Friday, March 10
Fluor Field | Greenville, S.C.
2 p.m.
Michigan State University
6-7
6
vs
5
Western Carolina
5-9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Western Carolina
0
0
0
1
0
2
2
0
0
5
12
2
Michigan State
0
0
1
0
2
0
0
2
1
6
10
0
Photo by: Jeremy Fleming
Kark, Spartans Walk-Off Western Carolina Friday At Fluor Field
3/10/2023 11:02:00 PM | Baseball
Junior infielder's walk-off inside-the-park home run completes MSU comeback.
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Dillon Kark's walk-off inside-the-park home run completed Michigan State baseball's comeback in a 6-5 Victory for MSU over Western Carolina Friday afternoon in the opening game of the 2023 First Pitch Invitational at MSU's home-away-from-home, Fluor Field, home of the Greenville Drive.
After scoring a run in the third inning, Michigan State later trailed 5-3 after seven innings, but the Spartans plated two runs in the eighth before Kark's heroics to lead off the ninth. The Spartan junior infielder smacked a line drive down the right field line near "Pesky's Pole" at Fluor Field, that is the same dimensions as Fenway Park. WCU right fielder James Hinson made a sliding attempt, before crashing into the wall as the ball bounced past, and Kark scampered around the bases for a bittersweet and tame celebration, as a hush fell over the entire stadium making sure that Hinson was alright. After medical attention by both MSU athletic trainer Justin Waas and WCU athletic trainer Daniel Gonzalez, Hinson was helped to his feet and walked off the field with assistance to a standing ovation from both dugouts and everyone in the stadium. Once Hinson was ok and back in the WCU dugout, the Spartans celebrated their second walk-off to open First Pitch Invitational action in as many years, also commencing 2022 action with a walk-off home run.
In addition to "Pesky's Pole," Fluor Field is also a complete replica of Fenway Park complete with the Green Monster, just seven-feet shorter than the original in Boston, and the Greenville version was adorned with a pair of large Spartan head decals with "Spartan Strong" underneath, as tribute to Michigan State, which is in its fourth week since the mass shooting on the East Lansing campus on Monday, Feb. 13, when three MSU students were killed and five were hospitalized. Michigan State University canceled classes the rest of the week following the deaths of the three students – juniors Arielle Anderson and Alexandria Verner and sophomore Brian Fraser. Classes resumed on Monday, Feb. 20.
Michigan State players again wore "Spartan Strong" stickers on their helmets in a tribute, and several players had personal tributes as well.
MSU improved to 6-7 with the win, while WCU slid to 5-9 with the loss. The Catamounts bounced back to defeat Kansas, 5-3, in the nightcap of Friday's opening day of action at Fluor Field, ending the day with a 6-9 record.
"I'm really proud of our guys for fighting back in the eighth to tie it and then to win it in the ninth," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "I think our guys showed a lot of character today, that was really the first kind of back-and-forth game that we've had this year, so it's good to come out on the positive end of it."
Saturday's schedule is slated for two Michigan State games, taking on Kansas at 2 p.m., followed by a second game with Western Carolina at 6 p.m.
Friday's walk-off win marked the second-straight season that the Spartans opened First Pitch Invitational action with a walk-off home run, after a 10-8 win on a Mitch Jebb two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth for the triumph over Cincinnati last year. It was also MSU's second one-run win over Western Carolina in the last three meetings, winning 4-3 in 2020 on a defensive walk-off, with Bryce Kelley throwing out a Catamount baserunner at the plate for the final out.
Kark smacked his second walk-off home run in as many seasons, with a walk-off over-the-fence home run variety on March 18, 2022 for a 4-3 win over Houston Baptist, which was also the last Spartan with a walk-off home run, and the last walk-off Victory for MSU was two days later, also over Houston Baptist, and matching Friday's score of 6-5.
Spartan third baseman Kark finished Friday's game 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, as MSU knocked out 10 hits, and spread them out with eight different players having at least one hit. Sophomore catcher Bryan Broecker was 2-for-3 with a walk, while freshman outfielder Jake Dresselhouse was 1-for-2 with a run scored, junior infielder Brock Vradenburg was 1-for-4 with an RBI and run scored, sophomore designated hitter Sam Busch and junior infielder Jebb were both 1-for-4 with an RBI, junior infielder Trent Farquhar was 1-for-3 with an RBI and run scored, and junior outfielder Jack Frank was 1-for-4.
"You look at the box score and you see eight different guys with hits," Boss said. "Bryan had multiple hits, and obviously Dillon had a good day with the double and the inside-the-park home run and a couple RBI," Boss said.
Freshman pitcher Joseph Dzierwa started and went 6.0 IP, chalking up three strikeouts while scattering seven hits and yielding two runs. Senior Wyatt Rush went the final 3.0 IP, spraying five hits with two runs and ringing up four Ks and earning the win.
"The challenge is now we'll have a good Kansas team tomorrow, so we just keep grinding out at bats, competing and making quality pitches on the mound. I thought Joseph Dzierwa was good again today, but he made a couple mistakes and got hurt by them, but overall, I think he continues to show signs of being very, very good for us."
Dzierwa worked a 1-2-3 inning to open Friday's contest, working around a one-out single by getting a 6-4-3 double play to end the frame. The Spartan southpaw worked another three-up, three-down inning in the second, then got out of a little jam after yielding a leadoff triple in the third, but then got a KL, a foulout bunt attempt and a flyout.
The Spartans got on the board in the home half of the third, as Dresselhouse laced a one-out single to center, then stole second, and two batters later came around to score on a Jebb single to right for an early 1-0 MSU advantage.
After WCU tied it up with a run in the top of the fourth, the Spartans plated a pair in the fifth, as senior outfielder Casey Mayes led off by getting hit by a pitch, then Kark doubled to the gap in left center and Mayes motored around the bases to score. Dresselhouse laid down a sac bunt to move Kark to third, and Farquhar followed with a sac fly to left to plate Kark and flip the manual scoreboard in the Green Monster to 3-1 in the Spartans' favor.
The 3-1 score was short-lived as the Catamounts clawed two runs across in the sixth to knot the game at 3-all, and two more in the top of the seventh for a 5-3 lead.
Farquhar fulfilled his role of leadoff hitter by starting off the eighth with an opposite field double down the left field line. Vradenburg followed and smacked a double to the right-center gap to trade places with Farquhar, and pull MSU within 5-4. Two batters later, Busch singled through the WCU defensive shift to right field to drive in Vradenburg and tie it up at 5s.
Rush yielded a one-out single in the top of the ninth, but then induced a 3-6-1 double play, fielding his position. The play was review and the out call at first was upheld, re-sparking a Rush and Spartan celebration, after it was initially contained with the review, to end the frame and set up Kark's walk-off heroics.
The Spartans play a twinbill Saturday, opening with Kansas at 2 p.m., and taking on WCU in the nightcap at 6 p.m. Action wraps up Sunday with MSU playing Kansas at Noon.
MSU's weekend schedule is subject to change.
Fans can follow the action with "Watch Live" and "Live Stats" links at MSUSpartans.com, where available.
After scoring a run in the third inning, Michigan State later trailed 5-3 after seven innings, but the Spartans plated two runs in the eighth before Kark's heroics to lead off the ninth. The Spartan junior infielder smacked a line drive down the right field line near "Pesky's Pole" at Fluor Field, that is the same dimensions as Fenway Park. WCU right fielder James Hinson made a sliding attempt, before crashing into the wall as the ball bounced past, and Kark scampered around the bases for a bittersweet and tame celebration, as a hush fell over the entire stadium making sure that Hinson was alright. After medical attention by both MSU athletic trainer Justin Waas and WCU athletic trainer Daniel Gonzalez, Hinson was helped to his feet and walked off the field with assistance to a standing ovation from both dugouts and everyone in the stadium. Once Hinson was ok and back in the WCU dugout, the Spartans celebrated their second walk-off to open First Pitch Invitational action in as many years, also commencing 2022 action with a walk-off home run.
In addition to "Pesky's Pole," Fluor Field is also a complete replica of Fenway Park complete with the Green Monster, just seven-feet shorter than the original in Boston, and the Greenville version was adorned with a pair of large Spartan head decals with "Spartan Strong" underneath, as tribute to Michigan State, which is in its fourth week since the mass shooting on the East Lansing campus on Monday, Feb. 13, when three MSU students were killed and five were hospitalized. Michigan State University canceled classes the rest of the week following the deaths of the three students – juniors Arielle Anderson and Alexandria Verner and sophomore Brian Fraser. Classes resumed on Monday, Feb. 20.
Michigan State players again wore "Spartan Strong" stickers on their helmets in a tribute, and several players had personal tributes as well.
MSU improved to 6-7 with the win, while WCU slid to 5-9 with the loss. The Catamounts bounced back to defeat Kansas, 5-3, in the nightcap of Friday's opening day of action at Fluor Field, ending the day with a 6-9 record.
"I'm really proud of our guys for fighting back in the eighth to tie it and then to win it in the ninth," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "I think our guys showed a lot of character today, that was really the first kind of back-and-forth game that we've had this year, so it's good to come out on the positive end of it."
Saturday's schedule is slated for two Michigan State games, taking on Kansas at 2 p.m., followed by a second game with Western Carolina at 6 p.m.
Friday's walk-off win marked the second-straight season that the Spartans opened First Pitch Invitational action with a walk-off home run, after a 10-8 win on a Mitch Jebb two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth for the triumph over Cincinnati last year. It was also MSU's second one-run win over Western Carolina in the last three meetings, winning 4-3 in 2020 on a defensive walk-off, with Bryce Kelley throwing out a Catamount baserunner at the plate for the final out.
Kark smacked his second walk-off home run in as many seasons, with a walk-off over-the-fence home run variety on March 18, 2022 for a 4-3 win over Houston Baptist, which was also the last Spartan with a walk-off home run, and the last walk-off Victory for MSU was two days later, also over Houston Baptist, and matching Friday's score of 6-5.
Spartan third baseman Kark finished Friday's game 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, as MSU knocked out 10 hits, and spread them out with eight different players having at least one hit. Sophomore catcher Bryan Broecker was 2-for-3 with a walk, while freshman outfielder Jake Dresselhouse was 1-for-2 with a run scored, junior infielder Brock Vradenburg was 1-for-4 with an RBI and run scored, sophomore designated hitter Sam Busch and junior infielder Jebb were both 1-for-4 with an RBI, junior infielder Trent Farquhar was 1-for-3 with an RBI and run scored, and junior outfielder Jack Frank was 1-for-4.
"You look at the box score and you see eight different guys with hits," Boss said. "Bryan had multiple hits, and obviously Dillon had a good day with the double and the inside-the-park home run and a couple RBI," Boss said.
Freshman pitcher Joseph Dzierwa started and went 6.0 IP, chalking up three strikeouts while scattering seven hits and yielding two runs. Senior Wyatt Rush went the final 3.0 IP, spraying five hits with two runs and ringing up four Ks and earning the win.
"The challenge is now we'll have a good Kansas team tomorrow, so we just keep grinding out at bats, competing and making quality pitches on the mound. I thought Joseph Dzierwa was good again today, but he made a couple mistakes and got hurt by them, but overall, I think he continues to show signs of being very, very good for us."
Dzierwa worked a 1-2-3 inning to open Friday's contest, working around a one-out single by getting a 6-4-3 double play to end the frame. The Spartan southpaw worked another three-up, three-down inning in the second, then got out of a little jam after yielding a leadoff triple in the third, but then got a KL, a foulout bunt attempt and a flyout.
The Spartans got on the board in the home half of the third, as Dresselhouse laced a one-out single to center, then stole second, and two batters later came around to score on a Jebb single to right for an early 1-0 MSU advantage.
After WCU tied it up with a run in the top of the fourth, the Spartans plated a pair in the fifth, as senior outfielder Casey Mayes led off by getting hit by a pitch, then Kark doubled to the gap in left center and Mayes motored around the bases to score. Dresselhouse laid down a sac bunt to move Kark to third, and Farquhar followed with a sac fly to left to plate Kark and flip the manual scoreboard in the Green Monster to 3-1 in the Spartans' favor.
The 3-1 score was short-lived as the Catamounts clawed two runs across in the sixth to knot the game at 3-all, and two more in the top of the seventh for a 5-3 lead.
Farquhar fulfilled his role of leadoff hitter by starting off the eighth with an opposite field double down the left field line. Vradenburg followed and smacked a double to the right-center gap to trade places with Farquhar, and pull MSU within 5-4. Two batters later, Busch singled through the WCU defensive shift to right field to drive in Vradenburg and tie it up at 5s.
Rush yielded a one-out single in the top of the ninth, but then induced a 3-6-1 double play, fielding his position. The play was review and the out call at first was upheld, re-sparking a Rush and Spartan celebration, after it was initially contained with the review, to end the frame and set up Kark's walk-off heroics.
The Spartans play a twinbill Saturday, opening with Kansas at 2 p.m., and taking on WCU in the nightcap at 6 p.m. Action wraps up Sunday with MSU playing Kansas at Noon.
MSU's weekend schedule is subject to change.
Fans can follow the action with "Watch Live" and "Live Stats" links at MSUSpartans.com, where available.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rush, Wyatt (1-0)
L: Nick Torres (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Jordan Starkes 1 ; Pascanel Ferreras 1 ; Jack Spyke 1 ; James Hinson 1
3B: Brandon Butterworth 1
RBI: Zach Ketterman 1 ; Nate Stocum 1 ; Jack Spyke 2
SF: Zach Ketterman 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jordan Starkes 1 ; Zach Ketterman 1 ; Pascanel Ferreras 1 ; Nate Stocum 1 ; Kyle Harbison 1
CS: Kyle Harbison 1
HBP: Zach Ketterman 1 ; Nate Stocum 1
Batting:
2B: Farquhar, Trent 1 ; Vradenburg, Brock 1 ; Broecker, Bryan 1 ; Kark, Dillon 1
HR: Kark, Dillon 1
RBI: Farquhar, Trent 1 ; Jebb, Mitch 1 ; Vradenburg, Brock 1 ; Busch, Sam 1 ; Kark, Dillon 2
SH: Dresselhouse, Jake 1
SF: Farquhar, Trent 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Farquhar, Trent 1 ; Vradenburg, Brock 1 ; Mayes, Casey 1 ; Kark, Dillon 2 ; Dresselhouse, Jake 1
SB: Dresselhouse, Jake 1
CS: Frank, Jack 1
HBP: Mayes, Casey 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
C
/ Baseball
OF/C
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballPursuit to Greatness | Spartans All-Access
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