Michigan State University
Lamar
Spartan Baseball Drops Season-Opener To Lamar
2/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 25, 2006
BEAUMONT, Texas - Michigan State baseball dropped its season-opener, 8-1, to host Lamar at the Cardinal Classic on Friday night. While it was Spartans' first game of the year, LU had played nine games entering the rain-plagued match-up. MSU will look to bounce back against Arkansas State (10 a.m.) and Lamar (4 p.m.) on Saturday.
"We ran into a tough left-handed pitcher, and anytime you run into one of those, it's going to be a battle," head coach David Grewe said. "I'm extremely pleased with the effort level of our players tonight - and that is always number one for us. It was the first game for our guys, and a learning experience. There are 56 games in college baseball and we aren't going to win them all. Our team needs to build on this and come back tomorrow and play like we know how."
Lamar's LHP William Delage (2-1) kept the Spartans at bay for most of the night, allowing just one earned run on three hits en route to the victory while tallying 11 strikeouts in seven innings. The Cardinals (5-5) out-hit MSU, 13-5, producing two runs in the second, one in the third and capping the night with a five-run eighth.
MSU threatened in the sixth, loading the bases with one out, but Delage managed to retire the final two batters. The Spartans finally got on the board in the seventh, as Kyle Day reached on a wild pitch and crossed the dish on a double by Alan Cattrysse.
Left-handed Spartan starter John Dwan (0-1) took the loss on the mound, working five innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits, with four strikeouts and two walks.
Cattrysse went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Adam Tripp, Ryan Basham and Oliver Wolcott each picked up a hit for the Green and White.
State returns to action Saturday, facing Arkansas State at 10 a.m. and squaring off with Lamar at 4 p.m. ASU improved its record to 5-1 by handing Kentucky (3-1) a 7-3 loss in the first game of the Cardinal Classic on Friday.
