
Spartans Bucked By Broncos Wednesday
4/13/2022 9:14:00 PM | Baseball
Jebb went 3-for-4 with four RBI.
WMU jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first inning and went on to defeat MSU, 18-7.
Wednesday's loss snapped Michigan State's three-game win streak in the all-time series, as MSU has won four of the last six, and Western Michigan now leads, 95-84, overall. MSU slid to 13-16 overall on the year with the loss, while WMU moved to 9-19.
On Tuesday it was announced that Wednesday's game time moved up to 4:05 p.m. from 6:35, but rain during the day postponed the first pitch until 4:30, and rain fell off and on throughout the game, increasing as the game went on.
Wednesday's game had all sorts of connections, as current MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr., WMU head coach Billy Gernon and MSU assistant coach/pitching coach Mark Van Ameyde were together on the Spartans' staff from 2009-10, before Gernon left to become head coach at WMU. Additionally, current MSU volunteer assistant coach Andrew Stone was a four-year letterwinner at Western Michigan (2015-19), and Stone's father is Jeff Stone, Western Michigan's Senior Associate Athletic Director, overseeing academic and compliance services. Current WMU assistant coach Jordan Keur was on the Spartan staff for four seasons (2016-19) and also was a four-year letterwinner at Michigan State (2010-13), playing in Gernon's final year on the Spartan staff.
Along with the dugouts, there were connections on the roster with Spartan freshman pitcher Ryan Szczepaniak and his brother, WMU sophomore pitcher Drew Szczepaniak. Both Szczepaniak brothers were the pitchers of record at the same time, with Drew pitching the bottom of the fifth, while Ryan pitched the top of the sixth.
MSU scored its seven runs on 11 hits, while WMU scored its 18 runs on 22 hits.Â
"I'm upset that we weren't more ready to play, we need a better effort on the mound for sure. To give up seven in the first, and I believe they were all unearned, it's extremely disappointing. We have a hard time finishing innings, we have a hard time finishing at bats, and tonight was another example of that," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "Credit Western Michigan, Billy's a great coach, he's a dear friend, and he had his guys ready to go today. I thought we were ready to go and clearly, I was mistaken on that. We're searching for some answers on the mound and we were searching going into tonight and I feel like we're still searching for some answers there. So we need to be better all the way around. We'll be ready to play Friday night against Michigan."
Sophomore infielder Mitch Jebb was 3-for-4 with four RBI and drew two walks, while swiping one stolen base. Redshirt-freshman catcher Bryan Broecker was also 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, while sophomore infielder Dillon Kark was 2-for-4. Senior designated hitter Zach Iverson and junior infielder Peter Ahn were both 1-for-4 with two runs scored, and Iverson added an RBI. Freshman infielder Trent Farquhar was 1-for-5.
On the mound, MSU used eight pitchers, posting nine strikeouts and three walks, while yielding 22 hits and 18 runs, 10 of them earned.
The Broncos came bucking out of the gates and plated seven runs on seven hits in the top of the first. The Spartans threatened in the home half of the first, getting runners on first and second without an out, but a triple play ended the inning. WMU added a run in the top of the second for an 8-0 lead.
Michigan State got on the board with a two-run third inning, as Iverson sparked the rally with a single to left center. Broecker and Kark both followed suite with singles to load the bases, then Jebb singled through the right side to drive in Iverson and Broecker.
WMU countered with two runs of its own in the top of the fourth on a two-run home run, but the Spartans scored two in the bottom of the fourth on an Iverson RBI groundout to drive in Ahn who led off the inning with a triple to right center. Broecker and Kark both singled, and Jebb followed with an RBI single through the right side to plate Broecker and pull MSU within 10-4.
The Broncos scored five in the top of the fifth to open a 15-4 lead, adding two in the seventh and one in the eighth.
Michigan State rallied in the ninth, with Broecker knocking a two-run double to left center with the bases loaded and Jebb drawing a bases-loaded walk for the final score.
The Spartans host Michigan in the "Capital Clash" at Jackson Field on Friday, April 15 at 5:05 p.m. MSU then hosts UM at McLane Field at Kobs Field on Saturday, April 16 at 4:05 p.m. and Sunday, April 17 at 1:05 p.m.
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The week schedule is subject to change based on weather.
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Along with any further schedule updates, fans can follow the games with links for live stats, live audio (when available) and live streaming of home games from Big Ten Network+ at MSUSpartans.com.
Tickets for the Capital Clash are available for purchase at the Jackson® Field™ box office, online at lansinglugnuts.com and by calling (517) 485-4500.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: HOUGHTALING, Ethan (1-1)
L: Cook, Harrison (0-4)
Batting:
2B: ALLEN, Jimmy 1 ; McINTYRE, Justin 1 ; CHARPING, Connor 2 ; NEVAR, Dylan 1 ; SULLIVAN, Cade 1 ; MORRISON, Will 1
3B: NEVAR, Dylan 1
HR: NEVAR, Dylan 2
RBI: ALLEN, Jimmy 1 ; CHARPING, Connor 2 ; DOYLE, Gavin 2 ; NEVAR, Dylan 5 ; SULLIVAN, Cade 4 ; MORRISON, Will 1 ; BUDIG, Greg 2
Base Running:
RUNS: ALLEN, Jimmy 1 ; McINTYRE, Justin 3 ; CHARPING, Connor 3 ; DOYLE, Gavin 3 ; NEVAR, Dylan 3 ; SULLIVAN, Cade 1 ; MORRISON, Will 1 ; SWINEHART, Josh 1 ; BUDIG, Greg 2
SB: ALLEN, Jimmy 1 ; CHARPING, Connor 1
HBP: ALLEN, Jimmy 1

Batting:
3B: Ahn, Peter 1
RBI: Jebb, Mitch 4 ; Iverson, Zach 1 ; Broecker, Bryan 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Thompson, Ganin 1 ; Ahn, Peter 2 ; Iverson, Zach 2 ; Broecker, Bryan 2
SB: Jebb, Mitch 1
HBP: Mayes, Casey 1 ; Broecker, Bryan 1