Michigan
11-20, 6-7
Michigan State
24-8, 7-5
Gale, Spartans Blank U-M in Weekend Series Opener
4/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan State sophomore RHP Bryan Gale tossed a six-hit shutout to lead the visiting Spartans to an 11-0 win over the University of Michigan baseball team in the weekend series opener Friday afternoon (April 19) at Ray Fisher Stadium. The Wolverines (11-20, 6-7 Big Ten) threatened early, but the Spartans scored twice on a Kyle Geswein double in the second inning and scored five times in the fourth before coasting to the win as Gale moved his record to 5-2.
Michigan State RF Bob Malek had a double and homer late in the game, but he made the defensive play of the game in the bottom of the first inning to keep Michigan off the scoreboard and out of the lead. Sophomore 3B Brandon Jominy (Coral Springs, Fla./Westminster Academy) reached on an error and moved to second on his team-leading seventh steal of the season. With two outs sophomore LF Brandon Roberts (Arlington, Texas/Martin HS) singled to right, but Malek's strong throw cut down Jominy for the third out of the inning.
MSU scored five times in the fourth inning with 3B James Moreno getting a bases-loaded single for one run, and SS Jared Koutnik had a two-out, two-run single to make the score 5-0. Malek followed with a high-hopper and two runs scored on a Jominy throwing error.
Senior RHP Bobby Korecky (Saline, Mich./Saline HS) suffered the loss, working the first six innings and allowing 11 hits and eight runs (four earned). Korecky is 2-5 overall (4.53 ERA) and he is 1-3 in Big Ten play with all three losses by shutout, at the hands of Minnesota, Illinois and MSU.
The Wolverines put runners on second and third with one out in the second inning on a single by sophomore DH Jake Fox (Greenfield, Ind./Indianapolis Cathedral HS) and a walk to senior/junior 1B Nate Wright (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew HS) and a sacrifice bunt by junior catcher Alex Coleman (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands HS) but did not score.
In the third inning with two outs junior SS Brock Koman (Pueblo, Colo./South HS) singled and moved to third on a double by Roberts, but Gale survived the threats and retired the next nine and allowed just two more hits the rest of the game. The shutout was the first career complete game shutout for Gale.
Junior catcher Jason Wuerfel (Cedar, Mich./Glen Lake HS) had a pinch single in the seventh inning and Koman had a double in the eighth for the final Wolverine hits of the game. Koman and Roberts each had two hits in the game to account for four of the six Wolverine hits. MSU CF Chris McCuiston was 3-for-4 with three runs scored to pace the MSU offense while four other Spartans had two hits.
Michigan plays a doubleheader at MSU on Saturday (April 20, 1 p.m.) at Kobs Field on campus. Junior LHP Rich Hill (Milton, Mass./Milton HS) and sophomore RHP Jim Brauer (Carmel, Ind./Carmel HS). Hill is 2-3 (3.21 ERA) and Brauer is 1-4 (6.39).
N O T E S
Junior SS Brock Koman's eighth-inning double was his 45th career two-bagger, moving him closer to Jim Paciorek (47, 1979-82). Koman is eighth on Michigan's all-time doubles list.
Michigan's hitting leaders after 31 games (24 at-bat minimum) include: 3B/SS Brock Koman (.376, 41-for-109), junior catcher Jason Wuerfel (Cedar, Mich./Glen Lake HS) at .310 (9-for-29), senior/junior DH Mike Sokol (.293, 29-for-99), junior OF Gino Lollio (.291, 32-for-110), sophomore LF Brandon Roberts (.287, 29-for-101) and sophomore C Jake Fox (Greenfield, Ind./Indianapolis Cathedral HS) at .282 (20-for-71).
Big Ten Standings (after Friday's Games)
1. Ohio State 10-3 .769 2. Purdue 9-4 .692 3. Indiana 8-5 .615 4. Michigan State 7-5 .583 5. Minnesota 7-5 .583 6. MICHIGAN 6-7 .462 Illinois 6-7 .462 8. Northwestern 4-8 .333 9. Penn State 3-9 .250 10. Iowa 3-10 .231Friday Scores
Michigan State 11, Michigan 0
Purdue 4, Iowa 2
Northwestern 14, Penn State 12
Ohio State 14, Indiana 11
Illinois 9, Minnesota 6
Contact: Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bryan Gale (5-2)
L: Korecky, Bobby (2-5)
Batting:
2B: Bob Malek 1 ; Kyle Geswein 1
3B: Charlie Braun 1
HR: Bob Malek 1
RBI: Jared Koutnik 2 ; Bob Malek 1 ; Brady Burrill 1 ; Kyle Geswein 2 ; Charlie Braun 2 ; James Moreno 1
SH: Charlie Braun 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jared Koutnik 1 ; Bob Malek 2 ; Brady Burrill 1 ; Chris McCuiston 3 ; Kyle Geswein 2 ; Charlie Braun 1 ; James Moreno 1
CS: Chris McCuiston 1
HBP: James Moreno 1
PO: Jared Koutnik 1
Batting:
2B: Koman, Brock 1 ; Roberts, Brandon 1
SH: Coleman, Alex 1
Base Running:
SB: Jominy, Brandon 1
