Michigan State University
6-0
UCF
6-2
Baseball Wraps Up Weekend with 6-2 Victory
2/28/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The Michigan State baseball team closed out the Kleberg Bank College Classic with a 6-2 win over UCF on Sunday afternoon in Corpus Christi, Texas. The Spartans improve to 6-0 on the season, marking the first time since 1964 that MSU started a season 6-0. The last time a Michigan State club was undefeated through six games was in 1970 when they started 5-0-1.
"This group over the last several years has put the program in a position to do some pretty special things," said head coach Jake Boss Jr. "I think this is one more thing you add to the list, but nobody's thinking about that right now.
"That's a long time. That's something that I think these guys can hang their hats on and something they can feel good about. At the same time, we've got 48 games to go."
The Spartans got things rolling in the third, opening a big lead with a five-run inning. Five straight Spartans reached base and scored, as MSU generated runs using small ball with a healthy dose of singles, walks and stolen bases in the inning.
In the fourth inning, Justin Hovis came up with his second base hit of the day before coming around for his second run on a wild pitch that made it 6-0.
Hovis and Kris Simonton both had multi-hit games and scored a run, while Brandon Hughes led the way with a 2-for-4 effort at the plate with two RBIs and a run scored. Royce Ando also had two RBIs to bring his season total to four.
The Spartans have outhit their opponent in each game so far this season and have yet to trail after the sixth inning of a game.
"I thought we played well today<" said="" boss.="" "defensively,="" we="" were="" really="" good.="" i="" thought="" we="" pitched="" it="" very="" well.="" offensively,="" we="" were="" efficient="" again="" and="" took="" advantage="" of="" opportunities.="" we="" left="" a="" few="" chances="" out="" there="" too,="" but="" i="" told="" that="" guys="" that="" it's="" an="" encouraging="" sign="" where="" we="" can="" beat="" a="" really,="" really="" good="" ball="" club="" and="" still="" leave="" some="" chances="" out="" there.="" one="" big="" inning="" and="" then="" the="" pitching="" kind="" of="" took="" over."="">
Starter Walter Borkovich earned the win to improve to 2-0 and finished with a final line of five innings, three hits and one run. The only threat he faced all day came in the fifth when the Knights had bases loaded, but he got a fly out to put an end to the threat.
Andrew Gonzalez, Keegan Baar, Dakota Mekkes and Joe Mockbee all came on in relief to close out the game.
MSU begins its spring break trip next weekend that consists of eight games in 10 days, starting with the Pensacola Cox Diamond Invitational on Friday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Borkovich, Walter (2-0)
L: WARD, T. (1-1)
Batting:
RBI: Bechina, Marty 1 ; Hughes, Brandon 2 ; Ando, Royce 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Bechina, Marty 1 ; Zimmerman, Jordan 1 ; Hughes, Brandon 1 ; Hovis, Justin 2 ; Simonton, Kris 1
SB: Zimmerman, Jordan 1 ; Hughes, Brandon 2 ; Troop, Alex 1
CS: Ando, Royce 1
Batting:
2B: BOZEMAN, B. 1 ; CRILE, R. 1
RBI: GRIFFIN, A. 1 ; HEISER, L. 1
SH: CRILE, R. 1 ; GELLINGER, K 1
SF: GRIFFIN, A. 1 ; HEISER, L. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BOZEMAN, B. 1 ; GRIFFIN, A. 1
HBP: TOLLESON, S. 1
