Spartans Down NDSU, 9-5

Sunday, March 13

Port Charlotte, Fla.

11:00 AM

Michigan State University

13-1

North Dakota State

9-5

Michigan State

North Dakota State

3/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 13, 2016

Box Score

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - The Michigan State baseball team defeated North Dakota State, 9-5 on Sunday afternoon in Port Charlotte, Fla. The win closes out a spring break trip that saw the Spartans go 7-1 over a 10-day span in Florida. MSU used a four-run eighth inning to come back from down two and improve to 13-1 on the season.

Trailing 5-3 in the eighth, the Spartans put together a big inning that saw four runs score on five hits to give them a 7-5 lead. The inning got started with singles from Dan Durkin, Matt Byars and Justin Hovis that loaded the bases with one out and chased Bison reliever Brian VanderWoude. Kris Simonton stepped to the plate next and tied the game with a two-run double off of the wall in left.

MSU then gained the lead when North Dakota State catcher Juan Gamez attempted to pick off Hovis at third. The ball skipped into left field and aggressive base running allowed Simonton to score from second and give the Spartans the two-run lead.

After an NDSU leadoff double in the eight, Josh Buchalski came on in relief for the second day in a row and shut down the Bison. Dakota Mekkes was called on for the ninth and secured the victory for Michigan State.

Andrew Gonzalez earned his second win of the season to improve to 2-0. The sophomore pitched two innings and allowed no runs on two hits.

The Spartans added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth with RBIs from Durkin and Byars to bring the game to its final, 9-5.

Durkin, Byars and Hovis combined to go 10-for-14 with seven runs scored and five RBIs in the game. Jordan Zimmerman also went 3-for-4 at the plate, to give the Spartans four batters that recorded three or more hits.

The Spartans jumped out to an early lead in the game with a two-run second inning. After Durkin got hit and Matt Byars doubled to left, junior Justin Hovis sent a chopper up the middle that got through to allow both runners to score.

The Bison responded in the home half of the second to gain a 3-2 lead on four hits and two errors.

NDSU loaded the bases with no outs in third inning looking to extend, but starter Walter Borkovich got a ground ball that went 5-2-3 for a double play. The next batter flew out deep to right to get MSU out of the inning unscathed and hold the score at 3-2.

Durkin then tied the game up with his third homer of the season in the top of the fourth with a solo shot that sailed over the left field wall.

North Dakota State took the lead right back in the bottom of the fourth on a double and RBI single that made it 4-3 before tacking on another run in the fifth to open up the 5-3 lead.

MSU outhit NDSU 18-12 in the game to make it five straight games with double digit hits.

Michigan State heads back to Florida next weekend for a three-game set with South Florida, starting on Friday night at 6:30 p.m.