Designated hitter Kyle Day slides safely into home plate during the game against Eastern Michigan Wednesday afternoon at Kobs Field. Day had one hit and two RBIs contributing to the Spartans 5-3 victory over the Eagles.
With a win on Wednesday, the MSU baseball team put a stop to an opponent’s winning streak that the Spartans started.
Last week, Eastern Michigan beat MSU for its second win of the season and hadn’t lost in its last four games until falling at the hands of the Spartans, 5-3, at Kobs Field.
Fielding miscues on the part of the Eagles (5-18) made the difference in the ballgame, as the Spartans (9-12, 1-3 Big Ten) were able to hit two home runs and one strong offensive inning.
The Spartans finally were able to tack together some offense in the top of the seventh, as junior catcher Eric Roof started the inning being hit by a pitch and eventually scoring on a fielder’s choice mishap from senior second baseman Steve Gerstenberger’s grounder to third. Junior catcher Kyle Day followed that up with a two-run single to left, giving MSU a 5-3 advantage — its first of the afternoon and the third time the Spartans battled back from a deficit.
“Without telling our guys this, this was a must-win game,” MSU head coach David Grewe said. “We had to win this ballgame just for our psyche. It was a gutsy performance by our guys in a much-needed game. I told them after the game we have to get better, though. One mid-week win doesn’t mean you’re ready to win on weekends.”
The Eagles drew first blood in the top of the second, with a Matt Skirving ground ball that found its way past MSU freshman first baseman Tyler Newsome, scoring Aaron Powell from second.
Then, with one swing of the bat in the following inning, Eric Roof tied the game with a deep shot into the trees in right field on the first pitch of the inning from Eagles pitcher Jake Stapf.
The Eagles scored another run in the top of the fourth, while the Spartans surrendered their chance to score in their half of the inning when Day was thrown out at the plate after trying to score from second base on an error on Eastern Michigan second baseman Josh Ivan.
MSU got its second run and its second home run from senior outfielder Dennis Jones with a shot off the scoreboard in left field, the second surrendered by Stapf before he was removed in the fifth after four and two-thirds innings of service and two earned runs.
“I’ve been working a lot on my swing mechanics, going game by game,” said Jones, who went two-for-five and eclipsed his home run total of last season.
“I’m feeling good about the swing and bringing whatever to the table and letting whatever happens happen.”
The Eagles tacked on the third and go-ahead run in the top of the seventh with a single off of the bat of Steve Bradshaw, scoring Kyle Rhoad.
MSU’s big seventh inning was the only time either team scored more than once in an inning.
“We felt we played well last week and were very impressed (with) how our team came to played,” Eastern Michigan coach Jake Boss said. “I didn’t see the energy and didn’t see the same enthusiasm and we let one slip away. It was very uncharacteristic of us and very disappointing.”
Sophomore Scott Heitshusen and senior Nolan Moody came in for MSU in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, and threw two innings of shutout ball.
The Spartans travel to Northwestern this weekend for a four-game series.
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