March 20, 2004

Box Score

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Michigan State baseball suffered its fourth straight loss, 12-5, in the series opener at Kansas State Saturday, March 20. The Wildcats rallied from a 5-4 deficit by scoring eight runs in the eighth inning.

The Spartans (4-8) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. With one out, center fielder Travis Gulick (East Lansing, Mich.) extended his hitting streak to a career-best eight games with a single to left field. Left fielder Erik Morris (Orchard Lake, Mich.) followed with a single to center, sending Gulick to third base. First baseman Scott Koerber (Harper Woods, Mich.) drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to deep right field.

K-State (15-6) pulled even in the fourth inning. First baseman Chris Carlson led off the inning with a double to left center and later scored on an infield hit by designated hitter Brian Patty.

The Wildcats took a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning. Right fielder Steve Murphy started the rally with a two-out double to left field. Murphy scored two batters later on an RBI double to right center by third baseman Zack Saunders.

Michigan State scored four runs on four hits in the sixth inning to build a 5-2 advantage. With the bases loaded and one out, designated hitter Kris Morris (Jenison, Mich.) delivered a two-run single to center, scoring Koerber and third baseman James Moreno (Holt, Mich.). Second baseman Oliver Wolcott (Plymouth, Mich.) followed with an RBI double to right field, scoring catcher Sean Walker (Round Lake, Ill.). Morris scored the final run of the inning on a passed ball.

K-State answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth as center fielder Josh Dent produced a two-run triple to left center with two away.

The Wildcats broke the game open in the bottom of the eighth, scoring eight runs on eight hits. Dent's RBI single to right field gave K-State the lead for good at 6-5. Two batters later, Carlson chased home two more runs with his second double of the game.

Dent finished 3-for-5 with three RBI to pace K-State's 17-hit attack.

K-State's BJ Kissel (2-0), who pitched two scoreless innings in relief, picked up the win. Kissel allowed only one hit while recording two strikeouts.

Michigan State's Jon Kowalski (2-1), who gave up four earned runs on four hits in two innings of relief, took the loss.

Spartan starter Bryan Gale (Decatur, Mich.) permitted three runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings. Gale fanned six batters to move into second place on MSU's all-time list with 209 career strikeouts. He needs 15 more strikeouts to surpass Ron Perranoski (223 career strikeouts, 1956-58).

The Spartans and Wildcats continue the three-game series Sunday, March 21 at 2 p.m. in Manhattan.