Spartans Win Series Against Western Illinois

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State baseball (8-9) split Sunday afternoon's doubleheader with Western Illinois (5-18) to earn the series win. The Spartans got

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State baseball (8-9) split Sunday afternoon's doubleheader with Western Illinois (5-18) to earn the series win. The Spartans got off to a slow start at the plate and fell in the first game, 5-3, but that would not be the case in game two. The Green and White offense tied a season-high, pounding out 18 hits, and scored runs in every inning but two as MSU took the nightcap, 13-3.

"The second game was a better display of Spartan baseball," MSU head coach David Grewe stated. "We had a great pitching performance from Mark Sorensen, and we were aggressive at the plate. We were able to execute the hit-and-run, steal bases and get after our opponent."

In the game two victory, MSU scored runs in every inning but the third and the fifth and each Spartan with an at bat recorded a hit. A total of six MSU batters recorded multi-hit games. Leading the barrage was Troy Krider, hitting 4-for-5 with four runs, and Jamey Embree, going 2-for-3 with two triples, four RBI and a run scored. Kyle Day also had an impressive showing at the plate, collecting three RBI on 2-of-4 hitting.

Allowing just two runs on four hits in 6.0 innings, starter Mark Sorensen (1-0) earned his first win of the season. Jon Adams (0-2) was tagged with the loss.

In game one, it was Western Illinois's offense that got going early. The Leathernecks posted a run in the first and added two more in the third and the fifth for a 5-0 advantage. State finally got on the board in the sixth inning when consecutive singles by Ryan Basham, Adam Tripp and Day produced a run. Tripp later scored on a throwing error to put the Spartans within three.

Stepping to bat in the seventh and final inning, MSU caught another break when Quinn Ewert singled and advanced to third on WIU's second throwing error of the game. Krider singled to score Ewert but the late rally fell short as the next two Spartan batters grounded into a double play and struck out.

Travis Check was 2-for-4 with two RBI for the Leathernecks, while Ryan Schmidgall hit 2-for-3 with two runs.

Throwing 5.2 innings, Jeff Gerbe (2-2) took the loss, while Western Illinois reliever Bobby Mahon (2-4) earned the win, allowing three runs on six hits in 4.0 innings.

State returns to action at Kobs Field Wednesday, March 29, playing host to Grand Valley State at 2 p.m. The Spartans open Big Ten play with a four-game series against Indiana at Oldsmobile Park, March 31-April 2.