May 13, 2007
Michigan State scored one run in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat Northwestern 4-3 Sunday afternoon at Oldsmobile Park in Lansing, Mich. The Spartan win gave MSU a series sweep of the Wildcats, dropping NU to 14-36 overall, 5-23 in the Big Ten. Antonio Mule was a home run shy of the cycle, driving in two of NU's three runs. Northwestern is back in action Tuesday when they play at Les Miller Field in Chicago against Illinois-Chicago. Game time is set for 7:35 p.m. (CT).
Michigan State jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with a first-inning run off Wildcat starter Joe Muraski (Rothschild, Wis./D.C. Everest). Three singles plated the first two runs of the game.
In the top of the third inning, junior Antonio Mule (Lodi, N.J./Lodi) tied the game 2-2 with a triple off the top of the right field wall, just missing a home run. Centerfielder Aaron Newman (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) and third baseman Jake Owens (Stevens Point, Wis./Pacelli) scored on Mule's second triple of the season. Both players singled in their at-bats. Second baseman Caleb Fields (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) followed Mule with an infield single for his second hit of the game. His first-inning single extended his hit streak to 19 games and gave NU a 3-2 lead.
Neither team found the scoring column until MSU broke through in the bottom of the seventh inning. A one-out single-the third of the inning-plated the tying run. After a fly out to left field for the second out, a Muraski walk loaded the bases. Another fly ball ended the Spartan threat.
In the top of the eighth inning, Fields was cut down at the plate on an attempted suicide squeeze play. He led off the inning with his third hit of the game and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. He advanced to third on an infield single by left fielder Mike Kalina (Munster, Ind./Munster) before being tagged out at home on the bunt play.
Freshman lefty David Jensen (Whittier, Calif./Mater Dei) took over mound duty from Muraski to start the eighth inning. Muraski pitched seven complete innings, gave up three runs and struck out two in the no decision.
In the ninth for the Spartans, a leadoff single went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single.