Michigan State University
Central Michigan
Central Michigan Wins 17-13 Slugfest Over MSU
4/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 19, 2006
LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State and Central Michigan combined for a season-high 37 hits, but the Spartans came up on the wrong end of a 17-13 score, falling to the Chippewas Wednesday night at Oldsmobile Park. MSU dropped to 17-16, while CMU improved to 23-15.
The bats were hot from the start and Central Michigan put seven runs on the board in its first two trips to the plate. The Chippewas rattled off nine hits, including a three-run homer by Brian Humphrey in the first inning, building a 7-0 lead. MSU's Steve Gerstenberger cut the deficit to 7-4 in the bottom of the second, blasting his first grand slam of his career.
CMU continued to add to its total the next two innings, scoring a run in the third and three runs in the fourth, for an 11-4 advantage. MSU scored a pair of runs in the fifth, as E.J. Daws drove in a run and Oliver Wolcott scored on an error, but the Chippewas came back with two runs in the sixth. Trailing 13-6, stepping to its at bat in the sixth, MSU tied the score with a seven-run rally, using six hits and two errors.
For the first and only time of the night, neither team posted a run in the seventh inning. Central Michigan broke the 13-13 tie in the eighth, plating the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. Holding the Spartans scoreless in their final two at bats, the Chippewas added three runs in the ninth to win by a final score of 17-13.
Entering the game in the seventh, CMU's Nathan Pung (1-1) earned the win, allowing no runs in 1.2 innings pitched. Throwing the final four outs of the night, James Ricchio picked up his fourth save of the season. Michigan State used a total of nine pitchers on the night. Matt Trausch (1-2) was tagged with the loss.
Seven Chippewas recorded multi-hit games, five of those with multiple RBI. Troy Moratti led the way going 5-for-5, while Bryan Mitzel went 4-for-5. Brian Campbell also hit a home run.
For the Spartans, Jamey Embree and Adam Tripp each had three hits apiece and Ryan Basham, Gerstenberger and Alan Cattrysse each had two.
Michigan State returns to action this weekend, April 21-23, as the Green and White welcomes Big Ten rival Minnesota for a four-game series at Kobs Field. The first pitch of the series is slated for 3:00 p.m. on Friday.
