Thursday, March 28, 2024

MSU's offense runs in 14 in victory

April 27, 2005
MSU sophomore shortstop Troy Krider (right) turns a double-play ball during Tuesday's game against Indiana Tech. The Spartans won 14-7 and face Central Michigan 7 p.m. today at Oldsmobile Park in Lansing. —

It was a career day for MSU sophomore catcher Kris Morris.

Morris hit his first two career home runs and drove in six runs in the MSU baseball team's 14-7 rout of Indiana Tech on Tuesday afternoon at Kobs Field.

"It was probably one of the best offensive days of my life," Morris said "It was great."

Morris' big game came in the wake of a season-ending arm injury to Sean Walker.

MSU's offense was on fire in the first three innings, scoring eight runs and driving Indiana Tech pitcher Marc Caban out of the game.

In the first inning, MSU sophomore left fielder Ryan Basham's double drove in sophomore right fielder Adam Tripp to give MSU (16-18 overall) a 1-0 lead.

MSU scored two in the second on Morris' first career home run, a bomb to center field, but the Warriors cut the lead to 3-1 in the top of the third on an RBI single by second baseman Adam Storms.

But the Spartans exploded in the bottom half of the inning, as RBI singles by designated hitter Alan Cattrysse and third baseman Oliver Wolcott put up two more runs before Morris connected on his second home run of the game, an opposite field shot to right field, putting MSU ahead 8-1.

"He's been getting better, he's swinging the bat better," MSU head coach Ted Mahan said of Morris. "We didn't expect him to do what he did, but it was good for him."

Indiana Tech eventually cut the lead to 8-6 after MSU freshman pitcher Chris Cullen came into the game to start the fourth inning. Cullen gave up five runs (four earned) on five hits in two innings.

After taking a 10-6 lead after six innings, Indiana Tech (23-23) tried to battle back into the game, but poor baserunning killed a rally that led to the Warriors scoring only one run in the inning.

Morris led off the bottom of the seventh inning for MSU, looking for his third home run of the game and almost had it.

He hit a towering fly ball to straight away center field that appeared to be headed out, but Indiana Tech center fielder Matt LaMaster climbed the fence and brought the ball back into the park, denying Morris his third roundtripper.

"It turned from being one of the happiest moments of my life to one of the most depressing," Morris said. "For the first 10 seconds, I was bumming."

Mahan thought that Morris had three.

"I was thinking, 'God, I can't remember the last time someone ever hit three in a game that I coached,'" Mahan said. "It was a hell of a catch."

MSU held the 10-7 lead going into the bottom of the eighth inning but broke the game open with four runs in the inning, including an RBI single by Morris, his sixth RBI of the game.

Freshman pitcher Drew Mahan came in the ninth and closed out the game for MSU, striking out Indiana Tech shortstop Ben Ramsey swinging to end the game.

Six Spartans had multiple hit games, led by freshman second baseman Steve Gerstenberger's four hits.

Sophomore Craig Brookes picked up the win for MSU while Caban took the loss for the Warriors.

Discussion

Share and discuss “MSU's offense runs in 14 in victory” on social media.