May 25, 2012

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Around the Tournaments: Friday recaps

Spartans fight back to eliminate Buckeyes

By Phil Stanton

CollegeBaseballInsider.com Co-Founder

@roadtoomaha

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Most leads have not been safe in this year’s Big Ten Tournament.

Fifth-seeded Michigan State rebounded from a 2-0 deficit to defeat sixth-seeded Ohio State 6-2 in Big Ten Tournament at Huntington Field.

The Spartans (37-20) will play the loser of the Purdue-Indiana game at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. The Buckeyes finish the season at 33-27.

“We beat a good ballclub, there’s no doubt about that,” said MSU head coach Jake Boss. “We were fortunate to push a few through in the middle of the ballgame, a couple big innings for us.”

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David Garner (6-3) (pictured above) was dominant on the mound for the Spartans. He worked 6.1 innings with six hits, two runs (one earned), four walks and six strikeouts.

“I was extremely happy with how our young guys played today,” Boss said. “David on the mound is a talented young man. I think he has a bright future ahead of him. I thought he threw well and got a little tired toward the end of the ballgame.”

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His only hiccup was in the top of the fifth. David Corna had a leadoff single and scored on a base hit by Aaron Gretz (3 for 3). Mike Carroll’s single to right plated Gretz, but Ryan Cypret was gunned down at home to keep the margin at 2-0.

MSU answered with a pair in the bottom of the fifth. Justin Scanlon was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a single by Jordan Keur (3 for 4, 3 R). Scanlon moved to third on a flyout to center. With two away, Ryan Krill (2 for 2) laced a single to center to plate Scanlon and advance Keur to third. That would end the day for OSU starter Trace Dempsey (4.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 2 K).

Brett McKinney (5-6) was greeted with a double down the right field line by Jimmy Pickens (3 for 3) to knot the score at 2.

After holding the Buckeyes scoreless in the top of the sixth, the Spartans went back to work in the bottom of the frame. Anthony Cheky drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on a base hit by Ryan Jones. Following a groundout with the infield in, Cheky scored the go-ahead run on a fielder’s choice. Torsten Boss added a sac fly and Pickens was plunked with the bases full to make it a three-run rally and a 5-2 MSU advantage.

OSU fought back in the seventh, putting two on with one way to end the day for Garner. Bryce Jenney entered and got a double play to snuff the rally. Jenney (2.2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K) earned his second save.

“Bryce came in and gave us what a senior needs to give us out of the bullpen,” Boss said.

The Spartans added an insurance run in the eighth on a base hit by Krill.

MSU could have been ahead by more, stranding 15.

(photo courtesy of MSU Media Relations Office)