Michigan State University
Illinois
Illinois Sweeps Saturday Baseball Doubleheader
3/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 29, 2008
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
LANSING, Mich. - Senior Steve Gerstenberger and Kyle Day each had three hits and senior right-hander Mark Sorensen gave a quality pitching start as the Michigan State baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader Saturday at Oldsmobile Park. The Illini won the first game, 9-5, before Illinois' Mike Stankiewicz threw a seven-inning shutout to beat MSU in the second game, 2-0 in seven innings. The same two teams will play a doubleheader Sunday at Oldsmobile Park beginning at 12:05 p.m.
Illinois got off to a fast start in the first game, taking a 3-0 lead in the top of the first off Spartan senior right-hander Mike Monterey. MSU answered when junior A.J. Shindler singled and scored on a double to left-center by freshman Brandon Eckerle.
The Illini struck for five runs to take a 8-1 lead in the top of the fifth, highlighted by a two-run double by first baseman Ryan Hastings. Illinois leadoff man Kyle Hudson scored on a Joe Bonadonna sac fly in the sixth inning to make it 9-1.
Michigan State erupted for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to pull within 9-5. MSU quickly loaded the bases with no outs and senior Brandon Doherty lifted a sac fly to center to score Eckerle. Day and junior Eric Roof would later add RBI singles to pull the Spartans within 9-4. Shindler later had an RBI groundout to round out the scoring.
Gerstenberger went 2-for-3, walked twice and scored a run and Day went 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI. Sophomore Kyle Corcoran pitched 4.0 innings of relief in his best outing of the season. He allowed just one run on four hits.
Illinois' Dominic Altobelli and Chris Montgomery each had three hits and Hastings had three RBI. Kevin Manson (3-0) allowed three runs over six innings for the win, while Monterey took the loss for MSU.
Saturday's second game was a pitcher's duel, as Sorensen matched Illinois' Mike Stankiewicz pitch-for-pitch. Sorensen worked 5.1 innings, allowing just two runs and six hits. Stankiewicz went the distance, working all seven innings. He allowed four hits and made it through the game on just 70 pitches.
Illinois scored what would be the winning run in the fifth when Bonadonna singled to score Nick Stockwell. The Illini added an insurance run on a fielder's choice in the sixth. Montgomery hit a groundball to MSU shortstop Jonathan Roof with Altobelli on third base. Altobelli broke for home on contact, and Roof's throw was just late of getting Altobelli at home.
Game one of Sunday's 12:05 p.m. doubleheader will be seven innings. The second game will be a nine-inning contest.
