Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Lansing Lugnuts
Lugnuts Top Spartans in Annual Crosstown Showdown
4/9/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
LANSING - The Michigan State Spartans and Lansing Lugnuts waited through a 30 minute rain delay but eventually squared off in the ninth annual Crosstown Showdown on Thursday night. The Lugnuts won the exhibition affair, 9-4, in front of a crowd of 4,883 at Cooley Law School Stadium.
"This game is a lot of fun for everybody," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "I think it's a good opportunity for our guys to relax and play and not really worry about winning or losing. We played a lot of guys. Tonight is more about playing against a professional, first-class organization in a beautiful facility."
The Spartans opened the game with a bang as the first four hitters combined to hit for the cycle. Cam Gibson led off with a triple off the right field wall and Ryan Krill followed with a two-run homer to right field. Mark Weist doubled down the right field line and Blaise Salter followed with a single. Ryan Richardson's RBI fielder's choice made it 3-0.
"We've seen a lot of good pitching all year long and we certainly saw some very good arms tonight," Boss said. "We've faced some very good pitching to this point and so our guys were ready."
Ryan McBroom got the Lugnuts on the board with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the second inning and then Lansing took the lead, 5-3, with four runs in bottom of the third. Three hits and an error gave the Lugnuts their four-run inning.
Krill delivered a two-out double to right-center field in the top of the fifth, scoring Johnny Nate, to pull the Spartans within a run, 5-4.
Lansing responded in the bottom of the inning by scoring twice to up its lead to 7-4. McBroom, who went 2-for-2 with two RBIs on the night, drove in a run and scored in the inning.
The Lugnuts capped the scoring with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, including a solo home run by Dickie Joe Thon.
MSU starting pitcher Keegan Baar faced the minimum in the first and went 2.2 innings, allowing five runs (one earned) off three hits.
After working with the pitchers in the offseason, infielder Justin Hovis saw his first game action on the mound. Hovis worked a scoreless 1.1 innings and allowed three hits.
The Spartans resume Big Ten play on Friday when they start a three-game series with Northwestern at McLane Baseball Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 3:05 p.m.
