Despite pitching a shutout through seven innings, the MSU baseball team fell 4-2 against Northwestern in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.

Playing at Siebert Field in Minneapolis, the No. 3 seed Spartans (36-18) have to win five games in the next three days to claim the double-elimination tournament title.

“I think we’re the only team in the tournament capable of doing that,” Spartan manager Ted Mahan said. “We’ll take them one game at a time. We only have to win one tomorrow.”

MSU returns to action at 1 p.m. today against Iowa (26-28-1). The Hawkeyes lost 7-4 to Indiana on Wednesday.

The Spartans looked good early, scoring once in the first and second innings. But MSU managed just two hits in the final six innings against Wildcat right-hander Gabe Ribas (6-4). Ribas struck out seven in eight innings for the win.

Senior right-hander Nick Bates pitched seven scoreless innings, but after a solo-home run and a wild pitch, the No. 6 seed Wildcats (25-27) tied the game.

Bates was relieved after the eighth, but senior left-hander Kyle Geswein (2-4) couldn’t stop the bleeding. Geswein picked up the loss after giving up a bases-loaded two-run RBI-single. “Kyle got behind some batters and had to throw some fastballs over the plate,” Mahan said. “Their guys did a great job of hitting.”

Bates said the momentum change started in the eighth, when Wildcats second baseman Eric Roeder hit a lead-off home run to end the shutout.

“That home run was a huge lift for their team,” Bates said. “It gave them a second wind.”

The Spartans have not won a game in the Big Ten Tournament since 1992 when they defeated Illinois 4-2. MSU now has a tournament record of 4-11.

The Hawkeyes took the season series 3-1, while outscoring the Spartans 22-12.

“We have revenge to get back on them,” outfielder Chris McCuiston said. “They took it to us a few weeks ago and we feel like we’re definitely a better team.”