Michigan State University
31-13, 0
Nebraska
30-17, 0
Spartans Falter in Series Finale vs. Nebraska
5/9/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
EAST LANSING - The Michigan State baseball team came up short in its attempt to take two of three games from Nebraska, falling 7-4 to the Huskers on Monday afternoon at McLane Stadium. Nebraska pitcher Jake Meyers scattered seven hits over eight complete innings as the Spartans worked from behind nearly all day were never able to maintain a sustained offensive threat.
"We didn't execute well," said MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. "We didn't execute on the mound or offensively and a lot of the details were missed. When you play a good ballclub and that happens, you're not going to win."
Nebraska (30-17, 11-7) never trailed in the game and scored its first run in the top of the second with the help of two straight singles to start the inning and then an RBI double by Jake Placzek.
The Cornhuskers added to their lead in the top of the third with two runs, both with two outs. Ben Miller drove in the first run with an RBI double and then a fielding error by starting pitcher Cam Vieaux allowed Miller to score, making it 3-0.
The Spartans (31-13, 11-7) answered in the bottom of the third on an RBI fielder's choice by Brandon Hughes to make it 3-1.
Nebraska put a stranglehold on the game with a three-run top of the fifth inning to take a 6-1 lead. The pitcher Meyers helped his cause with an RBI double for the first run, while a bases-loaded single by Luis Alvarado into right field and an RBI fielder's choice extended the lead.
The top of the fifth inning also spelled the end of the day for Vieaux (6-3) as Jake Lowery took over and recorded the final two outs.
A wild pitch from Lowery in the top of the seventh made it 7-1 in favor of the Huskers.
Meyers retired 10 of 13 Spartans before a leadoff single by Justin Hovis to start the bottom of the eighth. Jordan Zimmerman made it a 7-3 game later in the inning with a two-run, line drive homer over the left field wall.
The Spartans' first two hitters reached base to start the bottom of the ninth, but Nebraska closer Chad Luensmann quickly halted the rally, retiring all three batters he faced. Dan Chmielewski was able to bring in the Spartans' lone run of the frame with an RBI groundout to make the final score 7-4.
Lowery and Keegan Baar combined to pitch the final 4.2 innings, holding Nebraska to one run on four hits.
The Spartans will travel to Kalamazoo on Tuesday to take on Western Michigan at 3 p.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Meyers, J. (4-1)
L: Vieaux, Cam (6-3)
S: Luensmann, C (11)
Batting:
2B: Meyers, J. 1 ; Miller, B. 1 ; Placzek, J. 1
RBI: Meyers, J. 1 ; Miller, B. 1 ; Alvarado, L. 1 ; Placzek, J. 2
SH: Fish, T. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Reveles, S. 1 ; Meyers, J. 3 ; Miller, B. 3
SB: Reveles, S. 1 ; Placzek, J. 1
CS: Meyers, J. 1
HBP: Miller, B. 1
Batting:
HR: Zimmerman, Jordan 1
RBI: Hughes, Brandon 1 ; Zimmerman, Jordan 2 ; Chmielewski, Dan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Zimmerman, Jordan 1 ; Byars, Matt 1 ; Chmielewski, Dan 1 ; Hovis, Justin 1
HBP: McGuire, Zack 1
