter] had a big day. If we're going to be good offensively, our seniors have to be good for us," added Boss. "Anthony Cheky had a big day - huge at-bat there in the ninth with a big double. Those guys have got to lead us."

Trailing 4-3 entering the bottom half of the ninth, MSU got a leadoff double from Salter to start the inning. After Ryan Richardson was hit by a pitch, Cheky lined a 2-2 delivery over the head of Broncos' right fielder Jared Kujawa to bring home pinch runner Chase Toth and tie the score, 4-4. With Richardson on third and Cheky at second, WMU intentionally walked Brandon Hughes to load the bases for pinch hitter Chad Roskelly. Facing a 1-2 count against Broncos reliever Gabe Berman, Roskelly lofted a fly ball to center to plate Richardson with the winning run.

Sophomore Joe Mockbee (4-1) earned the win in relief for MSU. Mockbee worked the final two innings out of the bullpen, allowing no runs and one hit, while striking out one and walking one. Freshman Alex Troop started on the hill for the Spartans and went 5.1 innings, allowing two runs off five hits.

The Spartans took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a base hit to left field by Salter. Left fielder Frank Tyler's error in fielding the ball allowed Mark Weist to score from first base on the play.

The Broncos (11-16) scored a pair of runs in the top of the third, but the Spartans responded in the bottom of the inning to make it 2-2. WMU got its runs via an RBI single by Jordan Tillman and a sacrifice fly by Brett Sunde.

Salter tied the game with a two-out RBI single into left field in the bottom of the third, scoring Ryan Krill.

A WMU error helped the Spartans reclaim the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. With Cam Gibson on second base, Bronco pitcher Peyton Gray made a pickoff move to second, but no one was there to cover and the ball sailed into center field, allowing Gibson to take third. Krill scored Gibson on the same at-bat with sacrifice fly to right field to give the Spartans' back the lead, 3-2.

The Broncos climbed back into the lead in the top of the eighth as the first two hitters reached base off a passed ball and single. A sacrifice bunt by Kurt Hoekstra moved the runners into scoring position and Sunde took advantage, drilling a double down the left field line. Both runners scored on the play, giving WMU a 4-3 lead.

Salter led the Spartans at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double and RBI. Cheky and Weist also had two hits apiece on the day.

Berman (2-3) took the loss for the Broncos.

The Spartans will take on the Lansing Lugnuts in the ninth annual Crosstown Showdown on Thursday. The seven-inning exhibition game will begin at 7 p.m. at Cooley Law School Stadium.