Spartan Baseball Pounds West Virginia, 17-5

 Spartans rack up 24 hits in the rout.   ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -The Michigan State baseball team pounded out 24 hits and raced out to a 12-0 lead after

 

Torsten Boss went 4-for-6 in Sunday's win. Photo courtesy of MSU SID

Spartans rack up 24 hits in the rout.

 

 

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -The Michigan State baseball team pounded out 24 hits and raced out to a 12-0 lead after the third inning en routeto a 17-5 win over West Virginia on Sunday in the Big Ten/BIG EAST Challenge in St. Petersburg, Fla. MSU improved to 4-2 with the win and finished the Challenge with a 2-1 record.

 

“I was proud of our guys for bouncing back,” said MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. “We showed a lot of character today and were able to put up some big numbers early. We stayed focused and it was encouraging to end the trip on a positive note.”

Th e Spartans started fast with fi ve runs in the fi rst inning as they sent nine batters to the plate. Torsten Boss picked up two of his game-high three RBIs in the inning with a two-out single through the left side.

Jonathan Roof, who went 4-for-6 on the day, made it 6-0 in the second inning with a RBI double down the right fi eld line. The Spartan off ense continued its onslaught in the third inning – scoring six more times to double their lead to 12-0. John Martinez, Eli Boike,

Brandon Eckerle, Bo Felt, Ryan Jones and Andrew Carpenter all picked up RBIs in the inning.

Meanwhile, MSU starter Kurt Wunderlich was on cruise control as he faced just four over the minimum through six innings.

MSU added two more runs in the fi fth as Jones and Boike each picked up their second RBIs of the game. Th e Spartans added a solo run in the sixth and then Carpenter and Boss each drove in two more runs in the eighth inning to close the scoring for the Green and White.

“We had four freshmen in the lineup today and it is very impressive that we were able to put up big numbers,” Boss said. “It’s very encouraging.”

Wunderlich finished the game allowing just four hits while fanning six and walking just one to improve to 2-0.

“Kurt was just outstanding today,” said Boss. “He is off to a great start this season.”

WVU starter Chase Pickering (0-1) lasted just three innings, giving up 12 runs off 13 hits.

The Spartans will return to action against Southeast Missouri State in Starkville, Miss., on Friday.