Michigan State University
Michigan
No. 21 Michigan Wins Both Ends Of Baseball Doubleheader
4/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 19, 2008
EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 21 Michigan hit five home runs to sweep a doubleheader from the Michigan State baseball team Saturday in front of 2,210 fans at Kobs Field. The Wolverines scored seven first-inning runs to win the opener, 10-4, before taking a 7-1 decision over the Spartans in game two. For the day, sophomore Chris Roberts led Michigan State by going 4-for-7.
Michigan's Chris Fetter pitched 5.1 innings in the first game to improve is season record to 7-0. Travis Smith (4-1) was the winning pitcher in game two. Nate Recknagel homered twice and drove in five runs on the day to lead UM.
Michigan (27-8, 14-1 Big Ten) wasted no time taking command in game one, scoring seven runs (three earned) off MSU junior starter Mark Sorensen. After a two-run single by Putnam and an RBI double by Adam Abraham, Sorensen struck out the next three Wolverine batters. On the third strikeout, a passed ball allowed Abraham to score and Chris Berset to reach base, continuing the inning. Michigan would go on to score three more runs. Recknagel hit a towering three-run homer to left in the top of the third to put UM ahead 10-0.
Michigan State (13-20, 4-10 Big Ten) came alive in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four runs on five hits, chasing Fetter in the process. The Spartans strung together four straight base hits, the latter being a two-run single to right by junior Eric Roof. Junior A.J. Shindler added another two-run single moments later to pull MSU within 10-4.
MSU's top performer in game one was senior reliever Peter Wolff, who threw four no-hit innings. He didn't allow a run, walking two and striking out one.
Putnam and Derek VanBuskirk each hit a solo home run in the second inning of game two to help the Wolverines jump ahead of MSU 2-0. Abraham then hit a two-run homer in the fourth to give Michigan a 4-0 lead.
With Michigan leading 5-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, junior Kyle Day singled home senior Brandon Doherty to put MSU on the board. Alan Oaks' sac fly in the sixth and a solo homer by Recknagel, his 15th of the season, rounded out the scoring.
Roberts and freshman Jonathan Roof each had two hits in game two. Senior starter Chris Cullen (4-1) took the loss, allowing four earned runs over 4.1 innings. He only allowed seven baserunners, but the three home runs did enough damage to put Michigan ahead.
The same two teams will conclude the four-game series Sunday at Michigan's Ray Fisher Stadium at 1 p.m.
Baseball fans in the Greater Lansing area can catch the Crosstown Showdown, MSU's exhibition against the Lansing Lugnuts, Thursday evening at 6:05 p.m. at Oldsmobile Park.
