Spartans Score Four In the 15th To Beat Seton Hall

The Spartans took on the Seton Hall Pirates on Saturday in the second game of the Snowbird Classic. In a game that went 15 innings and lasted six hours the only action in the game came in the 15th - when all seven runs of the game were scored.

Andrew Waszak started the game for the Spartans and threw 105 pitches in nine innings of work while refusing the Pirates any runs on the seven hits they got off him. Waszak dueled Pirates pitcher, Rick Mangione, who threw 6.1 innings and struck out eight while not allowing a run.

It was the Spartans relief pitching that lead to the necessity of a four-run 15th, when Seton Hall was able to plate three runs to take the lead going into the bottom of the inning.

Jeff Kinley pitched 2.2 innings for the Spartans and gave up three runs on five hits while failing to strike out a batter. Seton Hall got to Kinley in the 15th when they manufactured three runs utilizing sacrifice bunts and capitalized on a pair of Kinley wild pitches.

In the bottom of the 15th the Spartans knew they had to score at least three to keep the game going, but they did better than that. On the back of several walks by Pirates pitching and a few clutch hits the Spartans were able to tie the game at three before an Anthony Cheky single to right drove in the winning run.

Ryan Jones lead off the 15th with a single before a Jimmy Pickens walk pushed him to second base. Justin Scanlon then drew a walk off Josh Prevost who Seton Hall brought in to stymy to rally. With the bases loaded and no outs John Martinez drew another walk from the Pirates pitching which forced home Jones. After an Andy Johnson strike out, Andrew Carpenter singled to right field which scored Pickens and Scanlon. On the Carpenter single Martinez advanced to third where he was driven home on a Cheky single to right. 

Joel Fisher, the Spartans catcher, tweeted after the game, "If we are going to be there for a 6 hour game might as well win."

The win is the third straight for Michigan State who will play Pittsburgh to close out the Snowbird Classic at 11 a.m. on Sunday. The Spartans have gone 3-3 in their Spring Break road trip as of Sunday.