Michigan State University Athletics
Baseball Takes On Oregon in Weekend Series
3/31/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
| Michigan State (18-4, 3-0 B1G) vs. Oregon (11-9, 1-2 PAC 12) | |
| Game 1 | Friday, April 1 -- 3:05 p.m. |
| Location | East Lansing | McLane Baseball Stadium |
| Promotions | Kids run the bases post-game |
| Game Notes | Oregon | Michigan State |
| Probable Pitching Matchup | LHP Cole Irvin (2-2, 2.66 ERA) vs. LHP Cam Vieaux (4-1, 1.46 ERA) |
| Watch: | BTN + |
| Coverage | Live Stats | Listen - Spartan Sports Network |
| Game 2 | Saturday, April 2 - 1:05 p.m. |
| Probable Pitching Matchup | LHP Matt Krook (2-1, 2.12 ERA) vs. RHP Ethan Landon (2-1, 2.12 ERA) |
| Watch: | BTN + |
| Coverage | Live Stats | Listen - Spartan Sports Network |
| Game 3 | Sunday, April 3 - 12:05 p.m. |
| Probable Pitching Matchup | TBA vs. RHP Walter Borkovich (4-1, 4.36 ERA) |
| Coverage | Live Stats | Listen - Spartan Sports Network |
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State baseball team welcomes Oregon to East Lansing this weekend for a three-game set. The Spartans are off to one of the best starts in school history with an 18-4 record and are 3-0 in Big Ten play after sweeping Rutgers last weekend. The series with the Ducks will begin on Friday at 3:05 with game two on Saturday at 1:05 before the series wraps up on Sunday at 12:05. All games will be on BTN Plus (subscription required).
• Junior first baseman Jordan Zimmerman enters the weekend riding a 15-game hitting streak, batting .491 with 15 runs and 13 RBI during the stretch. The transfer from Mesa Community College, who has a hit in 20 of 22 games this year, leads the Big Ten in batting average (.429) and is third in on-base percentage (.515) and runs scored (25), along with leading the team in hits (36), doubles (8), RBI (16) and stolen bases (9).
• Michigan State's pitching staff leads the way in the Big Ten with a 2.31 ERA, which ranks eighth in the country. The Spartans rank third in the conference with 193 strikeouts and have posted 10 or more strikeouts in eight games this season, including seven of the last 11.
• MSU's bullpen has been lockdown all season long, allowing just 18 earned runs in 69.2 innings of work, including just four earned runs in the last 29.1 innings. Spartan relievers have struck out 98 batters to only 32 walks this season and have allowed more than one run in a game only three times. The group has combined for a 6-0 record with seven saves while posting a 2.33 ERA.
• Michigan State entered the week ranking in the top 10 in the NCAA in both batting average (.325, 8th) and ERA (2.27, 9th) for the third week in a row and is just one of two teams to rank in the top 10 of each category (Louisville). After their midweek game, the Spartans dropped to 12th in batting average (.321).
• Spartan relief pitcher Dakota Mekkes was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week after earning the first two saves of his career last weekend. In total, Mekkes struck out nine batters in 4.2 innings while allowing just one walk and three hits for the week. The righty is 0.2 innings from meeting Big Ten qualifying numbers, but would rank third in ERA at 1.27 and he holds opposing batters to a conference-low .092 average. For the season, he has struck out 39 batters in 21.1 innings, good for a 16.45 Ks per-nine-innings rate that is the best in the country.
• MSU ranks second in the Big Ten with a .321 batting average and .388 on-base percentage. The high-powered Spartan offense is outscoring opponents by a total of 142-69 on the season.
• Friday starter Cam Vieaux has won each of his last three starts, including a season-high 10 strikeout performance at USF (3/18). Vieaux ranks fourth in the Big Ten with a 1.46 ERA and his 34 Ks on the year is the seventh most. The lefty has allowed just six earned runs spanning 37.0 innings of work.
About Oregon
Oregon brings an 11-9 record into its game Thursday night at Notre Dame. The Ducks come to East Lansing as part of a home-and-home series with MSU that saw the Spartans go to Eugene last season. It was the first time the two programs ever met, with Michigan State sweeping the series (2-1, 9-4, 7-4).
The Ducks are led by Tim Susnara who is hitting .284. Austin Grebeck leads the team with 18 runs scored while A.J. Balta brings the power, leading the team with four home runs and 15 RBIs.
The pitching staff has a 3.12 ERA, good for 30th in the nation, and is holding opponents to an average of just 6.94 hits per game.
After starting the season 8-2, Oregon has been on a slide, losing seven of its last 10 entering Thursday's game.
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.
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 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.
Mekkes Pitcher of the Week
Releif pitcher Dakota Mekkes was been named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week as announced by the conference office on March 28. The righty earned his first save of the season going 2.1 perfect innings and striking out five in a 5-2 win in the first game of the weekend series with Rutgers. He picked up another save on Sunday, pitching the final 1.1 innings as MSU completed a sweep of Rutgers with a 6-5 win. In total, Mekkes struck out nine batters in 4.2 innings while allowing just one walk and three hits for the week.
Mekkes is second in the Big Ten in ERA at 1.27 and he holds opposing batters to a conference-low .092 average. His 39 strikeouts are the second most in the Big Ten despite just 21.1 innings of work on the season in which he has only allowed six hits. The redshirt sophomore hasn't allowed a run his last six appearances out of the bullpen, spanning nine innings.
The last Big Ten Pitcher of the Week for Michigan State was Mick VanVossen on April 27, 2015.
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 five saves so far to rank third in the Big Ten. His 11 appearances are the eighth most in the big ten and he's allowed a run in three of those 11 appearances.
Reliable Relievers
If MSU holds a lead late in games, it's meant good things for the club, as the Spartans are 15-0 when leading after six innings. Michigan State has allowed only nine runs all season in the eighth and ninth innings and MSU is outscoring its opponents 72-20 in innings 6-9.
The lockdown bullpen has allowed just 18 earned runs in 69.2 innings of work, including just four earned runs in the last 29.1 innings. Spartan relievers have struck out 98 batters to only 32 walks this season and have allowed more than one run in a game only three times. The group has combined for a 6-0 record with seven saves while posting a 2.33 ERA. The Michigan State bullpen has worked 59.1 innings and allowed 16 earned runs, good for a 2.42 ERA.
The first option out of the bullpen all season long has been right hander Dakota Mekkes. His 12 appearances are the most on the team and third most in the Big Ten. The redshirt sophomore has been a shutdown pitcher for the Spartans, as he's allowed just six hits in 21.1innings of work. Batters are hitting .092 against Mekkes, who has struck out 39 batters to rank second in the conference.
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.
Balanced Offensive Attack
Michigan State is averaging 6.45 runs per game with seven players recording 10 or more RBIs so far this season. Six starters are batting better than .300 for a team that is second in the league in batting average and second in on-base percentage.
As a team, MSU has 12 games of double digit hits and the Spartans are 16-0 this season when outhitting their opponent.
Jordan Zimmerman leads the charge with 11 multiple hit games while freshman Marty Bechina has 10 such games. Bechina has notched two hits in each of the last three games.
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 22 games and appears on the Big Ten leaderboard in several categories.
Zimmerman is leads the conference in batting average at .429 and ranks third in oth on-base percentage (.515) and runs scored (25). He's also fourth in hits with 36 and nine stolen bases are fourth.
After starting at second base in 14 games, he made the switch to first base where he's started in six games.
Currently, Zimmerman is riding a 15-game hitting streak and has 11 games this season with multiple hits.
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.
Freshman Royce Ando and Marty Bechina have each started in all 22 games for the Spartans.
Junior Matt Byars is another newcomer who has started in 21 games. The transfer from Heartland Community College has been solid behind the plate, holding opposing teams to just 11 stolen bases, the second lowest mark in the Big Ten.
Three other spots in the field are filled by transfers, with Zimmerman at first, Kris Simonton in right, and Taylor Grace in the outfield who has started in each of the last five games for MSU.
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.
Up Next
Michigan State takes on Eastern Michigan at home on Tuesday at 3:05 before squaring off with the Lansing Lugnuts in the Cross Town Showdown on Wednesday. The game will take place at Cooley Law Stadium with the first pitch at 7:05.
