Friday, April 30
University Park, Pa.
6 PM ET
Michigan State University
12-18, 0
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Penn State
10-18, 0
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Michigan State
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Penn State
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Photo by: Jeremy Fleming
Spartans Nipped By Nittany Lions Friday Night
4/30/2021 10:15:00 PM | Baseball
MSU battles PSU in back-and-forth contest.
COLLEGE PARK, Pa. -- Michigan State's late rally came up short Friday night at Penn State in a 7-6 back-and-forth contest at a cold and windy PSU Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Friday was the opener of a three-game weekend series between the Spartans and Nittany Lions.
With the loss, MSU is now 12-18 on the season, while PSU is 10-18. Michigan State has now been in 10 games decided by two runs or less, including seven 1-run games. Friday night's contest was back-and-forth, as the Spartans trailed early, only to take lead in middle innings, but couldn't pull away from the Nittany Lions, and PSU regained the lead and MSU could only tie it down the stretch.
"We just couldn't put them away tonight when we had opportunities to. I'm proud of the guys for the way they continued to battle at the plate," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "But give Penn State credit, they didn't swing and miss much, they didn't strikeout much, they just kept coming at us, and took advantage of the opportunities that we gave him. So give them lot of credit, but it's disappointing though, I felt like we had multiple chances and couldn't come up with the big hit when we needed it, or the big strikeout when we needed it, or the big defensive play, and that's how you get beat tonight."
Sophomore infielder Reese Trahey was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, while sophomore outfielder Zaid Walker was 2-for-5 with a run scored. Freshman infielder Trent Farquhar, senior outfielder Bryce Kelley, freshman pinch hitter Jack Frank, freshman infielder Mitch Jebb, sophomore designated hitter Casey Mayes and freshman infielder Dillon Kark all had one hit apiece. Mayes posted the Spartans' lone extra base hit on the night with a triple in the ninth. Farquhar had an RBI and a run scored, while Frank and senior outfielder Joe Stewart also notched RBI, while Walker, Mayes, Kark and redshirt-freshman catcher Gabe Sotres added runs.
On the mound, redshirt-junior Mason Erla started and went 6.0 IP, scattering six hits, while tallying two striketouts and yielding three walks and five runs, four earned, in being dealt the loss.
Penn State scored a pair in the bottom of the second with an RBI groundout and an RBI double for an early 2-0 advantage.
The Spartans cut the deficit in half in the top of the third, as Kark led off with a single down the right field line, and moved to third on a single by Walker, then Kelley walked to fill the bases full of Spartans. Stewart followed with an RBI fielder's choice to second, plating Kark.
MSU plated a pair in the visitor's fourth, with Sotres opened the inning by getting hit by a pitch. After Sotres moved up to second on a groundout, Trahey singled to center to drive in Sotres. Just like Sotres, Trahey moved up on a groundout, and then was driven in on an RBI single, off the bat of Farquhar to give MSU a 3-2 lead.
The Spartan advantage was short-lived as the Nittany Lions scored a run in the home half of the fourth, then two more in the fifth for a 5-3 lead.
That remained the score until the top of the seventh, when MSU got a run back, again sparked by Kark, this time getting hit by a pitch, but Kark was eliminated from the basepaths on a fielder's choice off Farquhar's bat. Walker followed with a single to right, moving Farquhar around the bases to third, and he scored on a throwing error on the play, closing the Spartans to 5-4.
After the stretch, PSU scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to take a 6-4 lead, but again MSU countered with a run of its own in the top of the eighth, as Mayes mashed a 2-out triple off the wall in left, and scored when Trahey laced a single up the middle to pull the Green & White within, 6-5.
The Nittany Lions added a run in the bottom of the eighth to reopen a two-run advantage at 7-5.
The Spartans didn't go quietly into the cold, windy, College Park night, as Farquhar drew a walk to open the bottom of the ninth, but was wiped off the basepaths on a Walker fielder's choice. Kelley was up next and he singled through the right side and Walker moved up to third. Freshman pinch hitter Jack Frank reached on an infield single to score Walker and pull MSU within, 7-6, with one out and two on, but a flyout and strikeout ended the Spartan rally and the game.
Michigan State and Penn State return to the diamond on Saturday for game two of three on the weekend, opening the May portion of the schedule, with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. Sunday's series finale has a 12 p.m. start time.
Along with any schedule updates, fans can follow the games with links for live stats, live audio (when available) and live streaming from Big Ten Network+ at MSUSpartans.com.
Friday was the opener of a three-game weekend series between the Spartans and Nittany Lions.
With the loss, MSU is now 12-18 on the season, while PSU is 10-18. Michigan State has now been in 10 games decided by two runs or less, including seven 1-run games. Friday night's contest was back-and-forth, as the Spartans trailed early, only to take lead in middle innings, but couldn't pull away from the Nittany Lions, and PSU regained the lead and MSU could only tie it down the stretch.
"We just couldn't put them away tonight when we had opportunities to. I'm proud of the guys for the way they continued to battle at the plate," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "But give Penn State credit, they didn't swing and miss much, they didn't strikeout much, they just kept coming at us, and took advantage of the opportunities that we gave him. So give them lot of credit, but it's disappointing though, I felt like we had multiple chances and couldn't come up with the big hit when we needed it, or the big strikeout when we needed it, or the big defensive play, and that's how you get beat tonight."
Sophomore infielder Reese Trahey was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, while sophomore outfielder Zaid Walker was 2-for-5 with a run scored. Freshman infielder Trent Farquhar, senior outfielder Bryce Kelley, freshman pinch hitter Jack Frank, freshman infielder Mitch Jebb, sophomore designated hitter Casey Mayes and freshman infielder Dillon Kark all had one hit apiece. Mayes posted the Spartans' lone extra base hit on the night with a triple in the ninth. Farquhar had an RBI and a run scored, while Frank and senior outfielder Joe Stewart also notched RBI, while Walker, Mayes, Kark and redshirt-freshman catcher Gabe Sotres added runs.
On the mound, redshirt-junior Mason Erla started and went 6.0 IP, scattering six hits, while tallying two striketouts and yielding three walks and five runs, four earned, in being dealt the loss.
Penn State scored a pair in the bottom of the second with an RBI groundout and an RBI double for an early 2-0 advantage.
The Spartans cut the deficit in half in the top of the third, as Kark led off with a single down the right field line, and moved to third on a single by Walker, then Kelley walked to fill the bases full of Spartans. Stewart followed with an RBI fielder's choice to second, plating Kark.
MSU plated a pair in the visitor's fourth, with Sotres opened the inning by getting hit by a pitch. After Sotres moved up to second on a groundout, Trahey singled to center to drive in Sotres. Just like Sotres, Trahey moved up on a groundout, and then was driven in on an RBI single, off the bat of Farquhar to give MSU a 3-2 lead.
The Spartan advantage was short-lived as the Nittany Lions scored a run in the home half of the fourth, then two more in the fifth for a 5-3 lead.
That remained the score until the top of the seventh, when MSU got a run back, again sparked by Kark, this time getting hit by a pitch, but Kark was eliminated from the basepaths on a fielder's choice off Farquhar's bat. Walker followed with a single to right, moving Farquhar around the bases to third, and he scored on a throwing error on the play, closing the Spartans to 5-4.
After the stretch, PSU scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to take a 6-4 lead, but again MSU countered with a run of its own in the top of the eighth, as Mayes mashed a 2-out triple off the wall in left, and scored when Trahey laced a single up the middle to pull the Green & White within, 6-5.
The Nittany Lions added a run in the bottom of the eighth to reopen a two-run advantage at 7-5.
The Spartans didn't go quietly into the cold, windy, College Park night, as Farquhar drew a walk to open the bottom of the ninth, but was wiped off the basepaths on a Walker fielder's choice. Kelley was up next and he singled through the right side and Walker moved up to third. Freshman pinch hitter Jack Frank reached on an infield single to score Walker and pull MSU within, 7-6, with one out and two on, but a flyout and strikeout ended the Spartan rally and the game.
Michigan State and Penn State return to the diamond on Saturday for game two of three on the weekend, opening the May portion of the schedule, with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. Sunday's series finale has a 12 p.m. start time.
Along with any schedule updates, fans can follow the games with links for live stats, live audio (when available) and live streaming from Big Ten Network+ at MSUSpartans.com.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dees, Bailey (3-2)
L: Erla, Mason (3-4)
S: Mellott, Mason (1)
Batting:
3B: Mayes, Casey 1
RBI: Farquhar, Trent 1 ; Stewart, Joe 1 ; Frank, Jack 1 ; Trahey, Reese 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Farquhar, Trent 1 ; Walker, Zaid 1 ; Sotres, Gabe 1 ; Mayes, Casey 1 ; Trahey, Reese 1 ; Kark, Dillon 1
HBP: Sotres, Gabe 2 ; Kark, Dillon 1
Batting:
2B: Williams, Justin 1 ; Piacentino, Johnny 1 ; Robison, Curtis 1 ; Hendershot, Parker 1 ; Harry, Jay 1
RBI: Homer, Gavin 1 ; Williams, Justin 1 ; Robison, Curtis 2 ; Hendershot, Parker 2
SH: Kelley, Tayven 1 ; Spiegel, Josh 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Homer, Gavin 1 ; Williams, Justin 2 ; Piacentino, Johnny 1 ; Spiegel, Josh 1 ; Harry, Jay 2
SB: Williams, Justin 1 ; Kailher, Ben 1
CS: Kelley, Tayven 1
HBP: Homer, Gavin 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
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RBI
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4
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1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
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/ BaseballPursuit to Greatness | Spartans All-Access
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