Michigan State University
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Western Michigan
Spartan Baseball Falls To Western Michigan, 5-2
5/11/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 11, 2005
LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State baseball team dropped its final game at Lansing's Oldsmobile Park this season on Wednesday, May 11, falling to Western Michigan by a score of 5-2. With the loss, MSU drops to 18-26, while WMU improves to 24-18 on the season.
The game was billed as "Erik Morris Day" as the senior co-captain played all nine positions during the game, including a stint on the mound in the ninth inning. The Orchard Park, Mich., native went 1-for-4 at the plate, recorded four putouts in the field and a strikeout in the ninth.
Michigan State took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning. Freshman third baseman Steve Gertsenberger (Fort Gratiot, Mich.) opened the one-out rally with a single and scored on a double by sophomore catcher Kris Morris (Jenison, Mich.) to right center. Sophomore Troy Krider (Coldwater, Mich.) later drove home Kris Morris with a single through the left side.
Western Michigan cut MSU's lead to 2-1 in the fourth inning on a solo homer by junior Mark Abro to left field. The Broncos scored two more runs in the fifth inning to take a 3-2 lead. Freshman Nathan Marquardt lined a double to center field and sophomore Kyle Maunus walked to open the inning. Marquardt later scored on a single by senior Andy Roy, while junior R.C. Dickerson brought home Maunus with a sacrifice fly to center field.
The Broncos added two runs in the ninth inning to provide the final margin behind a run-scoring sacrifice fly by senior Adam Rosales, scoring Dickerson who led off the inning with a single. The second run scored on a Spartan error.
Rosales finished the game hitting 3-for-4 with a run batted in for Western Michigan, while Marquardt went 2-for-5 at the plate. Sophomore Bryan Rumple (1-0) earned the win for the Broncos after throwing four and one-third innings of shutout ball with four strikeouts and two walks. Sophomore Derek Schlecker struck out three batters in two and two-thirds innings to capture the save.
Freshman center fielder Ryan Sontag (Monroe, Mich.) led Michigan State offensively, going 2-for-4 with a double. Junior Jeff Gerbe (1-2) took the loss for the Spartans, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits in one inning of work. Junior reliever Chris Toepper (Portage, Mich.) kept the Spartans in the game, throwing two shutout innings in relief.
Before the game, MSU president Dr. Lou Anna Simon made an appearance on the mound when she threw out the first pitch to Erik Morris.
The Spartans host Penn State in four-game series in their final appearances at Kobs Field, beginning Friday, May 13 at 3 p.m.
