March 18, 2006
ATHENS, Ohio - Either tied or in the lead in the fifth inning of both games, the Ohio baseball squad was unable to earn a victory as Michigan State rallied twice Saturday to earn a doubleheader sweep in Bob Wren Stadium, 4-1 and 7-6.
With both games scheduled for seven innings, there was little margin for error as the contests wore as Ohio (4-7) as it looked to build on a 9-5 victory over the Spartans (6-7) on Friday evening. Michigan State had other ideas, however, as they broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run homer in the top of the seventh of the first game and rallied for three runs in the top of the sixth of the second game.
Runs came at a premium in the first game. The Bobcats scored their one-and-only run of the game in the second inning with a little help from the MSU defense. With Brandon Besl and Dusty Hammond on with singles, and a Jason Selhorst hit-by-pitch, Willie Walker ground back to the MSU pitcher who threw out Besl at home. The throw from home plate to first base was just wide, however, and Walker was safe which allowed Hammond to score from second.
Bobcat starter John Angelicchi held the MSU bats in check the first three frames, but the Spartans were able to break through in the fourth to tie the game 1-1. With a runner on second, Angelicchi tried a pickoff move but threw the ball into center field allowing the runner third base. A subsequent infield single tied the game.
Angelicchi got in a jam again in the sixth as he loaded the bases with a single and two walks, but was able to get out of it with a strikeout. He was not as lucky in the seventh inning, however.
With one out, Angelicchi hit an MSU batter and then Bryant Witt fumbled what could have been an inning-ending double play and failed to record an out. Then, for the second day in a row, Spartan slugger Adam Tripp belted a three-run homer to push MSU ahead to stay, 4-1.
The Bobcats went in order in their last at-bat to secure the MSU victory.
Angelicchi (0-2) took the loss for Ohio. He allowed four runs - two earned - on eight hits in 6 1-3 innings. The right-hander finished with six strikeouts and three walks.
Jeff Gerbe (2-1) needed just 77 pitches to earn the victory for MSU. He allowed one run on six hits in seven innings.
The runs came early and often in the second game as Ohio got a three-spot in the first. With two on and one out, Besl smacked his first collegiate home run over the right field wall for a quick 3-0 advantage.
The Bobcats tacked on two more tallies in the home half of the second as Matt Stiffler drove across Jason Selhorst and Walker for a 5-0 lead after they had reached on singles.
Ohio starter Dan Weiss got in immediate trouble in the third, however, as four of the first five Spartan batters recorded hits and two runs came across before Yale Silverman came on in relief for the Bobcats. MSU was able to get one more run on a sacrifice fly to pull within two at 5-3.
That Spartans continued to chip away with another run in the fourth, but Ohio was able to get that one back as Hayden Johnston singled home Walker in the bottom half of the inning for a 6-4 lead.
Both bullpens would hold until MSU got to three tallies on Bobcat relievers Adam Goodpasture and Andrew Shisila. The decisive run scored on a sacrifice fly by MSU's Oliver Wolcott for a 7-6 lead.
Stiffler led off with a single in Ohio's last at-bat, but the Bobcats failed to get a runner past second base and fell in defeat.
Shisila (0-2) took the loss in relief for Ohio, who used five pitchers in the game. Weiss allowed three runs on five hits in 2 2-3 innings.
In Ohio's five losses on its homestand, three have been credited to its bullpen.
MSU reliever Mike Monterey (2-2) earned the victory after holding Ohio scoreless in 3 1-3 innings.
Witt went 3-for-3 on the day for Ohio with two sacrifice hits while Hammond added three hits in four at-bats.
The Bobcats and Spartans will conclude the four-game set on Sunday in a 1 p.m., start. Ohio will send Anthony Gressick (1-0) to the hill to square off against MSU's Craig Brookes (0-1).
