Holm’s Five RBI Helps Spartan Baseball Down Ohio State, 14-7

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State snapped a 5-5 tie in the fourth inning with seven runs over the next two innings as it defeated Ohio State, 14-7, on

Spartans snap losing skid with 17-hit performance. Photo courtesy of MSU SID

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State snapped a 5-5 tie in the fourth inning with seven runs over the next two innings as it defeated Ohio State, 14-7, on Sunday afternoon in the final game of the three-game set in front of a crowd of over 1,300 at McLane Baseball Stadium. Six Spartans picked up multiple hits in the game, including first baseman Jeff Holm, who finished the game 3-for-5 with a game-high five RBI, and shortstop Jonathan Roof went 4-for-5.

                                                                

 The win put an end to the Spartans’ season long four-game losing streak as they are now 23-9 and 5-4 in the Big Ten. Ohio State is now 21-10 and 6-3 in the conference.

 

“This was a big win for us today – it was much needed,” said MSU head coach Jake Boss. “After losing Friday and Saturday, I think our guys came out with a little more of a chip on their shoulder today and were ready to play.”

 

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning, Holm followed consecutive base hits from Brandon Eckerle and Jonathan Roof with a two-RBI double to give MSU the lead, 2-1.

 

The Spartans’ bats stayed hot in the second inning as they scored three more runs to boost their lead. A pair of RBI doubles by Eli Boike and Roof, sandwiched around an RBI single by Eckerle, made the score 5-1.

 

With two out and two runners on in the top of the fourth, Brian DeLucia started a string of four consecutive RBI singles for the Buckeyes that tied the game at five.

 

The Green and White didn’t allow the game to be tied for long as it struck back with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and then blew the game open with four more urns in the fifth highlighted by home runs from Boike and Holm.

 

“After they tied, we realized we’ve been hitting all year,” said Holm. “It was a tie game, we’re at home with a great crowd and we didn’t panic and everybody got the job done.”

 

Boike hit his second home run of the series with a towering shot over the wall in right field and into the river for the first runs of the fourth inning and then Torsten Boss made it 8-5 with a two-out RBI single later in the inning.

 

Roof picked up his fourth hit and second RBI of the game in the fifth inning and Holm followed it up with another home run for the Spartans – a three-run line shot to right field to make the game 12-5.

 

“It’s a short porch in right field here, but the one that Eli hit was a legitimate home run anywhere,” Boss said. “The ball Jeff hit was probably a double or a triple in any other park. Ohio State got one of those on Friday and we’ll take it today.”

 

Before the Spartans extended their lead to seven runs in the bottom of the fifth, three straight batters reached for the Buckeyes to start the top of the inning and it looked like MSU was in trouble again. However, after a nice throw from catcher Andy Johnson to Ryan Jones at second base cut down Dan Burkhart on an attempted steal, MSU starting pitcher Tony Bucciferrro got Cory Rupert to pop out and then struck out Brian DeLucia to end the threat and pave the way for MSU to open up the game.

 

MSU tacked on two more in seventh and the Buckeyes added to of their own in the eighth frame to make the final score 14-7.

 

For the second consecutive week, Bucciferro went seven complete innings, but unlike last week, he got the win on Sunday. He finished the game with three strikeouts and four walks and improved to 5-3 on the year.

 

OSU starter Dean Wolosiansky lasted just three innings and took the loss.

 

The Spartans will next take on Western Michigan on Tuesday at Cooley Law School Stadium at 5:05 p.m.