Spartans Clash With Scarlet Knights In Piscataway In Three-Game Weekend Series

MICHIGAN STATE (15-23, 15-23 B1G) at RUTGERS (18-20, 18-20 B1G)
Location	Bainton Field \|\| Piscataway, N.J.
Tickets	Families only / limited tickets - Rutgers Attendance Policy
Weather	High/Low - Fri: 88^° / 62^° \| Sat: 91^° / 64^° \| Sun: 95^° / 60^°
Game Notes	Michigan State \| Rutgers
Rosters/Program	Flip Card
Social Media	@statebaseball \| MichiganStateBaseball @statebaseballgogreen
Television	None
Game 1	Friday, May 21 - 2 p.m. ET
Probable Pitching Matchup	RU: #41 LHP Harry Rutkowski (R-JR) (2-3, 4.26 ERA) MSU: #30 RHP Mason Erla (R-JR) (4-5, 3.59 ERA)
Coverage	Live Stats \| Watch Live on Big Ten Network+ ($) \| Listen
Game 2	Saturday, May 22 - 1 p.m. ET
Probable Pitching Matchup	RU: #44 LHP Ben Wereski (GR) (5-2, 3.02 ERA) MSU: TBA (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Coverage	Live Stats \| Watch Live on Big Ten Network+ ($) \| Listen
Game 3	Sunday, May 23 - 12 p.m. ET
Probable Pitching Matchup	RU: TBA (0-0, 0.00 ERA) MSU: #8 RHP Sam Benschoter (SR) (2-5, 6.22 ERA)
Coverage	Live Stats \| Watch Live on Big Ten Network+ ($) \| Listen

Leading Off... Spartans Clash With Scarlet Knights In Piscataway In Three-Game Weekend Series

• Michigan State baseball returns to the road for the second-straight weekend in the penultimate weekend of the 2021 season, traveling to Piscataway, N.J. to clash with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights for a three-game weekend series, Friday-Sunday, May 21-23 at RU's Bainton Field ... The weekend series lid lifter is Friday at 2 p.m., while the second game of the series has a start time of 1 p.m. on Saturday ... The series wraps up on Sunday with a 12 p.m. first pitch ... The weekend schedule is subject to change based on weather.

• MSU is making its second-straight trip to Piscataway in the series history, after playing there in 2019, and third overall trip, with the first coming 2015, which was RU's second-season in the B1G after joining the league in 2014 ... The first nine meetings in the all-time series were played in Florida, with MSU winning seven of the nine ... The Spartans won the first six meetings as B1G foes, before the Scarlet Knights have won the last three and five of the last six, winning the last two series, 2018 in East Lansing and 2019 in Piscataway ... Overall, this is the fifth time that MSU and RU have played a three-game series, with the series wins level at 2-2, with the visiting team also splitting the four meetings.

• Due to current RU Athletic Department, University, state, county and local guidelines, a small amount of fans will be permitted this weekend, along with a small amount of the student-athletes' and staff families.

• Because the start of the season was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, MSU is playing 44 games over 13 weekends in a Big Ten Conference-only ledger in 2021, with some weekends featuring three-team pod play.

• The Spartan games this weekend will have live stats through "Live Stats" links found at MSUSpartans.com ... There will be video streams available through Big Ten Network + with subscription fee required, with links also found at MSUSpartans.com.

LEGENDARY SPARTAN HEAD COACH DANNY LITWHILER ELECTED TO COLLEGE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME
• Legendary Michigan State baseball head coach Danny Litwhiler has been elected to the College Baseball Hall of Fame, as the Class of 2021 was announced Thursday, May 13 by the College Baseball Foundation and the National College Baseball Hall of Fame.

Litwhiler and the rest of the Class of 2021 will be inducted as part of the virtual College Baseball Night of Champions ceremony scheduled for June 26 and hosted by Dani Wexelman, currently a host for MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM and the host of the 2020 event.

Litwhiler is the first Michigan State representative in the College Baseball Hall of Fame. He passed away in 2011 at the age of 95.

The legendary Spartan skipper is considered to be one of the greatest innovators in the history of the sport. Few men in baseball have compiled the list of honors that Litwhiler did during his distinguished career in the game. He led the Spartans to three NCAA tournament appearances and two Big Ten championships. An innovative mind, Litwhiler is credited with the idea of Diamond Dry and the radar gun.

In 28 years of coaching Division I collegiate baseball at both Florida State and Michigan State, Litwhiler had a combined record of 679-445-9 (.603) and guided his teams to 10 appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Litwhiler was inducted into the American Association of College Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1980 and was a recipient of the "Lefty Gomez Award" for outstanding contributions and distinguished service to college baseball.

During his 19 seasons at MSU, Litwhiler, who was known to his players as "Skip," amassed a record of 489-362-8 (.574), captured Big Ten Championships in 1971 and 1979, and led the Spartans to NCAA Tournament berths in 1971, 1978 and 1979.

Litwhiler compiled a nine-year record of 190-83-1 (.695) from 1955-63 at Florida State and led the Seminoles to seven NCAA Tournament and three College World Series appearances (1957, 1962, 1963) before coming to MSU.

BIG INNING IN SAME GAME
• MSU had two big innings with four or more runs on the way to the 10-7 win at Ohio State on Friday, May 14, plating four in the second inning and four more in the seventh ... That marked the second time this season that the Spartans had two big innings in the same game, also doing so vs. Illinois on March 20 at Ann Arbor with an 11-0 Victory for MSU, playing four runs in the first and six in the sixth inning ... It was the fourth in the last four seasons with two big innings in the same game, also doing so in 2020 vs. Morehead State on Feb. 14, 2020, and once in 2018, on April 7 vs. Nebraska ... This is the first time in the last four seasons with two games having big innings.

Overall, MSU has had nine big innings in seven games this season, and are 7-1 when having a big inning.

DOUBLE DIGIT HITS & RUNS
• Michigan State plated 10 runs on 10 hits in the 10-7 win over Ohio State on Friday, May 14, and in the 10-2 win over Michigan on Sunday, May 9, on 11 hits ... that marked the Spartans' first time this season that they scored double-digit runs in consecutive games, but also the first time since 2017, when Michigan State posted double-figures in four-straight games and in a stretch of five times in six games ... MSU now has five games this season with double-digit runs, as the May 9 game was the first since 10 runs at Minnesota on May 4 ... the 10 hits in the Ohio State win was MSU's 14th game this season with double-figures in the hits column ... it was also the fourth time with double-digit runs on double-digit hits, also doing so with the aforementioned 10 runs on 11 hits vs. Michigan on May 9 (W, 10-2), 12 runs on 17 hits vs. Northwestern on March 13 (W, 12-3) and 11 runs on 13 hits vs. Illinois on March 20 (W, 11-0) ... MSU's 10 runs at Minnesota on May 4 (W, 10-7), came on seven hits.

SHUTTIN' 'EM OUT
• MSU's posted pair of shutout wins in the Ann Arbor pod, with an 11-0 blanking of Illinois on Saturday, March 20, then a 3-0 shutout of No. 22 Michigan on Monday, March 22 ... here's a look at some shutout notes:

• The Spartans' last back-to-back wins on shutouts: April 5 & 7, 2019, vs. Indiana State, winning inaugural night game of McLane Stadium at Kobs Field on April 5, 1-0 in 10 innings, and then winning, 6-0 on April 7.

• After MSU's 2-0 win at Ohio State on May 15, Michigan State now has four shutouts already this season, the most shutouts in a season since 2016 when the Spartans posted six blankings ... The four shutouts is currently tied for the most in the B1G this season.

• The Spartans' first three shutouts of the season came in their first 12 games of the season, which is the most in the first 12 games since 2016, when had three, all in a row.

• MSU's 3-0 win at Michigan on March 22 was the Spartans' first shutout win over Michigan since 2002, when MSU also won in Ann Arbor.

• The Spartans' 2-0 win at Ohio State was MSU's first blanking of the Buckeyes since April 14, 2017, also a 2-0 Victory for MSU ... it was the Green & White's first shutout in Columbus since April 13, 2008, a 1-0 Spartan triumph.

STRIKEOUTS BY THE DOUBLE-DIGITS
• MSU's pitching staff also rang up double-figure strikeouts vs. Michigan on Sunday, May 9 with 10 Ks, with senior starter Sam Benschoter posted seven Ks through 7.0 IP and redshirt-freshman reliever William Christophersen chalking up three Ks in 2.0 IP of relief ... That was MSU's second double-digit strikeout outing of the weekend, as the Spartans also rang up 16 strikeouts in Friday night's match-up, with junior starter Mason Erla fired eight through 5.0 IP, then Christophersen tallied six in 3.0 IP of relief, followed by freshmen relievers Zach Hopman (0.1 IP) and Dominic Hann (0.2 IP) with one K apiece.

The Spartans now have 11 games with double-digit strikeouts, including a stretch of four-straight games to open the season and another stretch of three in a row from all three games of the Nebraska series, April 23-25.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE SPARTAN KIND
• Michigan State has been in 13 games decides by two runs or less, with seven 1-run games (2-5) and five other 2-run contests (1-4) ... Of those 12 games, four were on walk-off losses, with the latest coming vs. Purdue on April 7 in the Champaign pod, when the Boilermakers won 2-1 in 11 innings on a walk-off in the bottom of the 11th ... MSU's other walk-off losses were on March 14 vs. Northwestern at Greenville, SC (L, 7-5); March 21 at Michigan (L, 8-7); April 3 at Minnesota (L, 10-9); April 17 vs. Purdue at Champaign, IL (L, 2-1 11 inn.).

SPARTANS SEEING AND HITTING DOUBLE
• Michigan State currently ranks sixth in the Big Ten in overall doubles (67) and seventh in the Big Ten with 1.77 doubles per game ... Overall, MSU also ranks third in the B1G in total doubles with 67, trailing Penn State (87/2.35 pg) ... The Spartans have knocked four or more doubles in a game seven times, including a season-high six doubles at Michigan on March 21, as well as four two-baggers in three-straight games from March 28-April 3 (vs. Indiana, at Minnesota, at Minnesota) ... MSU had a streak of at least one double in 11-straight games from March 6-March 22, and the Spartans recently had a streak of seven-straight games with a two-bagger halted by not logging a double on April 11 vs. Purdue, for MSU's only third game this season without a double at that point ... Overall, MSU has at least one double in 29 of the 38 games, currently on a streak of at least one in five-straight games.

AMONG TOP TEAMS IN TURNING TWO
• Michigan State shares the lead in the B1G in double plays with 34 and are not only also tied for tops in the B1G, but also tied for 16th in the NCAA in double plays per game (0.89) ... Michigan State's season-high for double plays in a game is two, accomplished 10 times, including most recently in back-to-back games at Ohio State, Saturday and Sunday, May 15 and 16, as part of turning two at least once in 24 of the 38 games.

BURNING THE BASEPATHS
• Michigan State is fourth in the B1G with 40 stolen bases, trailing league leaders Maryland (61), Nebraska (60) and Michigan (49) ... MSU is also fourth in the B1G in stolen base attempts with 61, behind Maryland (73), Nebraska (72) and Michigan (67).

THROWIN' EM OUT
• MSU leads the Big Ten in catching runners trying to steal, with 23, as well as just a 60.3 stolen bases against percentage, ranking third in the league in lowest stolen base percentage ... Individually, redshirt-freshman catcher Gabe Sotres is tied for second in the B1G in caught stealing by, throwing out 12 potential base stealers, while junior catcher Adam Proctor is fourth with 11.

BENSCHOTER 17 Ks IN 9.1 IP AMONG NATION'S BEST
• Senior pitcher Sam Benschoter fired 17 strikeouts in 9.1 IP of relief vs. Nebraska on April 25, for a modern day program record.

• The 17 Ks is tied for the most in the B1G and second-most in the NCAA so far this season (as of 5/6/21), behind 19 by Will Dion of McNeese State (2/26/21 vs. Prairie View), and matching Seth Lonsway of Ohio State (4/3/21 vs. Indiana) ... Benschoter and Lonsway are part of a four-way tie for second in the NCAA to fire 17 Ks, along with Justin Armbruester of New Mexico (3/13/21 vs. Fresno State) and Connor Bovair of Siena (4/23/21 vs. Saint Peter's).

• Benschoter's 17 Ks in relief are not only the most strikeouts by a relief pitcher, but he is the only pitcher in the NCAA to record more than 12 strikeouts in a game in a relief appearance ... The second-most is 12 Ks by Ben Ethridge of Southern Miss. (2/21/21 vs. Northwestern State).

• Benschoter's 9.1 IP is the second-most by a pitcher in a game this season, behind Chris Gonzalez of Stetson (3/13/21 vs. Alabama), but is the most by a relief pitcher this season and Benschoter is the only pitcher in the NCAA to have a relief appearance of 8.0 or more IP this season.

BENSCHOTER COLLECTS COLLEGIATE BASEBALL'S NATIONAL PLAYERS OF WEEK LIST, B1G CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK ACCOLADES
• Michigan State's Sam Benschoter was named to Collegiate Baseball National Players of the Week list, announced by the publication on Monday, April 26, and was named the Big Ten Conference Baseball Co-Pitcher of the Week, announced by the conference office on Tuesday, April 27.

Benschoter shared the B1G Co-Pitcher of the Week award with Illinois starting pitcher Riley Gowens, who went the first seven innings as part of a combined no-hitter vs. Purdue on April 25.

This is the third weekly honor this season for the Spartans, as sophomore outfielder Zaid Walker was named the Player of the Week on March 10 following the opening weekend of the season, and freshman pitcher Nick Powers was tabbed as the Co-Freshman of the Week on March 30.

Benschoter is MSU's first B1G Pitcher of the Week award recipient since teammate Mason Erla earned the honor last season on March 10, 2020, the final award of the season before the remainder of the season was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic.

This is Benschoter's first B1G Pitcher of the Week honor, and his fourth career honor from the conference, as he is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.

Benschoter, a senior pitcher from Tecumseh, Mich., fired a career-high 17 strikeouts in 9.1 innings of relief on Sunday vs. Big Ten Conference-leader Nebraska. Coming into game to start the third inning, Benschoter struck out the side in the third and fifth innings on the way on the way to stymieing Nebraska bats, as they entered game leading the Big Ten in batting average, and Benschoter did not allow a hit until the eighth.

The 17 strikeouts is the most in modern day school history, bettering Mark Mulder's 16 Ks against Campbell on March 7, 1998.

Benschoter now has three double-digit strikeout outings on the season, as his previous career-best was 10 punchouts done twice this season, most recently against Indiana on March 27, also in a relief role, and he also had 10 Ks after starting against Maryland on March 5 in the season-opener.

In the sixth inning, Benschoter racked up two strikeouts in the fourth and sixth innings, and after yielding a leadoff single in the ninth, chalked up three strikeouts.

• Benschoter's 17 Ks matches the most in the B1G this season and is tied for the second-most in a game in the NCAA this season, while the 9.1 IP is the most in the B1G and second-most in NCAA.

• Benschoter is eighth in the B1G in strikeouts per nine innings (11.08).

SPARTAN PITCHER SEASON HIGH 22 Ks
• Sam Benschoter's 17 strikeouts on April 25 were part of a season-high 22 strikeouts by MSU ... the 22 strikeouts is the most in the B1G and tied for the second-most in the NCAA this season, behind 24 by Lipscomb vs. North Alabama on March 28, losing 6-5 in 15 innings ... the Spartans' 22 Ks is the MSU pitching staff's most strikeouts since at least 2005.

HEAR YE, HEAR YE! ANNOUNCING STOLEN BASE KING KELLEY
• Senior outfielder Bryce Kelley became the new MSU career stolen base king, as he broke the record on Sunday, April 11 vs. Purdue, 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 ... Kelley's record-setting moment was No. 5 on NCAA Baseball's Player of the Week ... Kelley has now padded his record and is up to 83 swipes.

1.         Bryce Kelley    83        2017-pres.
2.         Anthony Cheky            79        2012-15
3.         Jeff Holm         63        2008-11

• Kelley added to his record by swiping one bag the next day, as well as one last weekend in the Illinois pod, and he now has 82 for his career ... Kelley's 10 stolen bases this season is sixth in the B1G, and he is also fifth in the league in stolen bases per game (0.29) ... Kelley also shares the B1G lead in walks (25) and is second in walks per game (0.71).

KELLEY AMONG NCAA ACTIVE CAREER STOLEN BASE LEADERS
• Kelly is also among the nation's DI leaders for active career stolen bases, currently sixth with 83, behind leader Will Karp of Rice with 95.

1.         Will Karp, Rice             95
2.         Joey Porricelli, Merrimack                 88
3.                     Jeff Wehler , Youngstown State         85
            Braiden Ward, Washington                85
            Drew Frederic, Troy                84
6.         Bryce Kelley, Michigan State 83

ERLA CLIMBING K LIST
• Redshirt-junior pitcher Mason Erla has 68 strikeouts so far, now with 231 for his career (2017-pres.) ... He vaulted from No. 8 to No. 5 on MSU's career strikeouts list at Minnesota, and then in his performance vs. Penn State on April 9, topped 200 career strikeouts, before moving up to No. 4 with six against Purdue on April 7, passing Cam Vieaux (2014-16) with 202 ... Now with 231 Ks, Erla passed Ron Perranoski (2009-12) for the No. 3 spot on May 7 vs. Michigan ... Erla is just the fifth Spartan pitcher in school history with 200 career strikeouts, the last being Vieaux with 205 from 2014-16 ... Last season, Erla had 42 strikeouts in just four appearances (10.3 strikeouts per game), before the season was cancelled after 15 games ... This season, Erla has 68 K in 11 outings (6.2 spg) ... The 68 Ks is tied for 10th in the B1G, just shy of teammate Sam Benschoter with 70 Ks, good for eighth in the B1G.

1.         Bryan Gale      277      2001-04
2.         Tony Bucciferro          273      2009-12
3.         Mason Erla     231      2017-pres.
4.         Ron Perranoski            223      ..1956-58
5.         Cam Vieaux     .....205             .. 2014-16
6.         Brian Murphy ...194 .. 1995-98
7.         Dick Radatz     .....193             .. 1957-59

ZAID ZOOMING
• Sophomore outfielder Zaid Walker is hitting .291, and also leads the team and ranks tied for 25th in the B1G in hits (41), along with leading MSU in RBI (24), while sharing the team lead in runs scored (23) ... Walker also is tied for second on the team in overall doubles (7) ... He also leads the team in total bases (53), along with ranking second in stolen bases (7), and tied for second in triples (1), while ranking third on the team in home runs (1) ... Walker also is tied for third on the team in extra-base hits with nine extra-base hits on seven doubles, one triple and one home run.

• Walker has at least one hit in 26 of the 38 games, and also shares the team lead with 10 multiple hit games, with two hits in six games, three hits in three games, and shares the team-high for most hits in a game this season with four, coming vs. Northwestern on March 13 at Greenville.

• With seven multiple RBI games, Walker also leads MSU, logging four games with two RBI and three games with three RBI ... he had a stretch of three RBI twice in three games April 11 vs. Purdue and April 16 at Illinois, also logging three ribbies on March 6 vs. Maryland.

• Walker also owns the longest hitting streak of the season, hitting safely in nine-straight games (March 13-27), and also owns the second-longest reached base streak of 14 in a row (March 13-April 9).

HITTING IT FAR-QUHAR
• Freshman infielder Trent Farquhar belted his first collegiate home run in the Purdue game on April 12, blasting a solo shot down the right field line and into the Red Cedar River ... For the weekend series, Farquhar hit .353 (6-for-17), with 12 total bases, as half of his six hits went for extra bases, hitting for the cycle for the weekend with his first home run of his collegiate career, as well as his first triple as a Spartan ... He posted a .706 slugging percentage, with half of hits coming on extra bases, as well as a .421 on-base percentage ... Farquhar logged at least one hit in each of the four games, including two each in Friday's series opener vs. Penn State and Sunday's finale vs. Purdue, driving in both runs in the game.

• For the season, Farquhar is now hitting .280 and leads in both doubles with 10 and with 12 total extra base hits with the team-leading 10 doubles, along with one triple and one home run, and has a .400 slugging percentage and nearly matching .401 on-base percentage ... Farquhar had a team-high 18-game on-base streak, reaching base in every game that he had an at bat from March 12-April 12, snapping the streak on April 16 by not reaching base at Illinois ... Farquhar has logged at least one hit in eight of the last 10 games, having a five-game hit streak halted without a hit on May 8, but bounced back with three hits on May 9 and two knocks on May 14 ... For the season, his longest hitting streak was seven games (March 12-21) ... Farquhar has at least one hit in 24 of 33 games with an at bat.

• Farquhar shares the team-lead with 10 multiple hit games, including a team-best nine games with two hits, as well as one game with season-high three hits, coming on May 9 vs. Michigan ... He also has three multi-RBI games, which is tied for second on the team, with three games with two ribbies each, most recently on April 25 vs. Nebraska.

• Farquhar came to MSU from Bowling Green, where he played in 10 games in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, hitting .291 with seven hits, including one triple.

JOE GOING
• Senior outfielder Joe Stewart is having a torrid streak to the season, currently hitting .277 ... Stewart also ranks second on the team in overall doubles (7) and tied for fourth on the team in hits with 33 ... Stewart shares the MSU lead with three HR and also is second on the team in extra-base hits with 11 on seven doubles, one triple and three home runs.

• Stewart has had three or more hits in four games this season, surpassing his previous career total entering the 2021 season of just three total hits in 17 games played with 19 career at bats prior to this season.

• Now with nine games with multiple hits, Stewart is tied for second on the team, one of four Spartans with nine multi-hit outings, with five games with two hits, three contests with three hits and one game with career-high four hits.

• Stewart hit .471 (8-for-17) in the four games of the Ann Arbor pod vs. Illinois and Michigan, including four doubles, coming in a span of three games, with one vs. Illinois in the opener on Saturday, March 20, then two in the game on March 21 vs. Illinois before another one in the nightcap vs. Michigan ... Stewart also had a team-best five RBI, with three coming March 20 vs. Illinois, coming to bat with the bases loaded and clearing them with a three-run double.

• Stewart also had a standout play in the field of the win on March 22, getting an outfield assist to end the fourth inning, firing a frozen rope to junior catcher Adam Proctor at home, and Proctor made a nice snag and tag on the UM runner for the out to end the inning and preserve MSU's 2-0 lead.

BAILEY BLASTING
• Senior infielder/designated hitter Bailey Peterson blasted his first career home run in MSU's 3-0 win at No. 22 Michigan on March 22 in Ann Arbor, smashing a solo home run over the approximately 30-foot high brick wall in left field of Fisher Stadium in the top of the ninth to put the Spartans ahead, 3-0.

• Peterson becomes the second Spartan senior this season to smash their first career home run, joining outfielder Joe Stewart, who crushed his first career home run on March 14, going deep over the Green Monster at Fluor Field for a 3-run HR in the seventh inning, giving MSU a 5-3 lead, before Northwestern won on a walk-off.

• Peterson mashed two home runs vs. Purdue on Sunday, April 18 in Champaign, Ill., knocking his second and third home runs of the season and of his career ... He bashed a solo shot to lead off the third inning down the left field line just inside the foul pole, and another solo shot to lead off the eighth inning to left center field ... The last time that a Spartan hit two HR in a game was just two days over three years ago, as Dan Durkin did so on April 16, 2017 vs. Ohio State.

• For the weekend in the Champaign pod, Peterson made his career debut playing first base, and also hit a team-best .467 for the weekend (7-of-15), with over half of his hits going for extra bases with two home runs and two doubles, finishing with a 1.000 slugging percentage and a .467 on-base percentage, tallying 15 total bases, while adding two RBI and five runs scored, as well as one stolen base.

• After just two multi-hit games in previous 13 games played, Peterson had two hits in three of the four games, with at least one hit in all four games, raising average 62 points over the weekend, climbing from .204 coming into the weekend to .266 after the weekend.

RIGHT-HAND MAN
• Redshirt-junior right-hander Mason Erla is second on the MSU staff with 68 strikeouts, which ranks tied for 10th in the B1G ... Erla also tops the team and ranks third in the conference in innings pitched (67.2), and is also second on the team and tied for 11th in the B1G with four wins ... With a 3.59 ERA, Erla also is 11th in the B1G, and he is also 13th with 17 batters struck out looking.

• Last time out, on May 14 at Ohio State, Erla stymied the Buckeye bats to the tune of 7.0 IP with six strikeouts, scattering five hits while yielding two runs and one walk.

In his previous out, on May 7 vs. Michigan, Erla was dealing early, including striking out the side in the second after a leadoff single, on the way to five Ks through two innings ... He finished with eight strikeouts in 5.0 IP, yielding three runs on seven hits.

• On April 23, Erla faced B1G-leading Nebraska and was dealing early on, stymieing the Husker bats, ringing up six strikeouts without a hit through the first three innings. Erla finished with seven Ks in 5.0 IP, yielding three runs on four hits and walking one ... Erla finished with four hits, four runs, seven Ks and one walk.

• Prior to that, Erla went 8.0 IP on April 17 vs. Purdue at the Champaign, Ill. pod, striking out six without yielding a run, while scattering four hits and walking three ... Erla's 8.0 outing was his longest of the season and longest since going 9.0 on April 5, 2019 vs. Indiana State ... It was also Erla's second outing of the season without allowing a run, matching March 20 vs. Illinois in Ann Arbor, Mich.

• Erla was also dealing at the Ann Arbor pod weekend, firing season-highs of 7.0 IP and eight strikeouts against Illinois on March 20, yielding a season-low of four hits, all singles, and only walking two ... Erla posted three three-up, three-down innings, getting two key double plays from the Spartan defense as well ... He had at least one K in five of his seven innings of work, including a pair of punchouts in the second and fifth frames.

• On April 9 vs. Purdue, Erla went 7.0 IP, striking out seven, while scattering four hits while just allowing one run ... The seven strikeouts gave Erla 202 for his career, becoming just the fifth Spartan pitcher in school history to reach the 200 strikeout mark.

• For the season, Erla is now 3-5, with a 3.71 ERA in 10 appearances, chalking up a team-leading 62 strikeouts in 60.2 IP, with one complete game, pitching all six innings in MSU's 4-2 loss to Northwestern in the seven-innings of game one of the doubleheader.

BENSCHOTER-ING BOOGIE
• Senior right-hander Sam Benschoter has a combined 37 strikeouts in his last four starts (9.3 pg), with 17 Ks in 9.1 IP vs. Nebraska on April 25, six strikeouts in 5.2 IP at Penn State on May 2, seven punchouts in 7.0 IP vs. Michigan on May 9 and seven Ks at Ohio State on May 16.

• Benschoter came on in relief of game two of the series at Ohio State on Saturday, May 15, pitching a three-up, three-down ninth inning to earn the save.

• Overall for the season, Benschoter has 70 strikeouts in 12 appearances (5.8 pg), with 59.1 IP, ranking ninth in the B1G in strikeouts per nine innings (10.6 K/9) ... Benschoter has five appearances of 6.0 IP or more, including 9.1 IP vs. Nebraska on April 25, 8.0 vs. Maryland on March 5 in season-opener, 7.0 IP vs. Michigan on May 9 and 6.2 IP at Ohio State on May 16.

• Benschoter has six or more strikeouts in each of his last four starting outings, as part of seven of his 12 appearances ... Behind his 17 Ks vs. Nebraska on April 25, Benschoter also has 10 Ks vs. Maryland (March 5) and Indiana (March 27), seven Ks a total of three times: vs. Penn State (April 9), vs. Michigan (May 9) and at Ohio State (May 16); and six Ks at Penn State (May 2).

• Benschoter fired a then career-high 10 strikeouts in a 6-0 shutout Victory for MSU over Maryland in the 2021 season-opener on March 5 at Fluor Field in Greenville, South Carolina, going a career-high 8.0 innings.

• In MSU's first game since March 8, 2020, before the rest of the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Benschoter didn't show any signs of layoff, as he provided much of the excitement on the night, and was dealing, scattering just five hits to a Maryland offense that hit .258 as a team, and the Spartan hurler stymied the Terrapin offense, shutting them out after they led the Big Ten last year with 111 runs in 15 games (7.4 runs per game, including striking out well-decorated Preseason Award winner Maxwell Costes twice as part of holding him to 0-3.

• Benschoter also out-dueled Maryland starting pitcher Sean Burke, who was selected as the Big Ten Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Burke went 6.0 IP with 13 strikeouts, but the Spartans scored three runs off of him, as along with plating the pair of runs in the first, added a run in the sixth ... There were approximately 30 scouts on hand to watch the Big Ten baseball opener, and they witnessed a superb Benschoter outing.

IVERSON TALKING ABOUT ENDING GAME
• Junior infielder/pitcher Zach Iverson leads MSU and ranks tied for fourth in the Big Ten with six saves, before suffering a season-ending injury ... The six saves are tied for 15th in MSU single-season history, and one more would join a tie for ninth in the Spartan record books ... Most recently, Iverson earned the save in both the win over Penn State on April 9 and Purdue on April 11.

• Iverson also picked up the save to cap MSU's 10-7 come-from-behind win at Minnesota on April 4 ... Iverson came on with two on and two outs in the bottom of the eighth and induced a flyout to end the frame, then yielded a leadoff single to start the bottom of the ninth, but then got a double play, then a foulout to end the game and seal the Victory for MSU.

• At the plate, Iverson is batting .237 and is second on the team with 17 RBI, ranking tied for 26th in the B1G.

• Iverson closed out all three of MSU's wins in the opening weekend ... despite not getting a save in the opener, Iverson came back to chalk up two saves in the Spartan sweep of the twinbill on March 6, capping both saves with strikeouts ... His pitching line for the weekend was three appearances, with 1.2 IP, two saves, four strikeouts, no walks and just one hit for a 0.00 ERA.

• Iverson started all three of the pitching appearances at third base, before coming on to pitch ... in the opener on March 5, Iverson took over in the top of the ninth, and after hitting first batter, came back with a vengeance by ringing up a pair of strikeouts, then getting a ground out to end it.

• In the first game of doubleheader on March 6, the seven-inning contest, Iverson came on with two outs in the top of the seventh and promptly struck out Maryland's highly decorated hitter Maxwell Costes to end the game and seal the Victory for MSU.

• In the nightcap, Iverson again took the mound after playing third, and after yielding a single, again chalked up a punchout to end the game, earning the save and clinching the win.

• Iverson also had a solid weekend at the plate, hitting .308 (4-for-13) with four RBI and two walks.

• In the shutout upset win at No. 22 Michigan, Iverson again started at third base and factored into all three outs of the bottom of the ninth ... while still at third, Iverson caught a foul out for the first out ... after a walk put Wolverines at first and second, Iverson took the mound ... he fired just two pitches, getting a strike and then inducing a comebacker, that Iverson cleanly fielded his position, spun and fired to freshman shortstop Mitch Jebb at second, who threw to freshman first baseman Brock Vradenburg to complete the double play and spark the celebration of the Victory for MSU.

SOLID POWERS PLAY
• Freshman left-handed pitcher Nick Powers burst onto the scene, before suffering a season-ending injury at Penn State on May 1 ... At the time of his injury, he was leading MSU, while ranking tied for fifth in the B1G with four wins, logging a 4-3 record with a 4.87 ERA in 44.1 IP with 35 strikeouts, ... Powers ranked 24th in the B1G in innings pitched, 28th in ERA and 33th in strikeouts.

• The Spartan hurler has chalked up five or more strikeouts in four outings, led by a career-high of seven Ks vs. Purdue on April 11.

• Powers was dealing against Michigan on March 22, going a then career-high 7.0 innings while limiting the Wolverines to just four hits, and striking out three in just his third collegiate appearance to earn his first collegiate win as MSU shutout Michigan, 3-0, for the Spartans' first shutout win over Michigan since April 19, 2002 in Ann Arbor ... Powers got some solid defensive help behind him, as he stymied the Michigan bats.

• Michigan came into the game hitting .274 and averaging 8.7 hits and 7.1 runs per game, and Powers stymied the Wolverine bats to just four hits and no runs, hitting just .174 (4-for-29).

• Powers' previous season-long outing was 5.0 IP, while his previous season-low for runs allowed was two.

• Powers then topped his previous top marks going 7.2 IP and striking out seven against Purdue on April 11, scattering six hits to earn his second win of the season.

COMEBACK SPARTANS WITH HISTORIC 8TH INNING MAGIC
• Michigan State rallied for victory in both of the Spartans' wins at Minnesota on April 2 & 4, including the win on Sunday, April 4 in which MSU was down 7-0 and getting no-hit through five innings, before rallying for a 10-7 win ... Michigan State scored a run in the sixth, three in the seventh and then six runs in the eighth to not just come all way the back, but take the lead.

In the Spartan victory on April 2, MSU was down 5-1 after five frames and 6-5 after the seventh inning for a 7-6 win ... In the game on April 3, Michigan State rallied from being down 7-3 after five innings with two runs in the sixth and four in the top of the ninth for a 9-7 lead, but Minnesota countered with a three-run ninth inning, winning on a walk-off single.

MSU's comebacks at Minnesota were one of the biggest comebacks in recent Spartan history, with two previous comeback wins boosted by big 8th innings:

• April 20, 2016 vs. Michigan
Down 5-0 after 6 inn. / Won, 7-6 on 6-run 8th

• May 21, 2015 vs. Nebraska (B1G Tourn)
Down 6-2 after 5 inn.; Down 7-3 after 7 inn. / Won, 9-7 on 6-run 8th

• April 11, 2015 vs. Northwestern
Down 6-1 after 3 inn.; Down 6-3 after 8 inn. / Won, 7-6 on 4-run 9th

• April 2, 2021 at Minnesota
Down 5-1 after 5 inn.; Down 6-5 after 7 inn. / Won, 7-6 on 4-run 6th, 1 run 8th, 1 run 9th

• April 4, 2021 at Minnesota
Down 7-0 and no-hit after 5 inn. / Won, 10-7 on 6-run 8th

POWERS NAMED BIG TEN CO-FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
• Michigan State's Nick Powers has been named the Big Ten Conference Baseball Co-Freshman of the Week, announced by the conference office on Tuesday, March 30.

• Powers collects MSU's first Big Ten Freshman of the Week award since March 12, 2018 when current teammate Mason Erla earned the accolade. This is the second weekly honor this season for the Spartans, as sophomore outfielder Zaid Walker was named the Player of the Week on March 10 following the opening weekend of the season.

• Powers, a freshman pitcher from Flushing, Michigan, earned this week's honor for his performance in Michigan State's win over B1G-leader Indiana on Sunday, March 28. In his first-ever game at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field, Powers fired 6.2 IP shutout innings in earning the win against B1G leader Indiana on Sunday, running his scoreless inning streak to 15-straight innings, before yielding a run with two outs in the seventh. He finished with three strikeouts, and did not allow an Indiana runner past second base until the seventh, his final inning, in limiting the Hoosiers to a season-low four hits while tying a season-low with just one run, after Indiana entered the game among the B1G leaders in hits and runs. Powers also got solid defensive play behind him to help stymie Indiana.

• The Spartan southpaw is the only pitcher in the Big Ten to defeat the top two teams in the league standings in Indiana and Michigan. He accomplished the feat in his last two starts over the span of less than a week, beating Michigan last Monday, March 22, and Indiana on Sunday, March 28.

• In the win over Michigan on Monday, March 22, Powers went a career-high 7.0 innings while limiting Michigan to just four hits, while striking out three in just his third collegiate appearance, as Michigan State shutout Michigan, 3-0, for the Spartans' first shutout win over Michigan since April 19, 2002 in Ann Arbor, as well as snapping a 10-game losing skein in the series. He also dealt No. 22 Michigan it's first shutout loss of the season, and the Wolverines' first shutout loss since March 17, 2019.

MOUND RETURNS
• Junior pitcher Jesse Heikkinen made his season-debut on the mound for the Spartans in starting the game vs. Purdue on Monday, March 12, after missing the previous portion of the season with an injury ... Heikkinen started and threw the first two innings, before sophomore Jackson Bennett made his Michigan State debut, also missing the first part of the season with an injury.

RUSH-ING TO FIRST CAREER WIN
• Redshirt-sophomore pitcher Wyatt Rush earned his first career win as a Spartan in MSU's win at Minnesota on Sunday, April 4 .... Rush came on in relief and went 3.1 IP, scattering five hits while not yielding a run, stymieing the Gopher bats.

• Rush has seven appearances with 14.2 IP, allowing five runs, on 12 hits with seven walks and 11 strikeouts, posting a 3.07 ERA.

• On April 18 vs. Purdue at the Champaign, Ill. pod, Rush again came out of the bullpen and went 4.0 IP with four Ks and only yielding one hit.

• The four strikeouts was a career-high, as well as one of three appearances with multiple strikeouts, joining three Ks on two previous occasions, March 7 vs. Maryland and March 20 vs. Illinois.

ZAID WALKER TABBED BIG TEN BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• Michigan State's Zaid Walker has been named the Big Ten Baseball Player of the Week for the opening week of the 2021 season, announced on March 10 by the conference office.

This is the second-straight season that Michigan State has collected the B1G Player of the Week award after the opening weekend of the season, as Bryce Kelley garnered the honor last season on Feb. 17, 2020 after the first weekend of play.

Walker, a sophomore outfielder from Homewood, Illinois, hit a team-leading .462 (6-13), with five RBI and one double, logging a .538 slugging percentage and scoring three runs in helping Michigan State win three of four games against Maryland in Greenville, South Carolina in the opening weekend of the 2021 season.

He had at least one hit in all four games, including going 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored in MSU's 7-4 win in game one of Saturday's doubleheader.

Walker also beat out an infield single to keep MSU's rally going in the seventh inning of Saturday's nightcap of the twinbill, to drive in what turned out to be the game-winning run, completing the Spartans' comeback after a 4-0 lead by Maryland, in the 5-4 Victory for MSU.

This is Walker's first career B1G Player of the Week honor, adding to his B1G award collection that includes Big Ten All-Freshman Team accolades in 2019.

Michigan State has collected two of the last three Big Ten Player of the Weeks awarded, as Walker's teammate Peter Ahn collected the accolade March 2, 2020, the second-to-last recognition of the 2020 season before the remainder of the season was canceled. The Spartans have also collected three of the last five Player of the Week honors, with Kelley's first week honor last season, as there were only four awards before the season was halted.

BERGHORST PICKS UP FIRST CAREER W
• Freshman pitcher Adam Berghorst collected his first career win vs. Northwestern on March 13 ... Berghorst went a career-long 5.0 IP and tied a career-best with three strikeouts, while yielding just two hits, one run on no walks.

SPARTAN NEWCOMERS
• Freshman infielder Mitch Jebb is just one of six Spartans to made their debuts for the Green & White in the opening weekend, as freshman lefty Nick Powers made his Spartan debut by starting the series finale, and went 5.0 IP, scattering three hits while striking out six, yielding two runs.

Freshman first baseman Brock Vradenburg also started the final game of the weekend, going 1-for-3 with a run scored on offense, while making a pair of nifty defensive plays in the top of the eighth, chasing down a foul ball and catching it near the stands for the first out of the inning, then on the next out, made a nice snag on a scorcher down the line, scooping and tossing to junior relief pitcher Wyatt Rush covering the bag.

Sophomore Burrell Jones also made his Spartan debut in the finale ... the right-hander pitched 2.0 IP of relief, chalking up two strikeouts.

Freshman infielder Trent Farquhar came on to play second base as a defensive sub in the top of ninth of Friday's opener.

Junior pitcher Jordan Beatson made the first appearances of their MSU career. Beatson transferred to Michigan State from Furman, after they discontinued baseball, and is from nearby Columbia, South Carolina, and made a relief appearance in game two.

CAROLINA IN MY MIND AND TRAVEL ITINERARY
• Michigan State is cuing up the James Taylor tune again this season, as the Spartans opened the 2021 season with back-to-back weekend trips to the Palmetto State for the Spartans this season in their annual trip to Greenville.

• The Green & White took on Maryland in four games in the opening weekend of the season March 5-7, then played Northwestern in a four-game series back at Fluor Field on March 12-14.

UP NEXT: FINAL HOMESTAND, BTN, SENIOR DAY
• Michigan State wraps up the 2021 with its final homestand, May 28-30, hosting Iowa in season-finale action.

The weekend series opens on Friday, May 28 in Friday Night Lights baseball style with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch. Game two of the weekend is on Saturday, May 29 in a 4:02 p.m. start time, nationally televised on Big Ten Network. The final game of the season is on Sunday, May 30 with a 1:05 p.m. first pitch.

Sunday is MSU's Senior Day, as the Spartans will honor their seven seniors: Sam Benschoter, Trevor Hopman, Bryce Kelley, Andrew Morrow, Jarret Olson, Bailey Peterson and Joe Stewart.

Spartans Clash With Scarlet Knights In Piscataway In Three-Game Weekend Series

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Peter Ahn

Jordan Beatson

Jackson Bennett

Sam Benschoter

Adam Berghorst

William Christophersen

Mason Erla

Trent Farquhar

Dominic Hann

Jesse Heikkinen

Trevor Hopman

Zach Hopman

Zach Iverson

Mitch Jebb

Burrell Jones

Bryce Kelley

Andrew Morrow

Jarret Olson

Bailey Peterson

Nick Powers

Adam Proctor

Wyatt Rush

Gabe Sotres

Joe Stewart

Brock Vradenburg

Zaid Walker

Spartans Clash With Scarlet Knights In Piscataway In Three-Game Weekend Series

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Peter Ahn

Jordan Beatson

Jackson Bennett

Sam Benschoter

Adam Berghorst

William Christophersen

Mason Erla

Trent Farquhar

Dominic Hann

Jesse Heikkinen

Trevor Hopman

Zach Hopman

Zach Iverson

Mitch Jebb

Burrell Jones

Bryce Kelley

Andrew Morrow

Jarret Olson

Bailey Peterson

Nick Powers

Adam Proctor

Wyatt Rush

Gabe Sotres

Joe Stewart

Brock Vradenburg

Zaid Walker

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