Michigan State University
Penn State
Baseball Drops First Game Of Final Home Series, 7-6
5/13/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 13, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Two fielding errors by the Michigan State baseball team in the top of the ninth inning helped Penn State escape Kobs Field with a 7-6 victory in the first game of the final home series of the season. The Spartans failed to get a runner past second in the bottom of the ninth in their attempt to send the game into extra innings.
The loss spoiled a great outing by red-shirt junior starter Tim Day (West Chester, Ohio), who tallied a season-high eight strikeouts and no walks in eight and two-thirds innings. With the loss, MSU fell to 18-27 (7-14 Big Ten) while Penn State improved to 26-21 (11-14 Big Ten).
The Spartans opened the scoring with two runs in the first inning. Freshman center fielder Ryan Sontag (Monroe, Mich.) led off the game with a double to left field and scored on a single up the middle by sophomore left fielder Ryan Basham (Lowell, Ind). Basham later scored on a single by freshman designated hitter Tony Clausen (Jenison, Mich.).
Penn State cut MSU's lead in half at 2-1 in the top of the second, behind an RBI double by senior Arin Gelletly that scored sophomore Matt Lewis, who reached on a single to open the inning. The Spartans scored again in the bottom of the second on an RBI single up the middle by sophomore shortstop Troy Krider (Coldwater, Mich.), scoring Sontag who reached base on a walk.
The Nittany Lions tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the fifth inning, highlighted by a run-scoring bunt single by junior Derrick Barr. A two-run single up the middle by sophomore right fielder Adam Tripp (Saugus, Calif.) helped MSU regain the lead at 6-3 in the bottom of the fifth as the Spartans scored three more runs off Penn State starting pitcher Sean Stidfole.
In the top of the ninth, Penn State took advantage of two crucial Spartan errors to score four runs and gain a 7-6 advantage. Back-to-back RBI singles by senior Mike Milliron and junior Lance Thompson highlighted the comeback.
The game was delayed by rain for one hour before the Spartans batted in the bottom of the ninth. Once the skies cleared, Michigan State put runners on first and second with one out after sophomore catcher Kris Morris (Jenison, Mich.) and Krider each singled off PSU relief pitcher Clint Eury. However, Eury bounced back to retire Basham on a fly out to left field and strikeout senior third baseman Erik Morris (Orchard Lake, Mich.) to end the Spartan threat.
Milliron finished the game 2-for-5 with two stolen bases and two RBI to paced the Nittany Lions' attack, while sophomore Travis Laird went 2-for-4 and scored two runs. Senior Josh Palm (2-1) earned the win for Penn State after throwing three shutout innings in relief while Eury picked up his fourth save.
Krider led Michigan State's 11-hit offense by going 3-for-5 with an RBI. Sontag went 2-for-4 and scored three runs while Basham also collected two hits (2-for-5) and scored twice for the Spartans. Day (4-6) took the loss despite allowing just two earned runs and seven hits
The series continues with a doubleheader at Kobs Field on Saturday, May 14 at 1 p.m. Spartan utility player Erik Morris will be honored between games as part of the Senior Day festivities.
