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Team commits 6 errors, loses 9-4 in home opener against Wayne State

Spartans looking ahead to Big Ten opener on Friday

March 31, 2005

The MSU baseball team dropped its second game in a row Wednesday against Wayne State in its home opener at Kobs Field.

Wayne State led early 2-0 and never looked back to pull off the 9-4 win.

With the conference season opener coming up Friday at Iowa, MSU manager Ted Mahan isn't happy with his team's efforts.

Starting freshman pitcher Mark Sorenson gave up four runs on five hits in three innings. Freshman Matt Trausch replaced Sorenson and, in two innings, didn't surrender any runs on two hits. Five other pitchers threw in the rotation as well.

"It wasn't exactly what we were trying to do on opening day, we had six errors."

We just didn't play good baseball and didn't pitch well at times," Mahan said.

Sophomore center fielder Adam Tripp, sophomore shortshop Troy Krider, sophomore left fielder Ryan Basham and sophomore catcher Sean Walker ran in the Spartans' scores.

The Spartans are approaching the Big Ten season as a way to start fresh, putting the two straight losses behind them.

"Our season starts Friday," Mahan said. "So no matter if we're 11-8, 19-0, 0-19 - it wouldn't matter because our season starts Friday, and that's why, maybe we can get away with it a little bit because we need to get that point across."

Mahan said the loss showed the Spartans' inexperience, as the team is still young.

"We should've scored more but it is a young team," he said. "And at times it shows, and obviously (Wednesday) was one of those days, that's for sure."

But the Spartans take comfort in coming back home to their own dugout after 18 straight games on the road.

"It definitely had an effect on us. We're traveling eight hours a day on the bus and we're excited to be home finally," Walker said.

The loss drops the Spartans three games below .500 at 8-11.

Staff writer Eric Fish contributed to this report.

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