Michigan State University
Illinois
Illini End Spartans' Baseball Season
5/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 21, 2006
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State baseball was just one victory away from reaching postseason play, but couldn't come up with a win, falling to Illinois, 10-2, Sunday afternoon at Kobs Field. The Spartans ended 2006 play with an overall record of 26-30 and 13-19 in Big Ten play.
Both teams were in a must-win situation to stay alive in the six-team conference pool, entering the last regular-season game of the year.
"I don't think we came out with the right intensity and the right enthusiasm," MSU head coach David Grewe said. "I think our actions gave them an opportunity to win the game, especially in terms of our hitting approach and our inability to get ahead in the count."
It appeared as though a close game was in store, as both teams remained scoreless after three innings. The Spartans, however, struggled on both sides on the ball and Illinois seemed to gain more confidence as the game wore on. The Illini managed 21 hits on the day, while limiting the Green and White to just five.
Dave Schultz provided two big blows for the Illini. With Michigan State trailing by just one run after four innings, Schultz gave Illinois a 3-1 lead with a two-run homer in the fifth. He later helped the Illini break the game open in a five-run eighth, launching a three-run blast.
Starter Brian Blomquist (4-5) allowed just three Spartan hits in 8.0 innings and struck out a career-best eight batters.
Michigan State finally got on the board in the ninth, using two hits to score two runs off of reliever Joel Brickman.
Allowing three runs on 12 hits in 4.2 innings pitched, starter Mark Sorensen (3-4) took the loss for MSU.
Troy Krider produced two of the Spartans' five hits, going 2-for-4 on the day. Every Illini with more than one trip to the plate recorded a multi-hit game.
The University of Michigan will serve as host of the 2006 Big Ten Baseball Tournament after clinching the school's league-leading 33rd conference title and the first since 1997. The Wolverines will welcome Illinois, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State and Purdue to Ray Fisher Stadium in Ann Arbor for the 26th annual event, which will be held next week from Wednesday, May 24, through Saturday, May 27.
