April 26, 2008
LANSING, MI – The Iowa Hawkeye baseball team lost the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, 6-3, to the Michigan State Spartans at Oldsmobile Park. With the game tied at 3-3, the Spartans scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to lift them to victory.
Justin Toole extended his season-long hitting streak to 13 games, going 1-for-3. Wes Freie went 2-for-3 to post his fifth consecutive multi-hit game. Tyson Blaser registered his sixth multi-hit game of the year, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Pitching in game one for the Black and Gold were Michael Jacobs, Nick Erdman, Kyle Heim and Tony Manville. Jacobs started on the hill, going three and two third innings, allowing three runs. Erdman took the loss, allowing two earned runs in two thirds of an inning.
Michigan State took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Steve Gerstenberger led off the contest with a double to right center. Jonathan Roof followed with an RBI single to center to give the Spartans the early advantage.
Iowa plated two runs on three hits and a Spartan error in the second to claim a 2-1 lead. With runners on first and second and two out, Blaser singled to right to score Kurtis Muller, who doubled early in the inning. T.J. Cataldo also came around to score on Blaser’s single when the Michigan State right fielder misplayed the ball.
The Spartans tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third. After retiring the first two batters, Jacobs allowed a walk and a two-out RBI triple by Justin Potes down the left field line. Michigan State added another run in the fourth on a RBI groundout.
Iowa came back to even the contest at 3-3 in the top of the fifth. Blaser led off the frame with his fifth double of the season down the left field line. Two batters later, Blaser came home on an error by the Spartan shortstop.
Michigan State went ahead to stay in the bottom of the fifth, plating three runs on two hits. Three consecutive wild pitches by Hawkeye reliever Kyle Heim allowed two runs to score, while the Spartans also recorded an RBI triple in the inning.
Michigan State starter Mark Sorensen threw a complete game to earn his third win of the season. The redshirt junior allowed three runs, one of which was earned, struck out eight and scattered six Hawkeye hits.
The Hawkeyes and Spartans play the nightcap of today’s doubleheader at 3:45 p.m. (CDT) at Oldsmobile Park.
GAME SUMMARYIowa 020 010 0 -- 3 6 0Michigan St 101 130 X -- 6 8 2
WP - Sorensen (3-5)LP - Erdman (2-4)