MSU Topped By UM Sunday In Series Finale

March 25, 2018

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan State baseball lost to Michigan on Sunday afternoon in the third and final game of the home-and-home series at Ray Fisher Stadium by an 11-0 score.

UM 11, MSU 0 Box Score

The Spartans suffered defeat in their opening Big Ten Conference weekend series, sliding to 6-16 overall and 0-3 in B1G play. The Wolverines improved to 12-11 overall and 3-0 in league action. This weekend was the earliest meeting between MSU and UM in the historic rivalry, and only the second series in the previous 311 meetings to be played in March, joining the 2011 series that was played March 25-27.

Sophomore left fielder Bryce Kelley led MSU at the plate going 3-for-4, and swiping one base, as he continues to lead the Big Ten with his 16th stolen base of the season. Freshman shortstop Ryan King was 2-for-3, as the Spartans had nine hits on the day, but just couldn't get one when needed it to drive in some runs.

"We had nine hits, but we couldn't get a timely one it seems like. It feels like we're one swing away, we're kind of waiting for something to happen, where everybody can kind of take a deep breath and get an RBI early in the game, and then everybody can kind of relax a little bit, but unfortunately, that didn't happen today. We had some opportunities early, but we couldn't take advantage of them, and they did," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said.

Redshirt-freshman pitcher Mason Erla had his three-game win streak snapped, going 5.0 innings, scattering 10 hits and got tagged for six runs, while striking out four and walking three. With the loss, Erla is now 3-1 on the season.

The Wolverines scored two in the first innings, adding two more in the third and fourth frames before erupting for four runs in the sixth and adding a run in the seventh. UM rapped out 15 hits.

The Spartans tried to get something going in the second inning, getting two on with only one out after a walk by King and a single by Kelley, both moving up with a groundout, but the rally fizzled with a strikeout.

MSU again had a rally going in the sixth, loading the bases on three singles, but was unable to drive in a run as the threat was thwarted by a strikeout.

"This is a great group of kids, it's not for a lack of trying by any means. The attitude has been great in the dugout. I do think it's a confident group, but we need to guard against now that we've been struggling for the last week, week-and-a-half, we just need somebody to get us that big knock where everybody can take a deep breath and then it happen," Boss said. "I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'll go compete with these guys any time and any where. It's a great group of kids. I feel for them because they're frustrated and understandably so, but we'll get back to work and get ready for Western on Wednesday."

Michigan State opens a 12-game homestand at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field, kicking off with its third-straight in-state foe, taking on Western Michigan on Wednesday, March 28 at 3:05 p.m. The Spartans then host Rutgers in the three-game B1G series, Friday-Sunday, March 30-April 1. Friday's game is slated for 3:05 p.m., with Saturday and Sunday scheduled for first pitch at 1:05 p.m. both days.

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Team Stats

Bryce Kelley

Ryan King

Zach Iverson

Dan Chmielewski

Players Mentioned

Mason Erla

Bryce Kelley

Ryan King