Michigan State University
5-4, 5-4
Illinois
5-6, 5-6
Erla, Spartan Bats, Boost MSU To 11-0 Shutout Over Illinois
3/20/2021 7:48:00 PM | Baseball
MSU pitcher goes 7.0 IP, fires eight Ks; Spartan bats knock out 13 hits.
Saturday was the Spartans' first game in the state of Michigan since Sept. 3, 2019 with the Crosstown Showdown vs. the Lansing Lugnuts. Ironically enough, Illinois was MSU's last college opponent, on May 18, 2019 on the Spartans' Senior Day.
Michigan State improved to 5-4 on the season, while Illinois slid to 5-6 after losing to Michigan, 8-1, earlier Saturday, after the Illini opened the weekend with 7-4 win over the Wolverines on Friday.
𝙑𝙄𝘾𝙏𝙊𝙍𝙔 𝙁𝙊𝙍 𝙈𝙎𝙐!
— Michigan State Baseball (@statebaseball) March 20, 2021
Final score: Michigan State 11, Illinois 0
Spartans knock 13 hits and get a gem from Mason Erla on mound.
MSU and ILL back to diamond Sun, at 12, then MSU vs. Michigan at 4 pm#VictoryForMSU
⚾️#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/TjjiYudZL6
MSU will continue pod play on Sunday, playing a split doubleheader against Illinois and Michigan, squaring off with the Illini at Noon, followed by Michigan at 4 p.m., before wrapping up the weekend Monday with Michigan at 4 p.m.
Erla was dealing on Saturday, firing 7.0 IP with eight strikeouts, yielding just four hits, all singles, and only walking two.
Mason Erla (rhp, @statebaseball) is cruising. Scoreless thru 6. Scattering 4 hits, 1 BB and 7K. Sitting easy 91-94 (t95). Have at least 8 S/M with slider at 83-87. pic.twitter.com/vuMuFTw9qA
— Burke Granger (@burkegranger) March 20, 2021
Michigan State knocked out 13 hits, as eight different Spartans got a hit, with seven of the nine in the lineup, plus one pinch hitter.
Freshman infielder Brock Vradenburg led the way going 3-for-4 with two RBI and run scored, while senior outfielder Bryce Kelley was also 3-for-4, and had two runs scored. Kelley also swiped one stolen base, giving him 77 for his career, and just two shy of tying Anthony Cheky (2012-15) for the school record of 79 stolen bases.
Senior outfielder Joe Stewart was 1-for-5 with three RBI, coming on a bases-loaded three-run double in the seventh, as the Spartans hung a six-spot on the board. Sophomore outfielder Zaid Walker was 1-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, lacing a two-run triple as part MSU's four-run first inning.
The Spartans jumped on the board early, with Kelley starting the rally with a one-out single to center. After senior outfielder Joe Stewart reached on a fielder's choice and Kelley reached second on an Illini error, junior infielder Zach Iverson singled to drive Kelley in with MSU's first run of the game. Michigan State wasn't done as Walker followed by lacing a line drive to right for a two-run triple, driving in Stewart and Iverson. Freshman infielder Trent Farquhar was up next and plated Walker with a groundout to first, capping MSU's four-run opening frame.
Meanwhile on the mound, Erla was stymieing the Illini bats, posting three three-up, three-down innings, getting two key double plays from the Spartan defense as well. Erla had at least one K in five of his seven innings of work, including a pair of punchouts in the second and fifth frames.
MSU broke the game open in the sixth, hanging a six-spot on the board. After Walker drew a one-out walk, Farquhar doubled into the right field corner. Redshirt-freshman catcher Gabe Sotres followed and his hard-hit chopper up the middle was snagged by Illinois pitcher Ty Rybarczk on a nice stop, but Rybarczk's throw home to get Walker was wide of the catcher. Following the error, Vradenburg smacked a single through the left side to plate Farquhar and Sotres. Senior designated hitter Bailey Peterson was next up and he was hit by pitch, chasing Rybarczk.
2-base Brock!
— Michigan State Baseball (@statebaseball) March 20, 2021
Vradenburg knocks his team-leading 3rd double of the season w/ 2-run double in the 6th.
⚾️#GoGreen | @VradenburgBrock pic.twitter.com/vNjM69kAon
Freshman infielder Mitch Jebb welcomed new Illini pitcher Alex Vera with a turf-boosted high-bouncing infield single to second to load the bases. The bags didn't stay full of Spartans for long, as two batters later, Stewart cleared them with a double to right field, with a three-run double. It was Stewart's team-lead tying fourth extra-base hit of the season, now with two doubles, a triple and a home run.
Clear 'em Joe!
— Michigan State Baseball (@statebaseball) March 20, 2021
Stewart comes to bat w/ bases loaded in B7th and clears 'em with a 3-run double, giving MSU a 10-0 lead.
Stewart now has four extra-base hits on the season with 2 doubles, 1 triple & 1 HR. #SwinginStew
⚾️#GoGreen | @joestew5 pic.twitter.com/WlUOx70ISU
MSU tacked on a run in the eighth, as sophomore pinch hitter Peter Ahn doubled down the left field line, driving in Kelley, who drew a one-out walk.
Redshirt-sophomore pitcher Wyatt Rush pitched the final two innings, chalking up three Ks while preserving the shutout and sealing the Victory for MSU.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Erla, Mason (2-1)
L: Rybarczyk,Ty (1-2)
Base Running:
SB: Jackson,Taylor 1
Batting:
2B: Stewart, Joe 1 ; Ahn, Peter 1 ; Farquhar, Trent 1 ; Vradenburg, Brock 1
3B: Walker, Zaid 1
RBI: Stewart, Joe 3 ; Ahn, Peter 1 ; Iverson, Zach 1 ; Walker, Zaid 2 ; Farquhar, Trent 1 ; Sotres, Gabe 1 ; Vradenburg, Brock 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Jebb, Mitch 1 ; Kelley, Bryce 2 ; Stewart, Joe 1 ; Iverson, Zach 1 ; Walker, Zaid 2 ; Farquhar, Trent 1 ; Sotres, Gabe 1 ; Vradenburg, Brock 1 ; Peterson, Bailey 1
SB: Kelley, Bryce 1
CS: Stewart, Joe 1
HBP: Peterson, Bailey 1
