Michigan State University
Eastern Michigan
Baseball Splits Doubleheader With Eastern Michigan
4/29/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 29, 2009
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State baseball downed Eastern Michigan, 6-5, in comeback fashion in game one of a doubleheader on Wednesday (April 29) afternoon but couldn't get the sweep, falling, 6-1, in game two. Wednesday's seven-inning games marked the beginning of a season-long, eight-game homestand for the Spartans, who are now 18-24 on the season entering Friday's three-game set with Penn State.
Pitching dominated game one early as the teams combined for just five hits and eight strikeouts through three full innings. MSU scored the game's only run in the second off a throwing error by Eastern Michigan catcher Matt Skirving that allowed Johnny Lee to score from third base.
In the fourth, the Eagles quickly grabbed a 2-1 lead with back-to-back solo home runs from Andrew Marshall and Aaron Powell. EMU benefitted from the longball again in the fifth to make the score 4-1 as Skirving hit a two-run home run to right field.
A fielder's choice RBI by Chris Roberts followed by an RBI single from Eric Roof in the fifth cut the Eagle lead to 4-3. Lee then tied the game for MSU at four when he led off the sixth inning with a solo shot to left field.
A double followed by a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jim Gulliver regained a one-run lead for the Eagles in the seventh.
A leadoff walk to Eli Boike in the bottom of the seventh put the tying run on for MSU and a sacrifice bunt by Jeff Holm then moved Boike into scoring position with just one out. With two out and Lee again at the plate, this time facing EMU reliever Kevin Wammes, Lee drove a single through the right side that scored Boike and knotted the game at five.
The Spartans ended up loading the bases in the seventh but couldn't drive in any more runs, sending the game to an extra frame.
After a one-two-three top of the eighth by MSU reliever Max Miller, Boike got on base for the Spartans with a two-out single and then stole second to get into scoring position once more. Holm followed with a single up the middle that scored Boike and gave MSU a 6-5 game-one victory.
Miller (1-1) earned his first-career win in relief for the Green and White, pitching the final 2.1 innings. He struck out two and allowed one run off one hit.
In game two, Skirving hit his second home run of the day - this time a two run shot to give EMU a 2-0 lead in the third inning.
Todd Graves' two-out, two-RBI base hit doubled the EMU lead to 4-0 in the fifth.
The Spartans struggled to generate offense in game two as EMU starter Bobby Henderson faced just one over the minimum in four innings of work. Holm picked up just MSU's third hit of the game in the fifth inning and was able to work his way over to third but the Spartans couldn't find a way to get him in.
The Eagles tacked on two more runs in the sixth to take a commanding 6-0 lead. A Bo Felt RBI single in the seventh helped MSU avoid the shutout but the Spartans weren't able to do any more damage in the inning and suffered just their second home loss of the year in game two, 6-1.
The Spartans will start a three-game set with Penn State at 3:05 p.m. on Friday (May 1) at McLane Baseball Stadium. Prior to Saturday's 1:05 p.m. game with the Nittany Lions, MSU will dedicate McLane Baseball Stadium with a ceremony beginning at 11:55 a.m. Gates for Saturday's game will open at 11 a.m.
