Lansing - Playing under the lights at Oldsmobile Park for the first time this season, the MSU baseball team defeated Central Michigan 14-4 on Wednesday night.
The Spartans (27-9 overall, 9-6 Big Ten) used a five-run first inning to jump ahead early. The Chippewas (18-16, 7-5 Mid-American Conference) failed to regain the lead after going ahead 2-0 in the top of the first.
Sophomore third baseman James Moreno was the star on the night, finishing 3-for-5 at the plate with seven RBIs.
“I went out there and was just hacking,” Moreno said. “I’ve been struggling a little all year, but since that Michigan series, I’ve been swinging the bat real well.
“They have a lot of respect for (senior center fielder Chris McCuiston) after loading the bases twice with one out,” Moreno said of McCuiston’s two intentional walks. “I think that helped me be more aggressive.”
As usual, MSU’s offense was potent, tallying 18 hits on the evening. Six went for extra bases.
“As a team, we’ve continued to swing the bats very well,” Moreno said. “Today just shows how well we have been swinging the bat - and that’s pretty good.”
Two more homers put MSU’s record-setting season total to 64.
Freshman designated hitter Travis Gulick answered the Chippewas quick start by launching a 400-foot two-run bomb in the bottom of the first to gain the lead. The blast helped the Spartans take a 5-2 lead.
“It was just up there, up in the count 0-2, and I was getting ready to swing because I don’t want to strike out in that situation,” Gulick said. “It was a fastball, inner half, and I just got out in front of it and drove the ball. It was a big home run for us and it really gave the team a boast.
“The team morale went up a little then. After the first inning, we all knew we could hit the ball off of their pitcher because we’re a really good hitting team.”
The Chippewas added two runs in the top of the third to pull within one run, but MSU would allow no more.
Senior right-hander Jon Huizinga (1-0) picked up the win. Huizinga allowed all four Chippewa runs, going three innings and striking out four batters.
“I didn’t get ahead in the first inning, and after that I got frustrated,” Huizinga said. “Then I talked myself into throwing strikes.
“I felt good today, my mechanics were a little off but it’s something I dealt with. After we scored five runs in the bottom of the inning, I got a lot of confidence, but I knew we were going to put runs on the board.”
Chippewa right-hander Ryan Cremeans (1-1) picked up the loss after yielding seven earned runs in four innings of work.
After Central’s third-inning rally, the Spartans reeled off nine unanswered runs to put the game out of reach.
“It was good for us to start swinging the bats well heading into a big series with Iowa,” Gulick said. “We got our bats alive and I think this prepared us for Iowa. If we continue to hit like we have been hitting, I think we’ll be all right.”
The Spartans begin a four-game series with the Hawkeyes on Friday in Iowa City, Iowa.
