Michigan State University Athletics
Baseball Plays Host to Rutgers in Big Ten Opener
3/24/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
| Michigan State (15-3, 0-0 B1G) vs. Rutgers (8-11, 0-0 B1G) | |
| Game 1 | Friday, March 25 -- 3:05 p.m. |
| Location | East Lansing | McLane Baseball Stadium |
| Promotions | Free admission to all three games |
| Game Notes | Rutgers | Michigan State |
| Probable Pitching Matchup | LHP Howie Brey (1-2, 3.27 ERA) vs. LHP Cam Vieaux (3-1, 1.19 ERA) |
| TV | BTN |
| Coverage | Live Stats | Listen - Spartan Sports Network |
| Game 2 | Saturday, March 26 - 1:05 p.m. |
| Probable Pitching Matchup | RHP Kyle Driscoll (1-2, 3.65 ERA) vs. RHP Ethan Landon (1-1, 2.26 ERA) |
| Coverage | Video Stream | | Listen - Spartan Sports Network |
| Game 3 | Sunday, March 27 - 1:05 p.m. |
| Probable Pitching Matchup | RHP John O'Reilly (0-1, 4.76 ERA) vs. RHP Walter Borkovich (3-1, 2.73 ERA) |
| Coverage | Video Stream | Live Stats | Listen - Spartan Sports Network |
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State baseball team begins Big Ten play this weekend with a three-game set at home vs. Rutgers. After beginning the season with 17 consecutive games on the road, the Spartans had their home opener on Wednesday - a 4-1 win over Central Michigan. MSU enters the weekend 15-3 on the year while Rutgers is 8-11. Friday's game will be featured live on BTN.
• The Spartans went 14-3 during the winter travel portion of their schedule, highlighted by a 14-1 start that is the best in school history.
• MSU finished 7-1 on its spring break trip, resulting in a spot in the Baseball America Top-25 for the week of March 14. It was the first time a Spartan baseball team has been ranked since April 1988.
• The Spartans' success has come from dominant performances as a team both on the mound and at the plate. Michigan State is the only team in the country to rank in the top 10 in the NCAA in both batting average (.325, 6th) and ERA (2.15, 8th).
• Michigan State's offense ranks near the top of the Big Ten in several notable categories, ranking second in batting average (.325), slugging percentage (.459), on-base percentage (.395) and runs scored (125). The Spartans are averaging seven runs per game and are outscoring opponents by a total of 125-55 on the season.
• The Big Ten Conference released its preseason poll based on coaches' votes and the Spartans were picked to finish sixth. Coming in ahead of the Spartans was Michigan, Maryland, Indiana, Iowa and Illinois. Michigan State tied for third in the Big Ten regular season standings in 2015, going 14-10 in conference play.
• The Spartans' Players to Watch in the Big Ten includes pitchers Walter Borkovich and Cam Vieaux and infielder Jordan Zimmerman. Borkovich tied the single-season school record with 30 appearances and posted a 2.73 ERA. Vieaux tallied a team-high 15 starts on the mound in 2015, pitching 90.1 innings and recording 71 strikeouts and is off to a 3-1 start in 2016. Zimmerman joins the Spartans this season, after transferring from Mesa Community College and leads the team in hitting with a .429 batting average.
• Production has come from up and down the lineup, as seven starters are batting better than .300 for the season and five Spartans have recorded 10 or more RBIs. Sophomore centerfielder Brandon Hughes has notched a team-high 15 RBIs.
• MSU's bullpen has been lockdown all season long, as they have allowed just 16 earned runs in 59.1 innings of work. Spartan relievers have struck out 80 batters in that time to only 31 walks and have allowed more than one run in a game only three times this season. The group has combined for six wins and four saves with no losses.
About Rutgers
Michigan State owns a 10-2 advantage in the all-time series with the Scarlet Knights. The Spartans swept Rutgers in convincing fashion in the meeting between the two teams in 2015, outscoring them by a total of 31-13 throughout the three-game set.
The Scarlet Knights enter the weekend with an 8-11 overall record and are led by R.J. Devish, who is hitting .393 with 15 RBIs, and Tom Marcinczyk's four home runs and team-leading 20 RBIs. Rutgers has a common opponent with MSU -- Florida Gulf Coast -- with which they split a pair of games. MSU defeated FGCU, 7-6, in their only meeting.
Historic Start
The Spartans went 14-3 during the winter travel portion of their schedule, highlighted by a 14-1 start that is the best in school history. With an 8-7 win over Saint Joseph's, the 2016 Spartans improved to 12-1 and passed the 1946, 1971 and 1992 clubs that started 11-2 for the best record through 13 games in school history. After giving up a four-run lead in the eighth, the Spartans needed some magic in the ninth to make history. A leadoff double and bunt single put runners at the corner with nobody out, forcing an intentional walk from the Hawks. One of the pitches in the attempted walk sailed to the backstop, allowing pinch runner Kory Young to score the winning run.
The historic start the season puts the team in good company, as the '71 team finished 36-10 with a Big Ten title and the '46 team finished with a 21-5 overall record. Prior to this year, the best start under head coach Jake Boss Jr. was in 2011 when the team was 11-3 through 14 games. That club went on to finish 36-21 to win the Big Ten and earn a berth into the NCAA Tournament.
Immediate Impact from Zimmerman
Infielder Jordan Zimmerman has made an immediate impact as a transfer from Mesa Community College. The junior does it all for the Spartans as he has started in all 18 games and appears on the Big Ten leaderboard in several categories.
Zimmerman is second in conference in runs scored (20) and is third in batting average (.429) and on-base percentage (.512).
After starting at second base in 14 games, he made the switch to first base where he's started in the last four games.
Currently, Zimmerman is riding an 11-game hitting streak and has nine games this season with multiple hits.
Spartan Pitching Staff
Coupled with a high-powered offense is a shutdown pitching staff that ranks first in the Big Ten in ERA (2.15) and second in opposing batting average (.217). MSU has allowed just 38 earned runs in 159 innings.
The MSU starting rotation is 7-3 with a combined 2.36 ERA.
Friday starter Cam Vieaux returns to MSU for his junior season after being drafted by the Detroit Tigers following last season and is 3-1 on the year with a 1.19 ERA that ranks fourth in the Big Ten. Vieaux's 30 innings are the most on the team and his 29 strikeouts are the most of any starter. The junior had a season-high 10 strikeouts last weekend in a win over USF.
Saturday starter Ethan Landon is a transfer from Kansas State who picked up his first collegiate win over Auburn and is 1-1 on the year. After allowing four earned runs in his first start of the season, Landon has allowed just three runs in the next 28 innings of work.
Sunday starter Walter Borkovich is 3-1 after allowing just two earned runs in 19.1 innings to start the season.
Mockbee Moves to Closer
Junior Joe Mockbee will fill the role as the Spartans' closer to start the year. He looks to step in for Jeff Kinley, who graduated this past spring as the all-time saves leader at Michigan State with 20. Mockbee was the first arm out of the bullpen last year and was named the team's Most Valuable Pitcher.
The lefty posted a team-best 1.78 ERA, which was the lowest by a Spartan since Duane Bickel's 1.71 ERA in 1974. He also led the team in wins with a 6-2 record. His 25 appearances totaling 50.2 innings were tied for the second most on the team, and he struck out 50 batters, while walking just 17.
In 2016, Mockbee has four saves so far to rank second in the Big Ten. In his last seven appearances, the junior has given up a run only once.
Reliable Relievers
MSU's bullpen has been lockdown all season long, as they have allowed just 16 earned runs in 59.1 innings of work. Spartan relievers have struck out 80 batters in that time to only 30 walks and have allowed more than one run in a game only three times this season. The group has combined for six wins and four saves with no losses.
The Michigan State bullpen has worked 59.1 innings and allowed 16 earned runs, good for a 2.42 ERA. Boss has several arms he can choose from, as five relievers have made five or more appearances. As a group, the bullpen has given up more than one run in a game just three times.
The first option out of the bullpen all season long has been right hander Dakota Mekkes. His 10 appearances are the most on the team and second most in the Big Ten. The redshirt sophomore has been a shutdown pitcher for the Spartans, as he's allowed just five hits in 17.2 innings of work. Batters are hitting .094 against Mekkes, who has struck out 32 batters to rank third in the conference.
After seeing no action through the first nine games, redshirt junior Josh Buchalski has made an appearance in five of the last eight games. The lefty specialist has been solid, allowing no hits in three innings of work. He earned his first career win against Saint Joseph's, coming in the game with the go-ahead runner in scoring position in the ninth before striking out two.
Jake Lowery made his return in the Green and White after missing 2015 with an injury. In his first appearance since 2014, the righty struck out all three batters he faced in a Friday night game at USF. He bounced back on Sunday and pitched another scoreless 1.2 innings. Lowery made 26 appearances his freshman year, finishing 3-1 with a 2.94 ERA
New Look Spartans
The Michigan State roster consists of three seniors, eight juniors, 14 sophomores and nine freshmen. Highlighting the sophomore-heavy roster is 2015 All-Big Ten Freshmen team members OF Brandon Hughes, C Chad Roskelly and RHP Andrew Gonzalez.
After going 34-23 during the 2015 campaign and finishing tied for third in the Big Ten with a 14-10 mark in conference play, the 2016 Spartans are a new-look team. Spartan returners account for just 27% of the team's RBI total and 24% of the team's hit total in 2015 with Brandon Hughes being the only returning every day starter in centerfield.
MSU has four starting underclassmen in the everyday lineup, featuring Brandon Hughes, Chad Roskelly, Marty Bechina and Royce Ando.
Junior Matt Byars is another newcomer who has started in 17 games. The transfer from Heartland Community College has been solid behind the plate, picking off four of five attempted base stealers this year. Byars is hitting .323 with 10 RBIs and three home runs.
Two other starting spots are held down by transfers as well, with Jordan Zimmerman at first base and Kris Simonton in right field.
Big Innings
The Spartans have had a "big inning", qualifying as an inning scoring four or more runs, 10 times already this season. After doing it only 19 time last season and 17 the year before, MSU is well on its way to surpassing both marks.
Whether to extend leads or come back, MSU is scoring runs late in games. With six "big innings" in the sixth inning or later this year, MSU is outscoring opponents 57-17 in innings 6-9.
Shutout Streak
In wins over Auburn, Troy and Illinois State, Michigan State recorded three consecutive shutouts for the first time in the program's history since 1979. It wasn't until the seventh inning of the following game against Florida Gulf Coast that MSU gave up a run to end the streak of 33 straight innings without giving up a run.
Continued Success Under Head Coach Jake Boss
In his eighth season as head coach, Jake Boss Jr. has led MSU to six straight 30-win seasons on top of winning his 200th game in the Green and White last season.
Spartans Drafted
MSU had eight players drafted in the 2015 MLB Draft, the most in school history. The previous high for Spartans selected in one MLB Draft was five, which last happened in 2002.
Draft Prospects
Junior right-hander Walter Borkovich was picked as the sixth-best prospect in the Big Ten by D-1 Baseball while Cam Vieaux was selected ninth. In addition to having prospects for the 2016 draft, sophomores Alex Troop (5th), Jake Lowery (9th) and Ethan Landon (10th) were listed as top prospect for the 2017 draft. Freshman infielder Marty Bechina was also ranked No. 8 on the list of Impact Freshman in the Big Ten.
Johnny Bench Award Watch List
Catcher Chad Roskelly has been named to the Johnny Bench Award Watch List. The award is given annually to the top division one catcher. After being named to the Freshman All-Big Ten team last year, Roskelly is hitting .389 so far this season.
Bechina B1G Freshman of the Week
Third baseman Marty Bechina was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the week of February 22. The Chicago, Illinois, native hit .538 in his first weekend of collegiate baseball, going 7-for-13 with six runs and four RBIs.
He is the first MSU position player to be named Freshman of the Week since Jimmy Pickens in 2012.
Up Next
Michigan State plays Oakland in a midweek matchup on Tuesday before welcoming Oregon for a weekend series at McLane Baseball Stadium.
