Michigan State University
Indiana
Hoosiers Edge Spartans, 3-2
4/13/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 13, 2012
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Hoosier shortstop Michael Basil scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning as Indiana defeated Michigan State, 3-2, Friday afternoon at Sembower Field in the opening game of the weekend series.
For the Hoosiers, who improve to 16-18 (6-4 Big Ten), it marks their third straight walk-off win at home.
The game pitted two of the top starting pitchers in the Big Ten as senior right-hander Tony Bucciferro matched up against Hoosier southpaw Joey DeNato. Both starters earned first-team All-Big Ten honors last season.
The duel lived up to its billing.
Bucciferro entered the series leading the conference in strikeouts, and struck out seven while scattering four hits and allowing just two runs on 105 pitches in seven innings of work.
DeNato was equally as effective, giving up two runs and seven hits, also in seven innings.
With the game left up to the bullpens, Michigan State appeared to be in a prime position to score in the top of the ninth inning with the bases loaded and just one out with leading hitter Jordan Keur coming up to the plate. Keur hit a liner to left field, but it wasn't deep enough to score Anthony Cheky from third base, as Cheky was thrown out at home for the third out of the inning by Hoosier left fielder Will Nolden.
Indiana took advantage of its opportunity in the bottom half of the ninth. The Hoosiers loaded the bases with two outs against Spartan reliever Bryce Jenney, who was then relieved by Tony Wieber. Facing a tough situation, Wieber got Nolden to foul off the first pitch, but his second pitch got past catcher John Martinez to bring home Basil for the game-winning run.
The game was scoreless through the first three innings before Indiana's Dillon Dooney hit a solo homer down the left-field line in the top of the fourth.
MSU (20-12, 3-4 Big Ten) tied it in the fifth as Blaise Salter led off with a double and later scored on a Justin Scanlon RBI groundout.
The Hoosiers answered right back with a run in the bottom of the fifth to reclaim the lead at 2-1.
Michigan State converted another leadoff double into a run in the sixth. Ryan Jones reached second with his 37th career double, which now ties him for 10th all-time at MSU, and scored on a Wieber single up the middle.
The Spartans posted seven hits overall in the game, led by Ryan Krill, who for the second consecutive game had three hits.
Hoosier reliever Jonny Hoffman (3-1) hurled two shutout innings to earn the win for Indiana, while Bryce Jenney (1-1) took the loss.
The second game of the series is set for Saturday at 1:05 p.m.
