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University of Minnesota Athletics
Baseball Wins One of Three Versus Michigan State
3/30/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
After suspending game one Friday afternoon because of heavy rain, Minnesota resumed today by adding to yesterday's lead in the top of the fourth. Senior Jason Kennedy stole second, after reaching on an error by shortstop Jared Koutnik, and came around to score on Gary Dick's single into right field, giving the Golden Gophers a 2-0 lead.
Michigan State tied the game up in the bottom half of the fourth. Brady Burrill reached on his second hit of the game; and Kyle Geshwin followed with his sixth home run of the season, making the score 2-2.
Howard gave Minnesota a lift and the lead in the top of the eighth, when he belted his first home run of the season and just the third of his career. Howard took his first pitch deep over the right-center field wall, scoring Kennedy, and giving his team a 4-2 advantage.
A solo shot in the bottom of the eighth b y Bob Malek narrowed the gap, but Woodrow and the Golden Gopher defense held the Spartans scoreless from there.
Woodrow, started the fourth inning Saturday morning for starter Craig Molldrem, struck out four Spartans, and led a key double-play in the bottom of the eighth inning to keep Michigan State from tying the game. It was Minnesota's third straight win in Big Ten openers.
Michigan State jumped on top in game two, when Brett Wattles' double down the right field line scored two runs and gave the Spartans a quick 2-0 cushion.
Minnesota, who put runners in scoring position in both the second and third innings, finally broke through in the fourth. Junior Ben Pattee drew a free pass to lead off the inning, after being hit by a pitch from Nick Bates. Sophomore Gary Dick singled into left on the very next pitch, moving Pattee to second base. Junior David Roach then put Minnesota up 3-2 with his first home run of the season, a 2-0 blast into the right-center field trees, scoring both Pattee and Dick.
Wattles' responded for his team in the fifth with a leadoff home run, tying the game at 3-3. Then, in the lower half of the sixth, Scott Koerber put his team ahead 5-3 with a two-run shot into dead center field.
The Golden Gophers rallied to put the tying run on base with two outs in the top of the seventh, but failed to score, falling to the Spartans 3-5.
In the final of three Saturday games, Michigan State, with a little help from the wind, took advantage of the short right field fence, and rocked Minnesota pitching for five home runs. Four of the round-trippers came in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings, as the Spartans rallied to score nine in the home frames, pulling ahead of the Golden Gophers.
Minnesota managed to float a home run of its own in the game - freshman Jake Elder rocked his first collegiate home run in the top of the sixth. The solo shot made the score 4-10 at the time, but Chris McCuiston all but sealed the win in the lower sixth, with his second three-run home run of the game.
In all, Minnesota and Michigan State played baseball for five hours and 25 minutes, and combined for 12 home runs on the day, 10 of which rode the wind over right field. The Spartans scored 18 of their 23 runs on home runs.
The Golden Gophers (9-14, 1-2) and the Spartans (16-4, 2-1) will try to finish the four-game conference series Sunday afternoon at Noon CDT. Sophomore Jay Gagner is scheduled to throw for Minnesota. Michigan State has never won a series against Minnesota.
