Michigan State University
Western Carolina
Spartan Baseball Downs Western Carolina, 5-3
3/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 6, 2008
HOUSTON, Texas - Senior Justin Potes went 3-for-4 and junior Kyle Day and freshman Jonathan Roof each had two hits to lead the Michigan State baseball team to a 5-3 win over 2007 NCAA Tournament qualifier Western Carolina Thursday afternoon at Rice's Reckling Park. Senior right-hander Mike Monterey pitched six solid innings, while reliever Peter Wolff picked up his first win of the season. Senior Nolan Moody got credit for his first save. MSU, which has played seven games in eight days, improves to 4-6 on the season.
With the game tied 2-2 in the seventh, Michigan State took a one-run lead on an RBI single by senior infielder Brandon Doherty. The bottom of the seventh started when freshman Brandon Eckerle led off by getting hit by a pitch and sophomore Eli Boike moved him over to second with a sac bunt. Jonathan Roof singled to put runners on the corners. After a strikeout, Doherty took a 0-1 pitch from WCU's Corey Martin up the middle to score Eckerle.
MSU would tack on two more in the bottom of the eighth, sparked by back-to-back singles by Day and Potes to start the inning. On Potes' single, Catamount centerfielder J.C. Lyons mishandled the ball, allowing Day to score all the way from first on the play to give the Spartans a 4-2 lead. A few batters later, Potes would score on an RBI single through the left side by Eckerle.
Lyons homered in the ninth to pull Western Carolina within 5-3, but Moody would retire the next to batters to finish the game.
Monterey left after six innings with the score tied 2-2. He scattered seven hits and walked three in what was his third strong outing of the season.
Wolff (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win. He allowed two hits and struck out two. It was his second career victory.
"This was a huge win with a gutsy performance from our pitching staff and clutch hitting," head coach David Grewe said. "After a week of adversity, we played with a lot of character and toughness. We got some key hits and won the last three innings of the game. Those are things we continue to teach our players. I'm very proud of this team."
Doherty sparked MSU to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. After drawing a leadoff walk, he stole second and scored on an RBI single by Potes. WCU scored a run in the second and third innings to take a 2-1 lead.
Michigan State tied the game in the fifth inning when Boike doubled and scored on a sac fly by senior Evan Friedland.
Western Carolina starter Tyler Sexton allowed three runs on six hits in 6.1 innings. He struck out four and walked one.
MSU has two games left on its nine-game spring trip. The Spartans will face nationally-ranked Rice Friday afternoon at 5:30 p.m. (ET). The Owls are ranked 13th in the latest Baseball America poll.
