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Two-Run Ninth Inning Propels Spartan Baseball Past Bowling Green, 6-4
 
Erik Morris goes 3-for-5 with career-high three RBI, including game-winning double in the ninth.
 
 
 
Sophomore Erik Morris went 3-for-5 and delivered the game-winning hit in MSU's 6-4 victory over Bowling Green Tuesday afternoon (March 25).
 
Sophomore Erik Morris went 3-for-5 and delivered the game-winning hit in MSU's 6-4 victory over Bowling Green Tuesday afternoon (March 25).
 
 

March 25, 2003

Box Score

BOWLING GREEN, OHIO - Sophomore Erik Morris (Orchard Lake) delivered a two-out, two-run double in the top of the ninth to propel the Michigan State baseball team past Bowling Green, 6-4, Tuesday afternoon (March 25) at Stellar Field on the BGSU campus. MSU improves to 5-13 for the season, while BGSU falls to 3-8.

After a three-run rally by Bowling Green in the bottom of the eighth to tie the score at 4-4, the Spartans answered with two runs in the next half-inning. Charlie Braun (Sr., Grosse Pointe) led off the ninth with a walk and advanced to second on a sac bunt. The Falcons intentionally walked Brady Burrill (Sr., Newhall, Calif.) to set up the double play, but a flyout left the Spartans with two outs and runners still on first and second. MSU got a break on the next play, however, as Falcon second baseman Spencer Schmitz dropped a routine throw on a force out at second that would have ended the inning. The Spartans took advantage as the next batter, Morris, belted a double in the left-center field gap to plate Braun and Burrill. Morris finished the game 3-for-5 with a career-high three RBI.

The Falcons scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie score 4-4. Ryan Golem (Sr., Dearborn) entered the game with runners on second and third and one out, and after the first batter reached base to load the bases, he struck out the next batter for the second out of the inning. The Falcons then scored two runs as Tyler Wasserman beat out a slow roller to the hole between short and third and a Spartan throwing error brought another run home on the same play. Kevin Longsworth tied the game with a double to left, but Golem got out of the inning two batters later - with the bases loaded - on a lineout to right field. Golem (1-0) picked up the win by retiring the Falcons in the ninth.

 

 

MSU extended its lead to 4-1 with two runs in the eighth. James Moreno (Jr., Holt) started the inning off with a deep solo shot over the left-field fence for his second homer of the year and Burrill scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the inning.

Bowling Green grabbed a quick 1-0 lead in the first, but MSU bounced back with runs in the third and fourth. The Spartans scored an unearned run in the third on a sacrifice fly by Braun that plated Alan Cattrysse (Fr., Chatham, Ontario). Cattrysse got on base on catcher's interference and advanced to third on a successful hit and run off the bat of Brett Wattles (Sr., Rochester). Morris knocked his first run home in the fourth with an infield single.

Chris Toepper (Fr., Portage) gave the Spartans a solid five innings in his second career start. After a shaky first, Toepper allowed only two hits in the remaining four innings with two strikeouts. Left-hander Ryan Kurtz (Jr., Toledo, Ohio) tossed two innings of relief and got the Spartans out of a key jam in the sixth as the Falcons stranded a runner at third. BGSU left 12 runners on base for the game.

Michigan State returns to action to open its Big Ten season with a four-game series at Minnesota this weekend in Minneapolis, Minn. 

GAME SUMMARY			R	H	E
MSU	001	100	022-	6	8	3
BGSU	100	000	030-	4	8	4


WP: Golem-MSU (1-0)
LP: Schmitz-BGSU (0-2)