Spartans Win 30th Game; Set School Record

MSU Athletics

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier 

For the first time in program history the Spartans baseball team has won 30 games in three straight seasons; Michigan State secured their 30th win on Tuesday with a 15-7 win over the Western Michigan Broncos in Kalamazoo, Mich. Last season the Spartans won 36 games and in 2010 they won 34 on the year. With the win the Spartans move up to No. 44 in the RPI rankings and within range of a possible at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.

In the game on Tuesday the Spartans were efficient with their offense, recording 15 runs on 15 hits, including a season high six doubles. John Martinez lead the offense with a career day, recording four hits, four RBI and two doubles while going four-for-four with two walks.

Michigan State got on the board early with three runs in the first inning, capped by RBI doubles by Martinez and Jordan Keur. Ryan Jones got in on the hit parade with a double of his own in the second that scored a run to extend the Spartans lead to 4-0.

The Broncos weren't going to stay down long and they answered with four runs of their own on five hits in the third inning. But Jones responded with yet another RBI double in the fourth inning before being plated himself by a Torsten Boss single to make the score 6-4.

Western Michigan cut Michigan State's lead to one with a run in the bottom of the fourth but the Spartans answered right back by bringing three more runs around in the fifth inning to make the score 9-5. Blaise Salter was the guy with the big bat in the fifth, scoring two runs with a double to left field.

The Broncos would once again cut into the Spartans lead in the bottom of the fifth by scoring twice making the score 9-7, but it was all they would be able to muster. Spartan starter Mike Theodore didn't have a sparkling game going only two innings while allowing four runs on five hits.

Lefty Trey Popp came in as relief for Theodore in the third and although being a bit shaky in his two plus innings of work, earned his third win of the season. Popp pitched two plus innings while allowing eight hits and three runs.

Bryce Jenney came in to relieve Popp in the fifth inning with runners on first and third and no outs. Despite fanning a batter and getting the other two to pop out an unearned run would score on him, completing Popp's line.

Jenney finished out the game for the Spartans, earning himself a five-inning save, his first of the season. During his five innings he allowed just two hits and one run.

Michigan State tacked on runs in the sixth and seventh before closing the game with a four-run ninth to make the final score 15-7.