Spartans Sweep Sycamores In Sunday Doubleheader

Photo by: Ben Clemens

3/19/2023 10:33:00 PM | Baseball

G1: MSU 8, ISU 2 Box Score (PDF)G2: MSU 10, ISU 7 Box Score (PDF)

MSU runs win streak to season-long five in a row.

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Michigan State baseball swept Indiana State in a chilly twinbill on Sunday at ISU's Bob Warn Field, winning the opener, 8-2, and taking the nightcap, 10-7.

MSU and ISU were slated to play a three-game series starting Friday, but inclement weather and freezing temperatures in the Terre Haute area pushed the series to a doubleheader on Sunday. The game-time temperature for Sunday's twinbill was 32 at the first pitch of the opener and 37 at first pitch of game two, with cold, windy conditions throughout the day.

"I'm really proud of our guys today. I think they showed a lot of toughness, both physically and mentally, the conditions were not ideal, but both teams had to play in it and our guys really showed up today," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "Offensively we were really good, and on the mound, I think we made pitches when we needed to, so it was a really good day for the Spartans."

Michigan State made its first-ever trip to Terre Haute, after being set to play at ISU on March 13-15, 2020, before remainder of season was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic the day that MSU was about to bus to Terre Haute. With Sunday's sweep, the Spartans now lead the all-time series with the Sycamores, 5-1, having won the last three meetings and four of the last five match-ups.

Sunday's sweep also runs MSU's win streak to a season-long five in a row as the Green & White improved to 10-7 on the season. ISU slid to 8-10, as the Sycamores had their six-game win streak halted. Indiana State is also now 1-3 against Big Ten Conference opponents, having lost to Iowa, 6-2 in 11 innings in the season-opener on Feb. 17, and the Sycamores beat Illinois, 7-3 in 10 innings in their last outing this past Wednesday, March 15.

The Spartans rapped out 28 hits in scoring their 18 runs, knocking 14 hits in plating the eight runs in the opener, and also logging 14 hits in scoring 10 runs in the nightcap. MSU has now registered double-digit hits in the last seven games, in posting 10+ runs in two of the last four contests. On the season, Michigan State now has five double-figure run outings and 13 double-digit hits in the 17 games.

MSU's 1-2-3 hitters were a combined 14-for-30 for the day, ignited by leadoff hitter junior infielder Trent Farquhar, who was 5-for-10 with a double and four runs scored. Number two hitter, junior infielder Mitch Jebb was 5-for-11 with a double and three runs scored, while the number three hitter, junior infielder Brock Vradenburg was 4-for-9 with four RBI and three runs scored.

Junior outfielder Jack Frank, was also 4-for-9 with six RBI and a run scored, knocking a two-run home run in the first inning of game two. Redshirt-sophomore designated hitter Sam Busch was 3-for-8 with a triple along with three RBI and two runs scored. Senior outfielder Casey Mayes, junior infielder Dillon Kark and freshman outfielder Jake Dresselhouse all had multiple hits on the day, with Kark cracking a two-run home run in the eighth inning of the opener, finishing with two RBI, while Dresselhouse registered the first RBI of his collegiate career, driving in a run with a single in the nightcap.

Mayes swiped two bases on the day, while Frank posted one stolen base. Sophomore catcher Bryan Broecker was officially 1-for-1 with a hit and run scored, drawing four walks.

On the mound, freshman starter Joseph Dzierwa rang up eight strikeouts without a run in 3.2 IP in the opener, senior reliever Andrew Carson had three Ks in 2.2 IP, redshirt-sophomore Dominic Pianto had a pair of punchouts in 1.1 IP, and senior closer Wyatt Rush pitched the final 1.1 IP of the nightcap, coming on in the eighth and closing the door on ISU's rally and then pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning, chalking up a strikeout to end it and seal the Victory for MSU with his third save of the season. Freshman Nolan Higgins earned the win in the opener, going 2.2 IP of relief with two Ks, while sophomore Harrison Cook collected the win in the nightcap with three strikeouts in 4.2 IP.

"Everybody contributed offensively, even if it didn't show up in the box score, I think we did a lot of little things right, that put our guys in position to score," Boss said. "Some things didn't show up in the box score, but were really, really big parts of both games. It was a big day at the plate, and guys threw well today on the mound. I thought Wyatt Rush was outstanding for an inning-and-a-third, coming in and doing what a senior should do and slamming the door on them. We're still looking for someone to step up as our last weekend starter, but we'll put the challenge to those guys and see who responds, but I feel like we have some pretty good options and we'll see what happens next weekend."

Game One - MSU 8, ISU 2
In the opener, the Spartans bolted out of the gates in their first at bat, as MSU batted around, plating three runs, before the rally ended with the bases loaded as the visitors were looking for more. Farquhar started it off with a leadoff single, and Jebb followed with a single of his own. After Vradenburg was hit by a pitch to load the bases full of Spartans, Busch knocked an RBI groundout to drive in Farquhar and put MSU in the scoring column. Two batters later, Frank knocked a two-run single to left center for a 3-0 lead for the Green & White. Mayes walk to reload the bases, but a strikeout ended the rally.

Dzierwa started things off with a strikeout to his first Sycamore batter faced, and rang up his first 1-2-3 inning in the opening frame, ending the inning the same way he started with a strikeout.

MSU added to its lead with a run in the second on an RBI single by Broecker, driving in Vradenburg, who drew a two-out walk.

Dzierwa then struck out the side in the bottom of the second, moving up to five strikeouts through six batters.

ISU got its first hit of the game off Dzierwa in the third on a sun and wind-aided double, before the Spartan southpaw set down the next three Sycamores with two more Ks.

Higgins took over for Dzierwa with two outs in the fourth, after Dzierwa rang up a strikeout and groundout for the first two outs, but then yielded a HBP and fielding error, and MSU went to the pen. A lineout was induced by Higgins to thwart the threat by ISU and end the frame without a run and preserving MSU's 4-0 lead.

Busch blasted a two-out triple to right center in the sixth, and Frank knocked an RBI single to drive Busch in for a 5-0 advantage. In the top of the seventh, Farquhar and Jebb had back-to-back two-out singles, and Vradenburg followed with a single through the right side to drive in Farquhar for a 6-0 Spartan lead entering the seventh-inning stretch.

After stretching and singing to warm up on the cold day in Terre Haute, the Sycamore bats got going on back-to-back home runs Parker Stinson and Keegan Watson, chasing Higgins, but Carson closed the door on any further rally, keeping the score 6-2 after seven frames.

The Spartans got the two runs back in a hurry as Broecker led off with a walk and two batters later, Kark crushed his two-run home run to left field for the 8-2 lead to complete the scoring.

Carson worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the eighth with a strikeout, then sealed the Victory for MSU with another strikeout in the ninth.

Game Two - MSU 10, ISU 7
The nightcap started just like the opener, with the Spartans started their scoring early, as again Farquhar led off with a single, then moved to third on a Jebb double. Vradenburg then grounded out to drive in Farquhar, and Busch followed with an RBI single to plate Jebb. Frank followed with his two-run home run to right field to put MSU ahead 4-0.

ISU scored two runs and had the bases loaded, and MSU made a pitching change, relieving Berhorst with Cook, and after yielding an RBI single, Cook induced a lineout to end the frame, keeping the score 4-3.

Jebb led off the third with an infield single and moved around to third on a throwing error on the play. Two batters later, Busch knocked a sacrifice fly to deep left center field to drive in Jebb and put MSU on top, 5-3.

In the fourth, Mayes led off with a single, stole second and moved to third on a groundout by senior catcher Sam Thompson. Dresselhouse then beat out an infield single to drive in Mayes for his first RBI of his young collegiate career for a 6-3 Spartan advantage. MSU stretched its lead to 7-3 in the fifth with an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Frank.

The sixth inning was much like the fourth, with Mayes leading off with a single, then stealing second and moving to third on a flyout by Thompson, but then Mayes scored on a wild pitch to put the visitors ahead, 8-3. ISU closed to 8-5 in the home half of the sixth on a two-run home run by A@@ Pottinger.

The scoreboard stayed 8-5 until the bottom of the eighth, when M@@@ Rivera had a two-out two-run home run to pull the Sycamores within, 8-7. MSU went to the bullpen and brought in Rush, and he induced a groundout to end the frame.

Dresselhouse led off the ninth with a single up the middle and advanced to third on a Farquhar double. Two batters later, Vradenburg laced a single through the drawn-in Sycamore infield for a pair of Spartan insurance runs for a 10-7 lead.

Rush then pitched a three-up, three-down frame, chalking up a strikeout to spark the Victory for MSU sweep celebration.

Michigan State is scheduled to play its first game in the state of Michigan on March 22, heading to Kalamazoo to meet in-state foe Western Michigan. The Spartans then host their home opener at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field on March 24, hosting Purdue also in MSU's Big Ten Opener in the first of a three-game conference series, March 24-26, with Friday's game slated to be nationally broadcast on the Big Ten Network.

MSU's schedule is subject to change, stay tuned to MSUSpartans.com and @MSUBaseball on Twitter for schedule updates.

Fans can follow action with "Watch Live" and "Live Stats" links at MSUSpartans.com, where available.