The first inning of Tuesday’s game belonged to MSU, as RBI singles by senior designated hitter Chris Roberts and senior outfielder Eli Boike gave the Spartans an early 2-0 lead.

Freshman pitcher Andrew Waszak started the game hot for the Green and White, striking out three batters in the first inning without giving up a hit.

However, after Waszak’s sharp first inning, the righthander began to struggle. In the next three innings, the Chippewas got to Waszak for a total of 10 hits and eight runs, seven of which were earned.

Fortunately for Waszak, the MSU batters had no trouble providing him with plenty of run support. The Spartans followed up their two runs in the first inning with an outburst of five in the second, highlighted by a two-run home run for Roberts.

MSU added three more runs in the third and two in the fourth before failing to score for the first time in the fifth inning.

Equipped with a 12-8 lead, freshman pitcher Tony Wieber took the mound for the Spartans in the fifth inning, and successfully avoided any of the problems that haunted Waszak.

In four scoreless innings, Wieber gave up only two hits while throwing six strikeouts before another freshman pitcher, Joe Zwierzynski, finished off Central Michigan in the ninth.

Both Roberts and Boike had three hits, three RBIs and a home run to lead the Spartans offensively. As a team, MSU totaled 19 hits, 14 of which came in the first four innings.

Now that Spartans have completed their regular season nonconference schedule, they can look ahead to the final Big Ten series of season this weekend against Northwestern.

The Spartans are in a tight conference race and will need a solid showing this weekend to finish in the top six in the Big Ten standings and earn a berth in the Big Ten Tournament.

First pitch of game one is set for 4:00 p.m. Thursday at Rocky Miller Park in Evanston, Ill.