Baseball Stunned By Michigan State 13-11
March 8, 2000
Coral Gables, FL – Michigan State (2-7) scored four runs in the eighth inning to cap a six-run comeback and take the eventual 13-11 win over the University of Miami (14-7) at Mark Light Stadium. Down 11-5 going into the sixth, the Spartans battered UM relievers for two home runs and scored eight runs over the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. The Hurricane defense also committed three errors in the game, two of which led to four MSU runs.
Tugging back and forth for the first four innings, Miami jumped ahead of MSU, 11-5, with a six-run fifth. Pinch-hitter Chad Strong led off the scoring as he singled to left center to score freshman Danny Matienzo and sophomore Javy Rodriguez. After sophomore Mike Rodriguez reached base with a single to re-load the bases, freshman Kevin Howard came up with a bases clearing triple. Junior Kevin Brown sacrifice-flied to left field to bring Howard home and complete the six run inning.
Michigan State jumped out 2-0 in the top of the first on a two-run home run to right center by Spartan catcher Bob Malek off UM starter Tom Farmer.
Miami answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Howard started things up with a double to left center. The hit extended Howard’s team-high hitting streak to 14 games. Brown then singled to left field, moving Howard to third. After a Lale Esquivel walk to load the bases, freshman Danny Matienzo single down the left field line to score Howard. The next UM batter, freshman Kevin Mannix, drew a walk to force in Brown from third.
In the second, Miami extended its lead to 4-2. With two outs, sophomore Mike Rodriguez drew a walk and stole second. Howard then came up with a RBI single to centerfield to score Mike Rodriguez. Later in the inning, Esquivel singled in Howard from third.
The Spartans kept in the game as they regained the lead, 5-4, in the top of the third off a three-run home run to left field by designated hitter Joe Albaugh.
Brown tied the game, 5-5, in the fourth with a double to right center that scored Mike Rodriguez from third. Mike Rodriguez reached base on a walk, moved to second on a failed stolen base attempt at third base by junior Kris Clute and then to third on a ground out by Howard.
MSU added one run in the sixth and three in the seventh to close the gap to 11-9. In the sixth, Malek singled down the right field line to score catcher Matt Haynes. In the seventh, first baseman Kyle Geswein hit a solo home run to right center off UM reliever Alex Prendes. After Prendes loaded the bases, second baseman Ted Demetral singled to right field off new reliever Luke DeBold (1-2) to bring in two more MSU runs.
Miami will host a three-game series with Rutgers this weekend at Mark Light Stadium.
