Michigan State University
0-4
Fresno State
4-0
Spartans Nipped By Bulldogs, 5-4, Sunday In Series Finale
2/18/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
FRESNO, Calif. -- Michigan State baseball was nipped by the Bulldogs of Fresno State, 5-4, Sunday in the series finale of the three-day, four-game weekend series at Fresno State's Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium.
"We're disappointed losing today's game. I thought we did some good things today," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr., said. "I thought Mason Erla threw well enough to get the win, and I was very, very pleased with Mike Mokma and Mitchell Tyranski today as well out of the bullpen. I'm a little disappointed we didn't play defensively up to our standards and capabilities, and that was a little bit of a tough pill to swallow."
MSU's offense was boosted by a pair of two-run home runs by junior third baseman Marty Bechina and senior first baseman Zack McGuire, who went 2-for-4.
"We got a couple good at-bats out of Marty and Zack, getting the barrel out and showing their power capabilities, so those are some things to build off," Boss said.
Freshman shortstop Ryan King also went 2-for-4, while Bechina was 1-for-4. The sophomore duo of left fielder Bryce Kelley and designated hitter Justin Antoncic were both 1-for-3, both with a run scored and a walk apiece, with Kelley adding a stolen base.
Antoncic finished the weekend going 4-for-8 with three runs, two stolen bases and one RBI, making the first two starts of his Spartan career. He also collected his first collegiate hit, double, RBI and stolen base of his career for the Green and White over the weekend.
"Justin has really been swinging the ball well leading up to this weekend and took advantage of his opportunity and really gave our offense a spark, and put us into position to do some pretty good things," Boss said. "I think offensively as a whole we got better over the weekend, we may not have the numbers to show that, but I think the approach got better, and guys like Justin are good guys to emulate and pay attention to their approach. Hopefully he can continue that and continue to give us momentum going into next weekend."
The Spartans also saw the return of redshirt-freshman pitcher Mason Erla to the mound, after a season-ending injury last February. Erla went 5.0 IP, scattering six hits while yielding four runs, walking one and striking out four.
Michigan State suffered three one-run losses in the four-game weekend series, including a pair of 5-4 losses.
"We're certainly disappointed in the way the weekend went, but we've got a long way to go," Boss said.
The Spartans jumped out a 2-0 lead in the top of the first frame, as Kelley led off the game with a walk and later stole second. Two batters later, Bechina followed with a blast to left center field for his first home run of the season.
MSU's 2-0 lead was short-lived as the Bulldogs rudely welcomed Erla back to action, rapping a leadoff single, before a sac bunt was followed by an RBI single and then a two-run home run to right field by JT Arruda put the home team up 3-2 after the first inning.
Erla settled down in the second and third frames, setting the Bulldogs down in order in the third.
In the fourth, Fresno State scored after a one-out walk by Nick Warren, who then stole second and moved to third on an error. Jeremiah Burks drove Warren in with an RBI single.
The Spartans tied it up at 4-all in the sixth, as Antoncic led off with a double to left and two batters later, McGuire homered to left for his first round-tripper of the opening weekend.
However, the Bulldogs plated the go-ahead run in the home half of the seventh, with Carter Bins lacing an RBI double to left. The Spartans went down in order in both the eighth and ninth innings to end the game.
Michigan State returns to California next weekend for a three-game series at Pepperdine on Friday-Sunday, Feb. 23-25, in the Spartans' first-ever visit to Malibu. MSU and Pepperdine open the weekend on Friday at 5 p.m. ET, before the middle game on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET before the finale on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: SULLIVAN, R. (1-0)
L: Mokma, Mike (0-1)
S: HILL, J. (1)
Batting:
2B: Antoncic, Justin 1
HR: Bechina, Marty 1 ; McGuire, Zack 1
RBI: Bechina, Marty 2 ; McGuire, Zack 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Kelley, Bryce 1 ; Antoncic, Justin 1 ; Bechina, Marty 1 ; McGuire, Zack 1
SB: Kelley, Bryce 1
CS: Kelley, Bryce 1 ; King, Ryan 1
HBP: Chmielewski, Dan 1
Batting:
2B: BINS, C. 1 ; TATUM, M. 1 ; BURKS, J. 1
HR: ARRUDA, JT 1
RBI: BINS, C. 2 ; ARRUDA, JT 2 ; BURKS, J. 1
SH: BATESOLE, K. 1 ; DEMPSEY, N. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: ASHFORD, Z. 1 ; BATESOLE, K. 1 ; BINS, C. 1 ; ARRUDA, JT 1 ; WARREN, N. 1
SB: WARREN, N. 1
