Michigan State University
Central Michigan
Spartans Pound Chippewas, 20-3
4/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 1, 2009
LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State baseball team scored 10 runs in the first two innings against Central Michigan on Wednesday (April 1) at Oldsmobile Park and never looked back as they went on to down the Chippewas, 20-3. MSU's 20 runs were the most since it scored 22 against St. Joseph's in 2007. Eric Roof went 5-for-5 with four RBI while fellow senior Johnny Lee went 4-for-4 with a team-high six RBI.
"It's always good to follow up a tough weekend and play well," said MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. "Central is a good ballclub we came right out of the shoot and put up three in the first and seven in the second and got some momentum."
The Spartans spotted starter Tony Bucciferro a three-run lead as they sent eight hitters to the plate in the first. Eli Boike, Roof and Lee all picked up RBI in the inning.
MSU broke the game open and put it out of reach in the second by scoring seven runs to take a commanding 10-0 lead. The first seven batters reached and Jeff Holm, Roof, Lee and Ben Vrobel all picked up RBI.
"(The early lead) is something that we've talked about all year long," Boss said. "Especially when you get into a Big Ten series, when you start quickly, you can get into the bullpen."
Lee's two-out single to right field in the third added another Spartan run to make the score 11-0.
Lee continued his career-day in the fifth by doubling in two more runs with a ball that landed just inside the right field line. A.J. Shindler got his second hit of the day in the fifth which also drove in two runs to boost MSU's lead to 15-0.
Roof continued his monster game at the plate in the sixth with home run to right field. Bo Felt and Lee also picked up RBI in the inning.
Roof collected his fifth and final hit of the day and fourth RBI in the seventh with a triple. Williams closed out the scoring for MSU with an RBI double in the eighth.
With plenty of run support, Bucciferro cruised to his second win of the season, going 7.0 innings, surrendering one run while striking out six. CMU starter Jess Hernandez lasted just 1.0 innings and surrendered 10 runs to fall to 0-3.
MSU will play its inaugural game at McLane Baseball Stadium on Friday (April 3) when it hosts Northwestern at 3:05 p.m. in the Big Ten home opener.
Notes: Senior Max Miller, who has been a pitcher for his entire career at MSU, picked up his first-career hit in Wednesday's game...MSU has scored 20 + runs four times since 2000...The Spartans sent a combined 19 batters to the plate in the first two innings...Lee's six RBIs are the most in a game by a Spartan this season...MSU had six different players collect at least two hits...The Spartans' 25 hits are a season high.
