Michigan State University
4-4, 4-4
Northwestern
5-3, 5-3
MSU Nipped By Northwestern On Walk-Off HR Sunday
3/14/2021 6:52:00 PM | Baseball
Spartans come back from 3-0 deficit before Wildcats win on three-run walk-off HR.
MSU came back from a 3-0 deficit after the third inning, taking a 5-3 lead in the top of the seventh on a three-run home run by senior outfielder Joe Stewart. However, Northwestern's Shawn Goosenberg hit a three-run walk-off home run for the 7-5 Wildcats' win of not just the game, but also the series at three games to one.
"We're very disappointed with the series loss this weekend," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "Credit Northwestern, as they attacked the baseball offensively and took advantage of the mistakes we made. We had our chances and played hard all weekend, and I'm proud of our guys for that. At the end of the day, we need to be better offensively, defensively and on the mound."
Michigan State levels its record at 4-4, while Northwestern improved to 5-3.
HOME RUN JOE STEWART over the Green Monster!@joestew5 blasts a 3-run HR over the Green Monster of Fluor Field, home of the @GreenvilleDrive and the Spartans now lead Northwestern, 5-3 in T7th, after being down 3-0!!
— Michigan State Baseball (@statebaseball) March 14, 2021
What a memorable 1st career HR for Stewart!!
⚾️#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/9lJw0VAKOG
Stewart belted his first career HR in the seventh, over the Green Monster of Fluor Field, that came after making a nice sliding catch in center field on a line drive, thwarting a Northwestern threat as the Wildcats had runners on second and third with only one out. Stewart was 2-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored, while fellow senior outfielder Bryce Kelley was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored.Â
Senior designated hitter Bailey Peterson was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and walk, while redshirt-freshman catcher Gabe Sotres was 1-for-4 with one RBI. Freshman infielders Trent Farquhar and Mitch Jebb were both 1-for-3, with Farquhar drawing two walks. Sophomore outfielder Zaid Walker was 1-for-5 with a run scored, while junior infielder/pitcher Zach Iverson was 1-for-4.Stew says no!@joestew5 makes a niiiiiice sliding catch to end 6th, after Northwestern had runners on 2nd & 3rd w/ 1 out, but a strikeout and Stewart's catch thwart the threat.
— Michigan State Baseball (@statebaseball) March 14, 2021
End of 6: NU 3, MSU 2
⚾️#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/xMazqTZcpx
On the mound, freshman pitcher Nick Powers started and went 4.1 IP with five strikeouts, scattering five hits while yielding three runs and one walk. Junior pitcher Jordan Beatson, who is from nearby Columbia, SC and played at Furman before transferring to MSU and was familiar with playing at Fluor Field, came on in relief and went 2.2 IP with two Ks, with three hits, one run and one walk. Iverson came on to start the eighth, going 1.0 IP and was dealt the tough-luck loss.Â
MSU will play its first games in the state of Michigan since Sept. 3, 2019, when the Spartans play Illinois and Michigan in the Ann Arbor pod next weekend, March 19-22, taking on the Illini in two games and the Wolverines in two games. The Spartans will open up against Illinois on Saturday, March 20 at 4 p.m. Â MSU will then play a split-opponent doubleheader on Sunday, March 21, taking on Illinois at Noon, followed by Michigan at 4 p.m., then wrapping up the weekend with Michigan on Monday, March 22 at 4 p.m.
Michigan State's last game in the Mitten State was the Crosstown Showdown vs. the Lansing Lugnuts on Sept. 3, 2019 at then-Cooley Law School Stadium (now Jackson Field).
The Spartans' last college game was on May 18, 2019 against No. 23 Illinois on MSU's Senior Day.Â
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Boeckle, Garrett (1-0)
L: Iverson, Zach (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Iverson, Zach 1 ; Peterson, Bailey 1
HR: Stewart, Joe 1
RBI: Kelley, Bryce 1 ; Stewart, Joe 3 ; Sotres, Gabe 1
SH: Jebb, Mitch 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Kelley, Bryce 1 ; Stewart, Joe 1 ; Walker, Zaid 1 ; Peterson, Bailey 2
SB: Walker, Zaid 1 ; Sotres, Gabe 1
PO: Kelley, Bryce 1
Batting:
2B: Calarco, Anthony 2 ; Goosenberg, Shawn 2 ; Dunn, David 1
HR: Goosenberg, Shawn 1 ; Hrustich, Stephen 1
RBI: Calarco, Anthony 1 ; Goosenberg, Shawn 4 ; Hrustich, Stephen 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Calarco, Anthony 3 ; Goosenberg, Shawn 1 ; Hrustich, Stephen 1 ; Kaplan, Leo 1 ; O'Donnell, Ethan 1
CS: Dunn, David 1
PO: Livermore, Tony 1
