Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan, Clash at Comerica on Tap for Spartan Baseball
4/11/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
| Michigan State (21-6, 5-1 B1G) vs. Michigan (21-8, 3-2 B1G) | |
| Probable Pitching Matchup | MSU - LHP Keegan Baar (0-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. UM -- LHP Evan Hill (4-1, 3.08) |
| Date, Time | Tuesday, April 12 - 4 p.m. |
| Location | East Lansing, Mich. | McLane Baseball Stadium |
| Overall Stats | Michigan State | UM |
| Coverage | | Listen - Spartan Sports Network |
| Michigan State (21-6, 5-1 B1G) vs. Central Michigan (7-25, 2-4 MAC) | |
| Probable Pitching Matchup | MSU - TBD vs. CMU - RHP Dazon Cole (1-1, 3.86 ERA) |
| Date, Time | Wednesday, April 13 - 7:05 p.m. |
| Location | Detroit, Mich. | Comerica Park |
| Overall Stats | Michigan State | CMU |
| Coverage | | Listen - Spartan Sports Network |
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State baseball team (21-6, 5-1 B1G) has a pair of midweek games, starting on Tuesday when it hosts Michigan at 4 p.m. at McLane Baseball Stadium. The Spartans then head to Detroit to take on Central Michigan in the annual Clash at Comerica on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday's contest vs. Michigan is an added game to the original schedule to make up for lost games due to weather and will count as a non-conference matchup.
Midweek Quick Hitters
• The Spartans are led by a balanced attack, ranking second in the Big Ten in batting average (.311) while their 2.36 ERA leads the conference. The combination has resulted in MSU outscoring its opponents by a total of 165-84 for the season.
• First baseman Jordan Zimmerman has been a dynamic addition to the Spartan lineup, as the transfer from Mesa, Arizona, does it all, ranking in the top 10 in the Big Ten in batting average (.437, 1st), slugging percentage (.641, 3rd), on-base percentage (.521, 2nd), runs (29, 4th), hits (45, 7th), total bases (66, T-7th) and doubles (9, T-7th).
• Zimmerman is in the midst of a 20-game hitting streak in which he's hitting .486 with 19 runs and 15 RBIs. He's recorded a hit in 25 of 27 games for the Spartans this season, resulting in his conference-leading .437 batting average. Zimmerman had a stretch of 10 consecutive games with a run scored end on Sunday, and the junior has scored a run in 22 games this season.
• With 14 games of double-digit hits, the Spartans are averaging just fewer than 11 hits per game (10.7). MSU has outhit its opponents in 19 games this season and is 18-1 in such games. As a team, Michigan State hits .311 to rank second in the Big Ten while its .382 on-base percentage ranks fourth.
• MSU has gotten production from up and down the lineup, as five Spartan starters bat better than .300 while seven players have 13 RBIs (or more). Michigan State has four players (Zimmerman, Durkin, Hughes, Bechina) who have recorded 10 or more multiple hit games so far this season.
• Spartan relievers have been solid all season, allowing 24 earned runs while striking out 118 in 89.0 innings of work, including just six earned runs in the last 40.2 innings of work. The group has combined for a 7-2 record with eight saves while posting a 2.43 ERA.
About Michigan
All-Time Series: Michigan leads 197-104-2
Last Meeting: MSU 4, UM 1, April 14, 2015, Detroit, Mich.
Michigan enters Tuesday's contest with a 21-8 record and 3-2 mark in Big Ten play. The Wolverines rank third in the conference in batting average (.311) and ERA (2.36). UM leads the all-time series vs MSU, but the Spartans own 8-6 advantage over the in-state rival under head coach Jake Boss Jr.
Harrison Wenson leads the team and is second in the conference with 32 RBIs on the season, while Jake Bivens ranks eighth in batting average at .373.
About the Central Michigan
All-Time Series: CMU leads, 66-59
Last Meeting: MSU 4, CMU 1, March 23, 2016
Wednesday's meeting will be the 126th between the two clubs, with CMU owning a 66-59 advantage in the all-time series. The Spartans have won 11 of the last 15 games dating back to 2011, including a 2-1 mark against the Chippewa's last season. Since Boss took over in 2009, MSU owns a 14-8 record against Central.
The Chippewas enter Wednesday's contest with a 7-25 record and a 2-4 mark in the MAC. When the two teams met earlier this season in East Lansing, starting pitcher Andrew Gonzalez went five innings and allowed just one earned run as the Spartans defeated CMU, 4-1.
Zack McKinstry leads the offensive attack for the Chips, hitting .352 while Daniel Jipping has a team-high 21 RBI.
Up Next
MSU heads to West Lafayette, Indiana for a series with Purdue starting on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
