Sunday, April 11
East Lansing, Mich.
4:05 PM ET
Michigan State University
11-10, 11-10
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5-15, 5-15
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Photo by: Jim Pivarnik - MSU
Kelley Breaks Spartan Career Record In 5-2 Victory For MSU Over Purdue
4/11/2021 9:17:00 PM | Baseball
Senior outfielder breaks career stolen base record; freshman Nick Powers fires career-high seven Ks.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Bryce Kelley set a new Michigan State baseball career record and Nick Powers paced the Spartans on the mound en route to a 5-2 Victory for MSU over Purdue late Sunday afternoon at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field.
Senior outfielder Kelley broke Michigan State's career stolen base record, swiping his 80th career base, passing Anthony Cheky's previous record of 79 from 2012-15.
Kelley broke the record in the first inning, by stealing third. He reached on a walk, then moved to second on a groundout, before swiping third. After swiping No. 80, he was congratulated by third base coach Graham Sikes, and presented the record setting base by a member of the MSU Facilities grounds crew in a special presentation, while the small crowd of family of the student-athletes gave Kelley a standing ovation.
"It feels really good, I'm really relieved kind of on two levels," Kelley said about breaking the record. "One, I'm really proud of what I accomplished, it's something I never would have really dreamed of here, but on a second level I'm just kind of relieved it's over, glad we can kind of move on from this and start winning some games here."
Kelley's record-setting stolen base was his eighth of the season.
"Bryce Kelley is as steady as they come," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "I told our guys after the game, you think about setting a school record, and you know it sounds good but if you really dig into it, we've been playing baseball here for 137 years, and so for anybody to set any kind of school record, I think is a really, really monumental achievement and Bryce has earned. I think he's one of the smartest players I think that we've ever coached here, we just kind of get out of the way and let him do his thing. He's obviously very, very good at it. I'm just really happy for him and very proud of him."
When play resumed after putting in a new base at third, freshman designated hitter Jack Frank walked, then stole second, before sophomore outfielder Zaid Walker knocked a single to center, driving in Kelley and Frank for a 2-0 Spartan advantage after one inning of play. MSU went on to win its second out of three games so far in the pod weekend entering Monday's finale against Purdue, and the Spartans have now won five of their last seven overall in moving to 11-10 on the season.
"It was a good win for our guys today," Boss said. "I think it was almost methodical, you could say, offensively, we got off to a good start and had some good at bats there in the first inning and Zaid Walker had a big at bat. The stolen bases were big for us as well. We were close, we had some base runners, but just couldn't finish off the innings, unfortunately, but we got two more in the seventh which were big, big runs."
On the mound, freshman pitchers Powers was dominant, firing a career-high seven strikeouts in going a career-high 7.2 innings, scattering six hits to earn his second win of the season.
"Nick Powers did really good job today after kind of a bad start last weekend up in Minneapolis. He got right back on the horse and was able to throw a lot of strikes early in the count," Boss said. "We extended him probably deeper and more pitches than he's ever thrown here, but seven strikeouts today and the command was really good today, he threw multiple pitches on both sides of the plate for strikes. I'm happy for him getting his second win."
Powers' seven Ks tops his previous top outing of six strikeouts in his MSU debut on March 7 vs. Maryland in Greenville, S.C., while the 7.2 IP betters his previous mark of 7.0 IP on March 22 at Michigan.
"I was very pleased with my performance this week," Powers said. "Last week was a little rough for me, I really just used that as like a lesson learner, learn from a lot of things from that game and improved coming into this game. I just pounded the zone and my team made plays and got the job done."
Sophomore outfielder Zaid Walker was 3-for-3 with three RBI and one run scored, while the freshmen infielder duo of Mitch Jebb and Brock Vradenburg were both 2-for-4 with Jebb logging an RBI and a run scored. Fellow freshman infielder Trent Farquhar was 1-for-4, while freshman designated hitter Jack Frank was 1-for-2 with a run scored. Kelley added a run scored and an RBI.
Powers was relieved by fellow freshman pitcher Dominic Hann in the eighth, after Powers got the first two outs sandwiched around a double, with his last pitch on his seventh and final strikeout of the game. Hann induced a lineout to end the frame. Junior Zach Iverson moved to the mound for the ninth after playing the previous eight innings at third, and Iverson logged his team-leading fifth save of the season.
Kelley also factored into the Spartans' third run of the game coming in the next inning, as freshman infielder Mitch Jebb led off with a single to center, and moved up to second on a fielder's choice off the bat of junior infielder Zach Iverson. After Jebb advanced to third on a flyout by freshman infielder Vradenburg, Iverson stole second, before freshman infielder Trent Farquhar walked to load the bases. Next up was Kelley and he drew a bases loaded RBI walk to score Jebb and put MSU ahead, 3-0 after two frames.
Purdue got on the board in the fourth, with a leadoff double, and later and RBI single, but Powers got a flyout to thwart the threat.
After some singing and stretching, Kelley opened the bottom of the seventh by reaching on an error, and Purdue made a pitching change. Kelley was later erased from the basepaths on a fielder's choice off the bat of senior outfielder Joe Stewart. Frank followed with a single to center to advance Stewart to third, and Walker drove Stewart in with a single of his own to center, but Frank was thrown out at third. That brought Jebb to the plate and he singled to right to score Walker and put MSU ahead, 5-1 after eight frames.
Iverson came on in the ninth and Purdue didn't go quietly, as the Boilermakers had a a single and double, before an RBI to pull within 5-2, but then Iverson got a groundout to end the rally and the game.
Purdue split Sunday's pod doubleheader, beating Penn State, 8-5, earlier Sunday, avenging Saturday's 11-0 loss.
MSU and Purdue wrap up the pod weekend on Monday in a 3:05 p.m. first pitch.
Along with any schedule updates, fans can follow the games with links for live stats, live audio and live streaming from Big Ten Network+ at MSUSpartans.com.
Senior outfielder Kelley broke Michigan State's career stolen base record, swiping his 80th career base, passing Anthony Cheky's previous record of 79 from 2012-15.
Kelley broke the record in the first inning, by stealing third. He reached on a walk, then moved to second on a groundout, before swiping third. After swiping No. 80, he was congratulated by third base coach Graham Sikes, and presented the record setting base by a member of the MSU Facilities grounds crew in a special presentation, while the small crowd of family of the student-athletes gave Kelley a standing ovation.
"It feels really good, I'm really relieved kind of on two levels," Kelley said about breaking the record. "One, I'm really proud of what I accomplished, it's something I never would have really dreamed of here, but on a second level I'm just kind of relieved it's over, glad we can kind of move on from this and start winning some games here."
There's a new STOLEN BASE KING👑 in Michigan State baseball lore!!
— Michigan State Baseball (@statebaseball) April 11, 2021
Bryce Kelley just stole 3rd for his 80th career stolen base, breaking Anthony Cheky's record of 79 from 2012-15.
Congrats Bryce!!
⚾️#GoGreen | #StolenBaseKingKelley | @Bk14Bryce pic.twitter.com/rDUMw1GKU8
Kelley's record-setting stolen base was his eighth of the season.
"Bryce Kelley is as steady as they come," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "I told our guys after the game, you think about setting a school record, and you know it sounds good but if you really dig into it, we've been playing baseball here for 137 years, and so for anybody to set any kind of school record, I think is a really, really monumental achievement and Bryce has earned. I think he's one of the smartest players I think that we've ever coached here, we just kind of get out of the way and let him do his thing. He's obviously very, very good at it. I'm just really happy for him and very proud of him."
When play resumed after putting in a new base at third, freshman designated hitter Jack Frank walked, then stole second, before sophomore outfielder Zaid Walker knocked a single to center, driving in Kelley and Frank for a 2-0 Spartan advantage after one inning of play. MSU went on to win its second out of three games so far in the pod weekend entering Monday's finale against Purdue, and the Spartans have now won five of their last seven overall in moving to 11-10 on the season.
"It was a good win for our guys today," Boss said. "I think it was almost methodical, you could say, offensively, we got off to a good start and had some good at bats there in the first inning and Zaid Walker had a big at bat. The stolen bases were big for us as well. We were close, we had some base runners, but just couldn't finish off the innings, unfortunately, but we got two more in the seventh which were big, big runs."
On the mound, freshman pitchers Powers was dominant, firing a career-high seven strikeouts in going a career-high 7.2 innings, scattering six hits to earn his second win of the season.
"Nick Powers did really good job today after kind of a bad start last weekend up in Minneapolis. He got right back on the horse and was able to throw a lot of strikes early in the count," Boss said. "We extended him probably deeper and more pitches than he's ever thrown here, but seven strikeouts today and the command was really good today, he threw multiple pitches on both sides of the plate for strikes. I'm happy for him getting his second win."
Powers' seven Ks tops his previous top outing of six strikeouts in his MSU debut on March 7 vs. Maryland in Greenville, S.C., while the 7.2 IP betters his previous mark of 7.0 IP on March 22 at Michigan.
"I was very pleased with my performance this week," Powers said. "Last week was a little rough for me, I really just used that as like a lesson learner, learn from a lot of things from that game and improved coming into this game. I just pounded the zone and my team made plays and got the job done."
Some Super Powers pitching today!
— Michigan State Baseball (@statebaseball) April 11, 2021
Nick Powers fired a career-high 7⃣ Ks in a career-high 7.2 IP, scattering 6 H, 3 BB and 1 R.
⚾️#GoGreen | @Nick_Powers22 pic.twitter.com/xFVUbsn3JY
Sophomore outfielder Zaid Walker was 3-for-3 with three RBI and one run scored, while the freshmen infielder duo of Mitch Jebb and Brock Vradenburg were both 2-for-4 with Jebb logging an RBI and a run scored. Fellow freshman infielder Trent Farquhar was 1-for-4, while freshman designated hitter Jack Frank was 1-for-2 with a run scored. Kelley added a run scored and an RBI.
Powers was relieved by fellow freshman pitcher Dominic Hann in the eighth, after Powers got the first two outs sandwiched around a double, with his last pitch on his seventh and final strikeout of the game. Hann induced a lineout to end the frame. Junior Zach Iverson moved to the mound for the ninth after playing the previous eight innings at third, and Iverson logged his team-leading fifth save of the season.
Kelley also factored into the Spartans' third run of the game coming in the next inning, as freshman infielder Mitch Jebb led off with a single to center, and moved up to second on a fielder's choice off the bat of junior infielder Zach Iverson. After Jebb advanced to third on a flyout by freshman infielder Vradenburg, Iverson stole second, before freshman infielder Trent Farquhar walked to load the bases. Next up was Kelley and he drew a bases loaded RBI walk to score Jebb and put MSU ahead, 3-0 after two frames.
Purdue got on the board in the fourth, with a leadoff double, and later and RBI single, but Powers got a flyout to thwart the threat.
After some singing and stretching, Kelley opened the bottom of the seventh by reaching on an error, and Purdue made a pitching change. Kelley was later erased from the basepaths on a fielder's choice off the bat of senior outfielder Joe Stewart. Frank followed with a single to center to advance Stewart to third, and Walker drove Stewart in with a single of his own to center, but Frank was thrown out at third. That brought Jebb to the plate and he singled to right to score Walker and put MSU ahead, 5-1 after eight frames.
Iverson came on in the ninth and Purdue didn't go quietly, as the Boilermakers had a a single and double, before an RBI to pull within 5-2, but then Iverson got a groundout to end the rally and the game.
𝙑𝙄𝘾𝙏𝙊𝙍𝙔 𝙁𝙊𝙍 𝙈𝙎𝙐!!
— Michigan State Baseball (@statebaseball) April 12, 2021
Final Score: Michigan State 5, Purdue 2
👏🖐️✋👏
High fives for everyone!
-B. Kelley breaks career stolen base record
-N. Powers fires career-high 7 Ks in career-high 7.2 IP
-Z. Walker 3-3 w/3 RBI
-MSU won 5 of last 7
⚾️#GoGreen | #VictoryForMSU pic.twitter.com/HA5HZsXY9J
Purdue split Sunday's pod doubleheader, beating Penn State, 8-5, earlier Sunday, avenging Saturday's 11-0 loss.
MSU and Purdue wrap up the pod weekend on Monday in a 3:05 p.m. first pitch.
Along with any schedule updates, fans can follow the games with links for live stats, live audio and live streaming from Big Ten Network+ at MSUSpartans.com.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Powers, Nick (2-1)
L: SMELTZ, Jackson (2-1)
S: Iverson, Zach (6)
Batting:
2B: POWERS, Tyler 1 ; SIMINGTON, Miles 2 ; BOLTON Jr., Mike 1
RBI: HUNTER, Skyler 1 ; RAMIREZ, Steve 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SIMINGTON, Miles 1 ; FASCIA, Zac 1
HBP: HUNTER, Skyler 1
PO: POWERS, Tyler 1
Batting:
RBI: Kelley, Bryce 1 ; Walker, Zaid 3 ; Jebb, Mitch 1
SH: Iverson, Zach 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kelley, Bryce 1 ; Stewart, Joe 1 ; Frank, Jack 1 ; Walker, Zaid 1 ; Jebb, Mitch 1
SB: Kelley, Bryce 1 ; Frank, Jack 1 ; Iverson, Zach 1
CS: Walker, Zaid 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
3
RBI
3
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF/OF/RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
OF/LHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF/1B
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballPursuit to Greatness | Spartans All-Access
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