University of Minnesota Athletics
GOPHERS DROP SERIES FINALE TO SPARTANS 9-7
4/30/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Michigan State drew first blood in the bottom of the first as the Spartans capitalized on two Gopher throwing errors. Lead off batter Mike Wattles reached first on a throwing error by shortstop Rick Brosseau. The next batter Ted Demetral advanced to second on a wild throw by Gopher third baseman Jack Hannahan. Spartan Mike Pisani's single to left field scoring Wattles and Doug Court's sacrifice fly scored Demetral to give Michigan State an early 2-0 lead.
The Spartans added two more runs in the bottom of the second when Ted Demetral doubled to the gap in right centerfield scoring Matt Haynes, who had reached on a fielding error by Rick Brosseau, and Mike Wattles, who had walked.
Michigan State opened up an 8-0 lead with four runs in the bottom of the third pounding out five hits in the inning. The Spartans again capitalized on an error by a Minnesota fielder as Scott Howard's throw from the outfield got past Jack Hannahan at third and rolled into the Gopher dugout allowing Charlie Braun to score from third.
Minnesota finally got on the board in the top of the sixth with two runs. Luke Appert scored from third on a Scott Howard single. Then, with the bases loaded, Jason Kennedy drew a walk, scoring Josh Holthaus from third to cut the Michigan State lead to 8-2.
Michigan State got one of those runs back in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Rick Court that scored Mike Pisani. But a three-run seventh inning by the Gophers cut the Michigan State lead to 9-5. Jack Hannahan hit a two-run single that scored Jeremy Negen and Rick Brosseau. Luke Appert would score on a Scott Welch sacrifice fly. Minnesota further cut into Michigan State's lead in the top of the eighth when Rick Brosseau smacked his fourth home run of the year over the right field wall. For Brosseau, it was his second home run of the series.
Minnesota added a run in the top of the ninth. Jack Hannahan tripled to the gap in right centerfield and scored one batter later on a Josh Holthaus ground out as the Gophers would get no closer than the 9-7 final score.
Minnesota plays St. Thomas in a midweek game on Wednesday at Siebert Field.
123 456 789 R H E Minnesota 000 002 311 7 11 4 Michigan State 224 001 00x 9 13 0 UM-Clarey, Persby (4), DeWitt (6), Kitzerow (8) and Negen and Holthaus. MSU-Brandell, Massey (6), Putnam (7) and Haynes. WP - Brandell (2-7) LP - Clarey (5-5). HR - UM: Brosseau (5). LOB: UM: 8. MSU: 7. T: 2:46. A: 341.
