Michigan State University
Minnesota
Spartans Rally Past Minnesota In The Ninth, Win 7-6
4/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 21, 2006
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Rallying in the ninth, Michigan State baseball won game one of its best-of-four game series against Minnesota, 7-6, Friday afternoon at Kobs Field. Trailing 6-4, the Spartans surged from behind, stealing the win on a walk-off RBI single by Ryan Basham. MSU improves to 18-16 overall and 7-6 in Big Ten play, while the Golden Gophers dropped to 18-16 and 6-7 in conference play.
"Once again, we showed our character and where we are coming as a team," MSU head coach David Grewe stated. "We battled back and it feels great to win game one. We have to keep that intensity and that focus throughout the weekend."
Troy Krider got the offense going in the third inning with a leadoff single and Michigan State built a 3-0 lead. Kyle Day and Alan Cattrysse each collected an RBI with back-to-back triples and Ryan Basham drove in the third run of the inning with his team-leading fifth sacrifice fly of the season. The Spartans added a run in the fifth for a 4-0 advantage.
Minnesota pulled within one in the sixth inning as Andy Hunter launched a three-run home run over the short porch in right field. The Gophers took the lead scoring three runs in the eighth inning, and it looked like MSU had let another close game slip through its fingertips. Kyle Baran scored the tying run after doubling to start the inning and Matt Noehlty gave Minnesota a 6-4 lead with a two-out, two-run single.
Trailing by two in the ninth, pinch-hitter Sean Walk drew a leadoff walk and E.J. Daws entered the game as a pinch runner. Continuing with the Spartan small-ball strategy, Oliver Wolcott laid a sacrifice bunt and Daws moved to scoring position. Troy Krider then ripped an RBI single and MSU found itself down by just one.
In the next at bat, Jamey Embee stepped out of the batter's box asking for time, but apparently it was not granted by the home plate umpire and the third strike crossed the plate. With two outs, the Spartans were in a must-hit situation and Day delivered, reaching safely on a groundball that bounced high over the first baseman's head. With runners on the corners, Cattrysse cracked his third RBI of the game, singling through the right side, and Basham's game-winning hit lifted the Green and White past the Gophers, 7-6.
On the mound, reliever Mark Sorensen (2-1) picked up the win, throwing the final five outs. Tossing 7.1 innings, Spartan starter Craig Brookes recorded a career-high seven strikeouts. Andy Peters (1-3) suffered the loss for Minnesota, allowing the final three runs to score.
Krider and Adam Tripp each had three hits for Michigan State, while Noehlty and Hunter each collected three hits for Minnesota.
Michigan State will look to win games two and three on Saturday, with a doubleheader set for 1:00 p.m. The series will conclude with a single-game contest on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
