LANSING, Mich. (May 16, 2003) - Michigan State scored at least one run in each of the first five innings and Penn State couldn't match the run total in a 13-8 loss Friday at Oldsmobile Park.

Junior Jim Farrell (Harleysville, Pa.) picked up the loss in relief of junior starter Clayton Hamilton (Beaver Falls, Pa.). He gave up five runs

The Nittany Lions rallied to tie the game in the fourth inning after falling behind 8-0. But the Spartans put two runs on the board in their half of the fourth, three more in the fifth and they stopped the Penn State bats the rest of the way.

Michigan State (20-32, 9-17), which had 20 hits in the game, jumped on Hamilton in the first inning. They scored three runs on six hits, but the Nittany Lions escaped further damage by getting out of the inning on a groundball doubleplay with the bases loaded. Scott Koerber, James Moreno and Brett Wattles had three straight RBI singles, respectively, in the inning.

Alan Cattrysse singled and stole second base in the second inning and scored on an RBI single by Erik Morris to make it 4-0 Michigan State.

Hamilton was chased from the game in the third inning after giving up four more runs - one run was unearned. Moreno reached on a throwing error by third baseman Mike Milliron (DuBois, Pa.). Wattles and Charlie Braun had back-to-back RBI triples followed by an RBI single by Randy Ortiz to make it 8-0 Spartans. Farrell entered the game with one out and retired the final two batters to end the inning.

The Nittany Lions were being no-hit entering the bottom of the fourth inning. But they rallied for eight runs on eight hits to tie the game in the inning. Sophomore Clint Eury (Butler, Pa.), the Big Ten's Player of the Week, started the rally by breaking up the no-hitter with a linedrive single to rightfield. Senior Mike DeRenzo (Murrysville, Pa.) singled with one out and then the flood gates opened. Junior Matt Harter (Centre Hall, Pa.) hit a two-run double off the base of the wall in leftfield. Senior Willie Melendez (Cayey, P.R.) walked and sophomore Milliron singled to load the bases. Senior Zack Smithlin (Fair Lawn, N.J.) had an RBI single, freshman Derrick Barr (So. Williamsport, Pa.) had an RBI groundout, senior Wes Reohr (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) hit an RBI triple and Eury crushed a two-run home run to centerfield to finish the scoring in the inning.

But the Spartans bounced back with two more in their half of the fourth to regain the lead. Ortiz had an RBI groundout and Ryan Kurtz had an RBI single for his first career hit.

Michigan State took control in the fifth inning with three more runs on four hits and one error. Wattles, who was 4-for-5 with three RBI, had another RBI single, Moreno walked and scored on an error by Eury at first base and Ortiz had an RBI single.

Eury was 2-for-5 in the game with a homer, two runs scored and two RBI and Smithlin was 2-for-3.