Spartans Split Doubleheader at Minnesota

Friday, May 15

Minneapolis, Minn.

7:05 PM

Michigan State University

33-20, 0

Minnesota

20-30, 0

Michigan State

Minnesota

5/15/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

May 15, 2015

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

MINNEAPOLIS - The Michigan State baseball team split a doubleheader with Minnesota on Friday at Siebert Field in Minneapolis. The Spartans rallied from a 4-1 deficit to win game one, 5-4, but couldn't complete the sweep as they fell the in the nightcap, 7-5. MSU is now 33-20 overall and 14-9 in the Big Ten with the final game of the regular season ahead tomorrow.

Senior Ryan Krill hit three home runs on the day, including a pair in the opener and then one in game two. Krill now has 12 home runs on the season and his five RBIs brought his team-leading total to 53.

"Ryan had a really, really good day today," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr., said. "He kept us in the first game and got us into the second game. He's doing what you need your seniors to do."

The Spartans scored four runs off a pair of two-run run homers by Krill and Brandon Hughes, respectively, to come from behind and win game one. Krill's two-out, two-run homer in the eighth inning made it a 4-3 game and Hughes gave MSU its first lead with another two-run round-tripper in the top of the ninth. Blaise Salter got on base via a leadoff single and Hughes later drilled the game-changing, two-run homer to right field.

Walter Borkovich (3-0), who got the final two outs of the eighth and then tossed a 1-2-3 ninth, got the win in relief for the Spartans.

Minnesota (20-33, 8-15) broke open a scoreless game one with back-to-back home runs by Matt Fiedler and Michael Handel to take a 2-0 lead in the bottom half of the third inning.

The Gophers doubled their lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, plating two runs off two hits and one MSU error.

Gopher starting pitcher Ben Meyer kept the Spartan offense quiet in the early going of game one, limiting MSU to just three hits through five innings. Krill finally put the Spartans on the board in the top of the sixth with a solo blast to left center field, making the score 4-1.

While the Spartans began to come alive at the plate, the pitching staff did its job by shutting down the Gophers. Alex Troop came out of the bullpen and tossed 2.2 innings of scoreless relief before giving way to Borkovich with one out in the eighth.

Game one starter Cam Vieaux allowed four runs off nine hits in 4.2 innings. Meyer pitched into the ninth and was charged with the loss for Minnesota.

The teams traded solo runs in the opening inning of game two. The Spartans scored their run off a two-out RBI single by Salter.

The 1-1 tie didn't last long as the Gophers put up six runs in the bottom of the second, knocking MSU starter Mick VanVossen out of the game. Tony Skjefte led off the inning with a solo home run and the Gophers went on to add five more runs with two outs, including a two-run homer by Dan Motl.

The Spartans were able to use the long ball to fight back in the top of the third inning when Krill smacked his third home run of the day. Krill followed a leadoff single by Cam Gibson with a towering shot to right field for his 12th home run of the season.

Trailing 7-3, the Spartans stranded runners in the third, fourth and fifth innings and eventually got on the scoreboard again in the seventh. Base hits by Gibson and Mark Weist and a walk to Krill loaded the bases for Salter who drove in a run with an RBI single.

The single kept the bases loaded, but Gopher reliever Tyler Hanson quickly put a damper on the Spartans' hopes of a big inning as he got Ryan Richardson to ground into a double play. A run scored on the double play, but Hanson then induced a fly ball off the bat of Hughes to end threat with the score 7-5.

Gopher closer Jordan Jess allowed a pair of baserunners in the ninth, but nothing more as earned the save.

Anthony Misiewicz pitched solidly in relief of VanVossen, holding Minnesota to only four hits over the final 6.1 innings. His 6.1 innings and nine strikeouts both tied career highs.

"The bullpen has been good and was good in both games today," Boss said. "Walter was very good in game one and Anthony was solid in long relief."

The two teams will close the regular season on Saturday with a single game at 2:05 p.m. ET. The bracket and pairings for the 2015 Big Ten Tournament will be released Saturday night at the conclusion of the day's games.