Spartans Blanked in Series Finale at OSU

Sunday, March 22

Columbus, Ohio

1:05 PM

Michigan State University

9-11, 1-2

Ohio State

14-6, 2-1

Michigan State

Ohio State

3/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 22, 2015

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Michigan State baseball team dropped its Big Ten-opening series finale at Ohio State, 3-0, on Sunday afternoon in Columbus. The Spartans are now 9-11 overall and 1-2 in the conference.

Seniors Blaise Salter and Mark Weist both had a pair of hits for the Spartans, but the MSU offense was never able to get fully on track as Ohio State (14-6, 2-1) starting pitcher Ryan Riga limited MSU to six hits and struck out five in eight complete innings. The Spartans left at least one runner on base in six of the first seven innings, including stranding a pair in the first, second and fourth frames.

A pair of Spartan errors helped OSU get its first run in the bottom of the opening frame. The second miscue, a throwing error by catcher Chad Roskelly on a stolen base attempt, allowed OSU's Troy Montgomery to score.

MSU put runners on second and third in the top of the second inning, but Riga struck out Cam Gibson to end the threat.

With runners on first and second and one out in the top of the fourth, the Spartans were again in position get their first run of the day. Riga, however, came through for the Buckeyes, inducing consecutive fly ball outs to keep it 1-0.

Ronnie Dawson bumped the Ohio State lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning with a two-out solo home run that came on a full count.

The Spartans got what proved to be their last hits of the game in top of the fifth inning as Salter and Weist got on board with consecutive one-out singles. Unfortunately for MSU, Riga was again able to elude any damage as he got Roskelly to bounce into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.

Riga and OSU closer Trace Dempsey combined to face just one over the minimum the rest of the way.

Ohio State got its third and final run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Michigan State starting pitcher Anthony Misiewicz (1-2) kept the Spartans within striking distance as he went five complete innings, allowing two earned runs off five hits. He struck out four and walked three in taking the loss.

Relievers Joe Mockbee and Jeff Kinley limited OSU to two hits over the final three innings.

The Spartans will open their home schedule this week with five consecutive games at McLane Baseball Stadium. Michigan State will take on Central Michigan on Tuesday (3:05 p.m.) and then Oakland (3:05 p.m.) on Wednesday, before hosting Illinois in a weekend series beginning on Friday (3:05 p.m.).