April 4, 2009
Box Score
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
Northwestern and Michigan State christened the Spartans' McLane Baseball Stadium Saturday and it was the hosts taking the first game of the doubleheader by score of 2-0 and pulled away late to win the second contest by a 9-4 margin.
NU falls to 5-19 overall and 1-3 in Big Ten play, while MSU improves to 10-17 and 2-3.
After struggling to get their bats going in the first contest, the Wildcats jumped on MSU starter A.J. Achter for three runs in the top of the first in the nightcap. With runners on first and second and two outs, Achter hit his second batter of the inning - Paul Snieder - to load the bases. A walk to Tony Vercelli plated a run before Chris Lashmet brought home two more with a single to left.
The Spartans knotted the game with three runs against Joe Muraski in their half of the second, but NU reclaimed the lead with a run in the top of the third thanks in part to a pair of Michigan State errors. The Wildcats had runners at second and third with no one out, but they were still there with two down when Lashmet reached on a miscue, allowing Jake Gobbert to score from third.
The bottom half of the Spartans' order help them score a pair of runs and take the lead in the fourth. A run-scoring double by No. 8 hitter Bo Felt and a sacrifice fly by No. 9 batter A.J. Shindler put MSU ahead 5-4.
Achter allowed four runs through the first three innings, but was able to settle in after that. The only hit he allowed over the next four frames was a leadoff double to Lashmet in the sixth, but Achter was able to keep the NU sophomore from advancing any further.
In the eighth, the first two Wildcat batters were retired but a two-out rally helped chase Achter from the game. Kenneth Avila started things with a solid single to left-center. With pinch hitter Jake Wilson at the plate, Avila stole second and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Following a walk to Wilson, Achter was lifted in favor of Kurtis Frymier. The junior righty got a groundout to allow Michigan State to maintain its one-run advantage.
Meanwhile, Muraski kept the Wildcats in the game by holding the Spartans scoreless heading into the eighth. MSU had runners at second and third with two down when Muraski got the flyball he needed, but it was lost in the sun allowing a couple of important insurance runs to come around to score. An ensuing two-run homer that crept over the short fence in right increased the Spartans' lead to five.
Jonathan Roof had four hits for Michigan State while Shindler drove in four runs. Lashmet had a pair of hits for the 'Cats.
As it always seems to be the case whenever Eric Jokisch takes the mound for Northwestern, the first contest was a pitchers duel, with Nolan Moody toeing the rubber for Michigan State.
Both hurlers were in complete control in the chilly contest with both Jokisch and Moody facing the minimum through the first three innings. The only baserunner for either team came on a leadoff bloop single by MSU's Chris Roberts in the second, but a double play would aid Jokisch's cause.
It was apparent that it may be Moody's day in the top of the third when Lashmet started the frame with a smash back up the middle. But the rocket caromed off of Moody's leg and went directly to first baseman Jeff Holm who stepped on the base for the out.
The Spartans got a leadoff single from Brandon Eckerle to start the fourth and a two-out walk to Roberts to put two aboard, but Jokisch got a groundout to second to keep the game scoreless.
Vercelli vied for NU's first hit to begin the fifth, but right fielder Eli Boike snared the line drive with a diving grab.
Jokisch worked around a one-out single in the fifth before Michigan State scored a pair of controversial runs in the sixth.
Eckerle drew a one-out walk before Jokisch fanned Holm for the second out. With Boike at the plate, Eckerle attempted to steal second. However, Jokisch threw over to first and Vercelli's throw down to Tommy Finn at second was in plenty of time to record the out. No call was made by the first base umpire, but home plate umpire Perry Costello called the NU hurler for a balk. Instead of being the third out, that allowed the inning to continue and Boike would eventually connect for his team-leading sixth home run of the season to put MSU ahead 2-0.
The stellar defensive plays behind Moody continued in the seventh as Roberts, the second baseman, made a diving stop of a smash by Goebbert and was able to get up in time to nip him at first for the third out.
The bid for a perfect game ended in the eighth when Snieder drew a two-out walk. Avila got the tying run to the plate in the ninth when he earned a leadoff free pass, but a strikeout and double play allowed Moody to secure the no-hitter.
Jokisch (2-3) was efficient in his effort, hurling just 87 pitches with four strikeouts and two walks. Moody (4-3) made 100 pitches, striking out five to go along with his two walks.
Sunday's series finale has been moved up a 9:30 a.m. Central time start due to the threat of inclement weather in the afternoon.