Terps end Illini
streak
By Chris Webb
Special to CollegeBaseballInsider.com
MINNEAPOLIS –
A pair of second-inning unearned runs gave Maryland all it
needed, as the Terrapins received a dominant start from
freshman right-hander Brian Shaffer en route to knocking off
Illinois 2-1 and sending the Illini to its first loss since
March 29, a span of 27 games.
“At
some point, there was going to be something that beat us,”
Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said. “You don't go on these
stretches very often in a career. We just had a
letdown tonight. There are some things we learned
from tonight and will move forward with it.”
The
Illini struck first, taking the upper-hand with three
consecutive one-out singles in the bottom of the first.
In
the top of the second, Illinois was its toughest opponent.
After Maryland catcher Kevin Martir singled to lead off the
second, Illinois right-handed starter Drasen Johnson threw
wide of first baseman David Kerian on a grounder by Terrapins
third baseman Jose Cuas. With Martir at third, Anthony Papio
singled him in to tie the game. With DH Nick Cieri up, Johnson
fielded a comebacker and threw to third for the first out, but
Ryne Roper’s throw to first was off target, allowing Papio to
score to stake Maryland to a 2-1 lead.
From
there it was the Shaffer show.
Over
his final six innings, the freshman scattered three hits and
did not concede a run, finishing a seven-inning start with
seven strikeouts and one walk.
“I
did have some nerves going into the first there,” Shaffer
said. “But I didn’t let it get to me. I just went out there
and pitched my heart out.”
Relievers Robert Galligan and Kevin Mooney struck out two
batters each in pitching a perfect eighth and ninth inning to
close the door on a big win.
“Tonight was just a really great night for our program,”
Maryland coach John Szefc said. “We’ve had a lot of ups and
downs this year, and tonight and last night are really special
as a coach. Our pitching and defense have been absolutely
phenomenal and that showed tonight.”
Grand slam caps stunning Spartan comeback
Two
big blasts helped Michigan State send a statement to the NCAA
Tournament committee.
In a
Big Ten Tournament elimination game against No. 8 seed
Nebraska, fifth-seeded Michigan State used a pair of
tape-measure home runs to bookend a nine-run scoring effort,
including a grand slam in a six-run eighth inning to stun
Nebraska 9-7. Improving to 34-22 on the year, Michigan State
extends its season another day, if not another week.
“I
had thought if we had gone 0-2 here, we might still have a
chance,” Spartans coach Jake Boss said on what a quick exit
would mean to the Michigan State’s NCAA Tournament chances.
“I think now, we deserve to play in the NCAA tournament, and I
think we’re good enough.”
Michigan State jumped on the Huskers early, with senior DH
Blaise Salter sending a two-out, two-run home run off Nebraska
left-hander Kyle Kubat into the third deck of right-field
seats in the bottom of the first.
“I
didn’t feel like I had my best stuff today, but I was still
going to go out there and give it my all,” Kubat said. “I just
had to compete with what I had and make pitches. Defense made
some great plays and the offense was there.”
Kubat settled in, and after Nebraska
used small ball to halve the deficit in the top of the second,
he and Michigan State left-hander Jeff Kinley traded zeroes
over the next two innings. After a 1-2-3 fourth inning where
he struck out the side, the game turned quickly on Kinley.
Three singles and a walk in the fifth inning saw the Huskers
tie the game and chase Kinley with the bases loaded. Spartans
left-hander Anthony Misiewicz couldn’t slow Nebraska’s roll,
walking in the Nebraska’s third run, before the Huskers struck
right-hander Walter Borkovich for three runs on two hits to
their lead to 6-2.
Michigan State cut into the deficit in the sixth, but Nebraska
answered back in the top of the seventh to regain a four-run
margin.
“I
definitely thought we might go 0-2 and would be heading home,”
MSU first baseman Ryan Krill said of the deficit facing the
Spartans entering their final six outs. “I didn’t want that to
be my last at bat as a Spartan.”
Against left-hander Ben Miller, Brandon Hughes walked to begin
the inning and Chad Roskelly and Anthony Cheky followed with
singles to load the bases. Miller issued a run-scoring walk to
Dan Durkin; Nebraska then turned to senior right-handed closer
Josh Roeder. Left fielder Cam Gibson worked a full-count walk,
cutting the deficit to 7-5.
What
followed was a hit both hard to measure in distance it
traveled, how far it may carry Michigan State’s season.
Turning around a belt-high, first-pitch fastball, Krill sent a
grand slam over the right-field bleachers and out of Target
Field, pushing Michigan State in front 9-7. Entering the game
with a .357 average but 0 for 4 in the game, Krill looked for
a pitch, got it and delivered a potentially season-saving hit.
“I
was just going up there just to find a fastball,” the senior
said of his 13th home run. “I looked pretty bad at
my three previous at-bats on fastballs, so I kind of knew one
was coming. I just guessed right, and I got a hold of it.”
Like
Salter, Krill stepped up when the season and their MSU career
on the line.
“I
called some of these guys out about a month ago, and they’ve
answered the call,” Boss said. “I couldn’t be prouder. There
was a lot of character in that win. Our seniors have got to be
the guys who lead us, and they were today.”
Able
to hold the Huskers in check and putting the Spartans in a
position to rally, sophomore left-hander Joe Mockbee (6-2)
pitched the final 3.2 innings, allowing one run on one hit for
the victory. Senior third baseman Mark Weist went 3 for 3, and
Roskelly added three hits in four at-bats for MSU. Kinley
allowed five runs on six hits in 4.1 innings of work.
Kubat exited after five-plus innings,
allowing three runs on eight hits in a no-decision for
Nebraska.
“It’s been a good run we’ve had the past couple years in this
tournament, but obviously this is the complete opposite,”
Nebraska head coach Darin Erstad said. “Unfortunately, this is
a cruel game. It was by no lack of effort by our players. They
emptied the tank on the field.”
Michigan stays in prime position
Reaching 35 wins for the first time since 2008, Michigan
defeated Iowa 8-5 to move one win away from playing for the
program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since hosting a
Regional that same year.
Iowa
center fielder Eric Toole drove leadoff home run to right
field off Michigan freshman right-hander Ryan Nutoff. If any
jitters resided in the Wolverine rookie, they quickly faded:
Nutof retired the next 11 Hawkeyes in a row. Before Iowa
picked up their second hit, Michigan turned a 1-0 deficit into
a 5-1 lead.
Responding to Toole’s solo shot, Michigan left fielder Cody
Bruder opened the second inning with a home run off Iowa
right-hander Blake Hickman. Right fielder Johnny Slater drew a
one-out walk in front of senior catcher Kendall Patrick
pulling a double down the line to score Slater and give
Michigan a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
Michigan’s lead grew in the third on an RBI single by junior
third baseman Travis Maezes before Patrick crushed his fifth
home run of the year. Its lead expanded to 6-1, Michigan ran
into trouble in the sixth.
With
two outs, Iowa senior second baseman Jake Mangler singled up
the middle, and junior first baseman Tyler Peyton drove a
double to right-center, putting two Hawkeys in scoring
position. Senior left fielder Kris Goodman singled up the
middle to score Mangler and Peyton and came around on a double
by classmate DH Dan Potempa to bring Iowa within 6-4. The
tying run at the plate, Michigan sophomore right-hander Mac
Lozer struck out Iowa shortstop Nick Roscetti to end the
threat.
Maezes reached on a fielding error by
Roscetti to start the seventh and eventually scored, and
Bruder drove a run-scoring double into the left-field corner.
Iowa
tried one last rally, scoring a run in the bottom of the ninth
and bringing the tying run to the plate with one out, but
Michigan closer Jacob Cronenworth closed the door two batters
later, keeping the Wolverines in prime position to end its
NCAA Tournament drought.
Indiana continues dominance over Ohio State
Indiana seized its opportunity to live another day, defeating
Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament’s first elimination 5-3.
The
Buckeyes squandered their chances and must now nervously wait
until Monday’s field announcement to find out if their season
will continue.
Indiana junior left-hander Kyle Hart worked around two one-out
singles in the first and back-to-back singles in the Buckeyes
second, walking away unscathed each time. Ohio State senior
left-hander Ryan Riga had little trouble with the Hoosiers,
needing 27 pitches to reach the fourth inning.
But
Riga’s 29th pitch was a home run by Indiana catcher
Brad Hartong in the bottom of the fourth, and Indiana used
small-ball to double its advantage in the fifth.
With
Indiana junior Scott Effross relieving Hart to start the
seventh, Ohio State put runners at second and third with
nobody down. A sacrifice fly by second baseman Nick Sergakis
put the Buckeyes on the board before shortstop Craig Nennig
hit a run-scoring, two-out single to tie the game.
Collecting their fourth win over Ohio State in a week, Indiana
sent a fatal blow to Ohio State’s season in the eighth. After
Riga record two quick outs, a single followed by a full-count
walk and four-pitch walk loaded the bases for IU senior DH
Scott Donley. On a 3-2 fastball, Donley found the left-center
gap to clear the bases.
Ohio
State junior first baseman Zach Ratcliff led off the ninth
with a home run, but the Buckeyes couldn’t find a rallying
call of their own and exited the tournament.
Notes
·
After winning the first six games of the
tournament, higher seeds lost Friday’s winners’ bracket
games.
·
Illini’s 27-game
winning streak was the longest ever by a Big Ten team.
·
Indiana’s win over Ohio State was their 16th
in the past 17 meetings.
·
Krill’s gland slam was his 13th
home run, tying Illinois first baseman and Big Ten Player of
the Year David Kerian for the conference lead.
·
Through eight games, 10 home runs have been
hit. Michigan’s leading the tournament with three.
Friday’s schedule
No.
2 Iowa (39-15) vs. No. 6 Indiana (33-21) 3:30 p.m. CDT
No.
1 Illinois (46-7-1) vs. No. 5 Michigan State (34-22) 7:30 p.m.
CDT
