Friday, February 14
Shipyard Park | Charleston, SC
4 PM ET
Michigan State University
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Photo by: Ben Clemens
Erla, Ahn Spark 15-3 Valentine’s Day Victory For MSU Over Morehead State Friday
2/14/2020 9:42:00 PM | Baseball
Spartans win battle of MSUs, 15-3; Erla fires career-high 11 Ks, Ahn goes 4-6 with four RBI.
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Behind Mason Erla's arm and Peter Ahn's bat, Michigan State opened the 2020 season with a 15-3 over Morehead State Friday evening at Shipyard Park in Charleston, S.C. in the first-ever meeting of the two MSUs.
Michigan State has won six of its last seven season-openers, improving to 10-2 under head coach Jake Boss Jr.
The Spartans belted 22 hits and scored at least one run in each of the first six innings, highlighted by four-run innings in the second and fifth frames. Michigan State's 15 runs were the most since scoring 17 vs. Nebraska on April 7, 2018 and the 22 hits were the most since rapping 23 hits at Abilene Christian on Feb. 18, 2017, the second game of that season.
"I'm really proud of our guys. I thought we played extremely well today. We swung the bats very well," Boss said. "We still have some things we need to work on, but overall, it was a really, really good first day."
Erla secured the really, really good first day by firing a career-high 11 strikeouts in 7.0 innings, including striking out the side in the opening inning, on the way to four-straight Ks, and also striking out the side in the fourth around a two-out walk, and in the sixth. The junior right-hander didn't yield a hit until the third, and didn't face more than four batters in an inning twice, while also retiring Morehead State three-up, three-down in the fifth on another double play, after getting an earlier twin-killing in the third. Erla allowed two hits in the third and two in the seventh, until departing after seven innings, with the score 15-1.
"Mason Erla did what a number one, Friday night guy, should do. He was just dominate, striking out a career-high 11 guys," Boss said. "He was just really in control the whole way."
The Spartan hurler appears to have a flair for the dramatic in pitching on holidays, as the 11 strikeouts tops Erla's previous career-high of nine, done on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2018 vs. Niagara. The 7.0 IP and four hits allowed was the most and fewest, respectively, since going 9.0 IP and yielding just two hits vs. Indiana State last season on April 5.
Ahn, the Spartans' leadoff hitter was 4-for-6 at the plate, getting hits in his first four at bats, including opening with a double. The sophomore first baseman was a home run away from the cycle, going in sequential order of a double, triple, single and double, before finally being retired for the first time in the sixth. Ahn ended with a triple, two doubles and a single, driving in four RBI and scoring three runs. Last season, he was hitless in just eight at bats and scored two runs.
"Peter Ahn was just outstanding today. A couple freshmen got their first college hits today in Jack Frank and Dillon Kark, but everybody from top to bottom in the order I thought swung the bats really well," Boss said. "I thought we had good approaches at the plate, I think we were tough outs, especially with two strikes, and got a lot of production out of our offense."
Frank and Kark made their Spartan starting debuts, with Frank starting in right and Kark at shortstop. Frank went 3-for-6 with two RBI, while Kark was 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Both also made defensive plays, with Frank chasing down five fly balls in right, while Kark had two putouts and two assists, and was part of a nice double-play with senior second baseman Bailey Peterson in the third. With runners on the corners with only one out, Peterson made a diving stop on a chopper bound for the outfield, snared it and flipped to Kark at second for one out and the freshman had quick hands to catch and fire a frozen rope to Ahn at first to complete the double play.
Eight of the nine Spartan starters in the lineup had at least one hit, with senior outfielder Bryce Kelley joining Ahn with four hits, going 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. Peterson was 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored, while junior third baseman Zach Iverson was 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Junior catcher Adam Proctor was 1-for-1 with three walks and three runs scored, while junior outfielder Danny Gleaves was 1-for-3 with two runs. Senior pinch-hitter Andrew Morrow was 1-for-1 with an RBI double.
Ahn's two doubles and a triple were half of Michigan State's six extra-base hits, as Frank, Morrow and Kark each also had a double.
Gleaves swiped two bases, stealing second and third in the second inning, while Kelly, Peterson and Frank all had a stolen base apiece.
Junior reliever Zac Bianucci pitched the eighth, while Iverson moved to the mound from third in the ninth, with sophomore Trevor Hopman replacing him at third. Sophomores Scott Combs and Casey Mayes got in on the action at catcher and left field, respectively, while freshman outfielder Zach Hopman replaced Gleaves in center in the seventh.
Morehead State was led by Jon Burghardt and Peyton Dillingham both going 2-for3 with Burghardt adding a run scored and Dillingham driving in two, while Logan Goodnight was 2-for-5. The Spartans chased Eagles' starting pitcher Jason Goe after 3.1 IP, rapping 11 hits and scoring eight runs off him. Matt Bettio pitched 2.2 IP, yielding 10 hits and seven runs, while Zack Smith pitched 2.0 IP without giving up a run.
Michigan State and Morehead State continue their four-game season-opening series with a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 15 starting at 12 p.m., with a concert at Shipyard Park to follow Saturday night. The Spartans and Eagles wrap up the series with a single game on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 12 p.m.
Fans can follow the action with live stats and listen live links at MSUSpartans.com.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Erla, Mason (1-0)
L: GOE,Jason (0-1)
Batting:
2B: BURGHARDT,Jon 1
RBI: DILLINGHAM,Peyton 2
Base Running:
RUNS: BURGHARDT,Jon 1 ; PETRUCELLI,Tim 1 ; GARDNER,Jack 1
HBP: LAYNE,Ryan 1 ; GARDNER,Jack 1
Batting:
2B: Ahn, Peter 2 ; Frank, Jack 1 ; Morrow, Andrew 1 ; Kark, Dillon 1
3B: Ahn, Peter 1
RBI: Ahn, Peter 4 ; Kelley, Bryce 2 ; Peterson, Bailey 4 ; Frank, Jack 2 ; Morrow, Andrew 1 ; Iverson, Zach 1 ; Kark, Dillon 1
SF: Peterson, Bailey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ahn, Peter 3 ; Kelley, Bryce 2 ; Peterson, Bailey 2 ; Iverson, Zach 1 ; Gleaves, Danny 2 ; Proctor, Adam 3 ; Kark, Dillon 2
SB: Kelley, Bryce 1 ; Peterson, Bailey 1 ; Frank, Jack 1 ; Gleaves, Danny 2
Game Leaders
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RBI
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RBI
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/ BaseballPursuit to Greatness | Spartans All-Access
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