Michigan State University
Penn State
Baseball Swept at Penn State
5/2/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 2, 2010
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - A tough weekend for the Michigan State baseball team got even tougher on Sunday when Penn State completed a three-game sweep of the Spartans with a 9-1 win. The one run is the lowest single-game run total of the year for MSU, which is now 28-14 and 7-8 in the Big Ten. Penn State is now 20-23 and also 7-8 in the conference.
Michigan State starting pitcher Tony Bucciferro allowed just one base runner through the first 3.1 innings, but in the fourth, Ben Heath and Mario Eramo each hit two-run homers with one out to give Nittany Lions the lead, 4-0.
Penn State starter David Lutz pitched a complete game and held the Spartans to nine hits, didn't issue a walk and struck out four. Despite Lutz's performance, the Spartans were still able to get runners on base but stranded four through the first four innings. MSU loaded the bases in the fifth with one out, but could only get one run, off a sacrifice fly by Jonathan Roof.
Lutz held the Spartans to just two hits the rest of the way to improve his record to 4-3.
After MSU got on the board in the top of the fifth, Penn State made it 7-1 in the bottom half of the frame with the help of another two-run homer by Heath.
Bucciferro went the distance for MSU, allowing nine earned runs off 13 hits as he fell to 6-4 on the year. He struck out six and walked just one.
Brandon Eckerle (3-for-4) and Torsten Boss (2-for-3), who hit 1-2 in the MSU lineup, were the only Spartans with multiple hits on Sunday.
With final exams scheduled for this week, Michigan State won't return to action until Saturday, May 8 when it begins a three-game set at Purdue.
