Baseball Loses Game One to Michigan State, 8-3 – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/12/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 12, 2000
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State baseball team (33-20 overall, 13-12 in the Big Ten) lost game one of a four-game series to the Michigan State Spartans (19-34 overall, 8-16 in the Big Ten), 8-3, in front of 2,578 at Bill Davis Stadium. MSU scored four runs in the top of the second inning and the Buckeyes never recovered. OSU centerfielder Mike Check (Jr., Bay Village, Ohio) set a stadium record with four stolen bases in the game.
In the top of the second inning, Michigan State took a 4-0 lead. Rick Court hit a two-run home run off OSU starting pitcher E.J. Laratta (So., Englewood, Colo.). Later in the inning, Troy Bergman drove in a run on a sacrifice fly and Ted Demetral hit a one-run single to give MSU its fourth run of the ballgame.
In the bottom half of the inning, John Mayor (Jr., Chesterfield, Mo.) led off and was hit by a pitch from MSU starting pitcher Josh Axelson. After a wild pitch and two outs, Trent McIlvain (Jr., Louisville, Ohio) singled to centerfield to drive in Mayor and cut the MSU lead to 4-1.
In the bottom of the third inning, Jason Driscoll (Sr., Middlefield, Ohio) led off and took a 2-1 offering from Axelson over the centerfield wall for his first home run of the season. The solo shot cut the MSU lead to 4-2.
In the top of the fourth inning, Brett Wattles brought home a pair of runs with a triple and Demetral hit his second one-run single of the evening to increase the MSU lead to 7-2.
MSU added another run in the top of the sixth on a one-run single by Bob Malek.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Buckeyes scored their final run of the game. Laratta (6-5) was the losing pitcher. He went four innings, gave up eight hits, seven runs and struck out three. Axelson (2-5) earned the win for the Spartans.
Tomorrow, the two teams play a twi-night doubleheader at 4:05 p.m.
