May 2, 2008

Box Score

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Senior Mike Monterey pitched a career-high eight innings and Michigan State collected 14 hits as the Spartan baseball team extended its winning streak to five games with a 7-3 victory over Penn State Friday night at Medlar Field. Monterey allowed just four hits and struck out four in earning his second win of the season.

Chris Roberts led the offense with four hits, while Steve Gerstenberger went 2-for-4 with two RBI.

The Spartans (19-22, 8-12 Big Ten) and Nittany Lions (19-25, 10-11) return to action for a doubleheader Saturday at 4 p.m.; both games will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.

Monterey, who had been used as a reliever his entire career entering his senior year, has been Michigan State's primary Friday starter this season.

"I think the difference was my focus tonight," said Monterey. "I felt a little lethargic earlier today after the long bus ride yesterday and with finals being this week, but I had to battle through it, and my focus was sharper. They are an aggressive hitting team, and I wanted to keep my pitch count low, so I went right after them. I just had to keep my ball down and make pitches."

After falling to Iowa last Friday, the Spartans have rattled off five straight, including three over the Hawkeyes and a midweek win over Oakland. Entering the final month of the season, MSU is battling for a Big Ten Tournament spot. The top six teams in the standings are in, and with the win tonight, MSU is just 1.5 games back of Penn State for sixth.

"I'm proud of the way our guys came into the park tonight and competed," said MSU head coach David Grewe. "We were focused and swung the bats well. But most importantly, we had an outstanding effort on the mound from Mike Monterey. For him to come in and pitch like that in game one of a key series was huge for us."

"My mentality has been different this year because I have to go deep into a game," Monterey said. "Pitching the first of a four-game series, it's important to save the bullpen a little bit."

At the plate, the Spartans took advantage of four Penn State errors, as six of the seven runs were unearned. With the score tied at 3 in the fifth, MSU broke the game open with four runs - three unearned - on three Nittany Lion miscues. Roberts, who continues his hot hitting at the plate, opened the frame with a single, then advanced to second after a failed pickoff attempt at first. He then scored on a Justin Potes run-scoring single. Potes eventually scored on an errant throw to third by PSU catcher Joe Blackburn after a wild pitch. Eric Roof and Brandon Eckerle also crossed the plate for the Spartans on a Brandon Doherty sacrifice fly and Gerstenberger RBI single.

It was all the runs MSU would need as neither team scored in the game's final four innings.

Roberts nearly went 5-for-5 but narrowly missed beating out an infield single to second in the eighth. Kyle Day, Jeff Holm and Eckerle each collected two hits, and Doherty drove in two runs.

MSU opened the game's scoring with three unearned runs in the second, including RBI hits off the bats of Gerstenberger and Jonathon Roof. Penn State answered with two in the bottom of the inning to cut the MSU lead to 3-2. The Nittany Lions tied the game at 3 in the third as Brian Ernst scored from third base after Roberts just missed making a sliding catch in left field.