Michigan State University Athletics
Baseball Hits the Road for Weekend Series vs. Purdue
4/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
| Michigan State (26-3, 5-1 B1G) vs.Purdue (4-25, 0-9 B1G) | |
| Game 1 | Friday, April 15 --6:30 p.m. |
| Location | West Lafayette, Indiana | Alexander Field |
| Game Notes | Michigan State |
| Probable Pitching Matchup | Purdue: RHP Gavin Downs (0-2, 6.21 ERA) vs. MSU: LHP Cam Vieaux (5-1, 1.38 ERA) |
| Coverage | Live Stats | Listen - Spartan Sports Network |
| Game 2 | Saturday, April 16 - 4 p.m. |
| Probable Pitching Matchup | Purdue: RHP Matt Frawley (1-2, 2.87 ERA)vs. MSU: RHP Ethan Landon (3-1, 2.21 ERA) |
| Coverage | Live Stats | Listen - Spartan Sports Network |
| Game 3 | Sunday, April 17 - 1 p.m. |
| Probable Pitching Matchup | Purdue: RHP Shane Bryant (0-2, 6.26 ERA) vs. MSU: RHP Walter Borkovich (4-1, 4.54 ERA) |
| Coverage | Live Stats | Listen - Spartan Sports Network |
Historic Start
At 23-6 heading into the weekend, MSU is off to its best start in school history since the 1971 club started 24-5. Previous to this season, Michigan State's best start under head coach Jake Boss through 29 games was in 2011 when they started 21-8. The 2016 Spartans are in good company, as both the '71 and '11 clubs went on to win the Big Ten title.
With a 5-1 start in the Big Ten, the Spartans now chase that 2011 team, which started 9-1 in Big Ten play.
MSU finished 7-1 on its spring break trip to give them a 13-1 record, 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 currently sit at 29 in the RPI, their highest of the season to date.
Making Them Earn It
MSU leads the Big Ten and is fourth in the nation with a 2.36 ERA. Reliever Dakota Mekkes (1.21) and starter Cam Vieaux (1.38) rank first and second in the Big Ten, while Vieaux qualifies for the national average and ranks 24th. Saturday starter Ethan Landon also sits in the top 10 of the conference with a 2.21 ERA.
Balanced Attack
Coupled with a pitching staff that leads the Big Ten in ERA is an offensive unit that is second in the conference in batting average at .309 and third in on-base percentage at .383.
With 15 games of double-digit hits, including each of the last three, the Spartans average 10.7 hits per game. MSU has outhit its opponents in 20 games this season and is 19-1 in such games, as opposed to just 3-4 record when outhit by the opponent.
The high-powered offensive attack paired with the shutdown pitching staff has led to the Spartans outscoring opponents by a total of 183-92 for the season. Michigan State is 23-2 when scoring more than two runs in a game and is 13-2 when scoring first.
Spartan Strikeouts
Michigan State pitchers struck out a season-high 15 batters in Wednesday's 14-inning win over Central Michigan. MSU ranks third in the conference with 254 strikeouts and the Spartans have posted 10 or more strikeouts in 11 games this season to average 8.7 K's per nine innings.
For comparison, the 2015 Spartans that set the school record for most strikeouts in a season (409) had 215 through 29 games.
Starter Cam Vieaux and reliever Dakota Mekkes are both in the top five of the Big Ten in Ks, with Vieaux ranking third with 51 strikeouts and Mekkes tied for fourth with 50. Mekkes has struck out 50 batters in just 29.2innings, resulting in a 15.41 Ks per nine innings rate that is the best in the nation.
MSU has sent down 79 batters looking to rank second in the Big Ten. Vieaux paces the team and is second in the conference with 17, while Mekkes has 16 and closer Joe Mockbee has 14 backwards K's to rank ninth.
Zimmerman Does it All
First baseman Jordan Zimmerman is in the midst of a 22-game streak of reaching base safely. His 21-game hitting streak came to an end on Wednesday night after going 0-for-4 with three walks and a run scored. His 21-game hitting streak is the third longest in school history and is tied for the second longest in the country this season.
During the current 22-game tear, the junior is batting .469 with a .564 OBP and .691 slugging percentage with 22 runs scored and 16 RBIs.
Zimmerman has a hit in 26 of 29 games this season, including 16 games of multiple hits while also scoring a run in 23 games.
The junior 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 (.427, 1st), slugging percentage (.627, 3rd), on-base percentage (.526, 2nd), runs (32, 4th), hits (47, 6th), total bases (69, T-5th), doubles (10, T-3rd) and stolen bases (10, T-8th).
After starting at second base in 14 games to start the season, he made the switch to first base where he's started in 13 games.
About Purdue
MSU leads the all-time series with Purdue, 80-71, and have won four of the last five contests between the two teams. The Boilermakers are 4-29 on the season and 0-9 in the Big Ten play and are currently on a 14-game losing streak.
Purdue is led by Cody Strong and Kyle Johnson who each hit .314 and have started in 29 games. Kyle Wood leads the team and is third in the Big Ten with 25 RBIs. RHP Matt Frawley leads Boilers rotation with a 2.87 era and will get the start on Saturday.
Detroit Marathon
Michigan State is coming off of a 14-inning marathon vs. Central Michigan in the annual Clash at Comerica. The Spartans defeated CMU, 7-3, after a four-run top of the 14th. The 4:38 minute game lasted 14 innings and was the longest game for MSU since 2012 when the Spartans defeated Seton Hall, 4-3, in a 15-inning game that lasted 5:40.
Vieaux From the Top
Friday starter Cam Vieaux is having arguably his best season after deciding to return to MSU after being drafted last season. The lefty is 5-1 with a 1.38 ERA that leads all starting pitchers in the Big Ten. Vieaux has allowed just eight earned runs in 52.0 innings of work and has 51 strikeouts to just 10 walks.
MSU is 7-1 as a team in Vieaux's eight starts this season and the Spartans are outscoring opponents 49-16 in those games.
Reliable Relievers
If MSU holds a lead late in games, it's meant good things for the club, as the Spartans are 20-0 when leading after six innings. Michigan State has allowed only 16 runs all season in the eighth and ninth innings and MSU is outscoring its opponents 99-32 after the fifth inning.
The lockdown bullpen has allowed just 27 earned runs in 103.1 innings of work, good for a 2.35 ERA.
Spartan relievers have struck out 134 batters to only 50 walks this season and the group has combined for a 9-2 record with eight saves.
M&M Combo
Relievers Dakota Mekkes and Joe Mockbee are the two arms out of the bullpen that Coach Boss likes to call on most. Mekkes leads the team and is fourth in the Big Ten with 17 appearances while Mockbee's 14 appearances are tied for ninth. The two have combined for all nine of MSU's saves, with Mockbee's five saves tied for the fifth most in the conference.
Mekkes has allowed just one earned run in the last 17.1 innings of work while striking out 31 batters, while Mockbee has allowed two earned runs in the last 17 innings with 28 strikeouts.
Mockbee is coming off a season-high in both innings pitched (4.0) and strikeouts (7) vs. Central Michigan on Wednesday.
Offensive Output
MSU has gotten production from up and down the lineup, leading to an average of 6.3 runs per game. Five everyday starters bat above.300, while eight players have 10 or more RBIs for a team that ranks second in the Big Ten in batting average (.309), fourth in slugging percentage (.422) and third in OBP (.383).
Jordan Zimmerman leads the charge with 16 multiple hit games while Brandon Hughes and Dan Durkin have 12 such games. Six players on the team have four (or more) games of multiple RBIs, led by Brandon Hughes, who has six such games and has knocked in a team-best 20 runs.
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 Marty Bechina has started in all 29 games for the Spartans as a dynamic puzzle piece, seeing action at third base, left field, center field and designated hitter. Fellow freshman Royce Ando has started in all but one game at shortstop, while four other starting spots in the field are currently filled by transfers. Matt Byars has started in 28 games behind the plate, Jordan Zimmerman has started in every game for MSU and Kris Simonton and Taylor Grace both hold down outfield spots as transfers.
Saturday starter Ethan Landon is also a transfer in his first year in the Green and White and is 3-1 with a 2.21 ERA.
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 plays host to Notre Dame on Tuesday and Western Michigan on Wednesday with both games starting at 3:05 p.m. at McLane Baseball Stadium. The Spartans then welcome Indiana to town for a three-game weekend series, starting Friday at 3:05 p.m.
