Saturday, March 4
Nielsen Field at CSU Ballpark | Charleston, S.C.
1:30 p.m.
Michigan State University
5-4
19
at
10
Charleston Southern
3-8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Michigan State
0
5
3
1
0
1
4
3
2
19
19
0
Charleston Southern
2
0
0
0
0
3
0
4
1
10
11
4
Photo by: Sarah Smith
Spartans Use Home Runs To Sink Buccaneers, 19-10 Saturday
3/4/2023 7:25:00 PM | Baseball
Williams knocks two of MSU’s five round-trippers on day in his season debut; Higgins rings up five Ks on way to first collegiate win.
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Boosted by two home runs from Christian Williams in his season debut, Michigan State baseball blasted five round-trippers on the way to a 19-10 Victory for MSU at Charleston Southern Saturday afternoon at Nielsen Field at CSU Ballpark.
With 19 runs on 19 hits, MSU posted double-digit runs for the third time this season while knocking out double-digit hits for the second time in last three games and fourth in last six contests, as part of six times in the nine games this season.
The Spartans scored at least one run in seven of the nine innings, only not scoring in the first and fifth frames.
The 19 runs Saturday is MSU's most since scoring 22 vs. UNC Greensboro (W, 22-16) on Feb. 25, 2017. The five Spartan home runs was their most since knocking eight round-trippers on March 26, 2017 at Illinois.
"It was a very good offensive day for us. I was really proud of the way we swung the bat today. I think it was important that every time they scored, we answered with a big inning, which was good to see," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "We got a couple big home runs from Christian Williams as part of five home runs on the day, Jake Dresselhouse got his first collegiate hit today. Nolan Higgins got his first win on the mound as well. So it was a good day, especially offensively, for us."
MSU's offense bounced back after just five hits and three runs in Friday's 11-3 loss at College of Charleston to open the Spartans' Spring Break trip to South Carolina. Michigan State returns to College of Charleston on Sunday.
"It's a pretty resilient group. I think they do a pretty good job of separating one day from the next and so guys were enthusiastic, energetic and ready to play today, which was good to see. So now the challenge is to duplicate it tomorrow," Boss said.Â
Saturday was part of MSU's third weekend 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.Â
Redshirt-freshman designated hitter Williams had a breakout season debut after missing the first two weekends with an injury, then bashing a home run in his first two at bats on Saturday. Williams also homered for his first hit in his 2022 debut as well.Â
Williams also becomes the first Spartan with a pair of homers in the same game since Mitch Jebb on March 11, 2022, and both occasions have come in South Carolina, as Jebb accomplished the feat vs. Cincinnati at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C.
In addition to the two round-trippers from Williams, sophomore catcher Bryan Broecker started the home run party with a solo shot to lead off the second inning and Williams followed for back-to-back round-trippers. Junior outfielder Jack Frank and junior infielder Brock Vradenburg also knocked home runs.
By going 3-for-6, Williams was one of five Spartans with three hits, as he finished with three RBI and two runs scored. Junior infielder Trent Farquhar was 3-for-7 with three runs and two RBI, Vradenburg and Broecker both went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI each, while junior infielder Dillon Kark was also 3-for-5, with three runs scored and one RBI.
Frank finished 2-for-6 with four RBI and two runs scored, while senior outfielder Casey Mayes went 1-for-4 with a run scored and freshman outfielder Jake Dresselhouse knocked his first collegiate hit with a single, part of going 1-for-3 with two runs scored. Dresselhouse, Mayes and Kark all swiped one stolen base apiece.
On the mound, senior Andrew Carson started, going 1.0 IP with two Ks, before giving way to freshman Nolan Higgins, who went 4.1 IP in stymieing the Buccaneer bats, holding them to just one hit, while ringing up five strikeouts, one hit and one run to earn his first collegiate win.
Senior Brian Martin, junior Nick Powers, redshirt-sophomore Dominic Pianto and senior Wyatt Rush closed it out.
After Charleston Southern scored a pair of runs in its first at bat to take a 2-0 lead, MSU wiped the deficit out in a hurry by hanging a five-spot in the second inning, followed by a three-run third, one run in each of the fourth and sixth innings, then descending order of four in the seventh, three in the eighth and two in the ninth.
CSU didn't score again until the sixth inning with three runs, then closed with four runs in the eighth and one in the ninth before Rush closed the door on the Bucs' rally to end the game.
Charleston Southern got on the board in their first at bat of the game, with leadoff hitter Ike George getting hit by pitch, stealing second, moving to third on a wild pitch and coming in to score on sacrifice fly by Ashton Wilson. After a strikeout, Kieran Davis homered to left field just inside the foul pole, for a 2-0 Buccaneer lead.
Michigan State quickly countered, as Broecker led off the top of the second with a home run, and Williams followed up the second half of the back-to-back Spartan jacks, in his first at bat of the season. Kark, Farquhar and Frank also scored in the inning, with Kark scoring on an error, and Farquhar scoring on a Frank double, then Frank scored on another Bucs' error off the bat of Vradenburg, and MSU had a 5-2 lead.
Higgins came on in the bottom of the second and rang up his first 3-up, 3-down inning with a groundout and back-to-back strikeouts.
After the Spartans batted around in the third, Broecker again led off to start the third, and he drew a new ChSo reliever Daniel Padyshak, who is slated to play for the Czech Republic in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Broecker battled Padyshak through an 11-pitch at bat, and on the 11th pitch, singled second. Williams followed and smacked his second home run in as many at  bats with a two-run shot to left field. Kark then tripled down the line in right, and two batters later, Farquhar singled to drive Kark in for an 8-2 Spartan advantage.
For the second frame in a row, Higgins fired a 1-2-3 frame in the bottom of the third. MSU tacked on a run in the fourth on a Kark RBI single, driving in Vradenburg who led off the inning with an infield single to second.Â
Higgins worked around a leadoff single and walk, getting a popup, then Broecker threw out a Buc runner trying to steal third, and Higgins rang up a strikeout to end the fourth frame. The Spartan freshman pitcher threw another 1-2-3 inning in the fifth.
Michigan State added a run in the sixth as Mayes led off with a single, stole second, and scored on a fielding error off the bat of Williams for a 10-2 lead.
ChSo plated three runs in the sixth to close to 10-5.Â
MSU pulled away with a four-run seventh, as Dresselhouse led off by getting hit by pitch, followed by Farquhar with a single, bringing Frank to the plate. The Spartan outfielder blasted a home run to the deepest part of Nielsen Field in straight-away center. Vradenburg followed with a double, moved to third on a Mayes flyout and scored on a Broecker single for a 14-5 Michigan State advantage.
After some stretching and singing at the ol' ballgame, Pianto rang up a 3-up, 3-down inning, and the Spartans plated three runs in the top of the eighth. Dresselhouse laced his first hit as a Spartan with a single up the middle, then stole second and scored on a Farquhar single. Two batters later, Vradenburg launched a towering home run high into the trees beyond the right-field fence at Nielsen Field to put the Green & White ahead, 17-5.Â
The Bucs scored four runs in the eighth to cut the Spartan gap to 17-9, but MSU scored two in the top of the ninth, as Broecker and Kark both scored on separate wild pitches for a 19-9 Michigan State lead, before ChSo scored one in the ninth for the final 19-10 score.
The Spartans continue their weekend in Charleston returning to College of Charleston on Sunday, March 5 for a 1 p.m. first pitch at CofC's Patriots Point.
Michigan State then plays Air Force in a neutral-site meeting on Monday, March 6 at Shipyard Park.Â
MSU then heads to Greenville, S.C. to play at Fluor Field, the Spartans' home-away-from home, Fluor Field, home of the Greenville Drive, where MSU will meet Wofford on Wednesday, March 8, before hosting the First Pitch Invitational, taking on Western Carolina and Kansas in a rotating schedule March 10-12. 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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With 19 runs on 19 hits, MSU posted double-digit runs for the third time this season while knocking out double-digit hits for the second time in last three games and fourth in last six contests, as part of six times in the nine games this season.
The Spartans scored at least one run in seven of the nine innings, only not scoring in the first and fifth frames.
The 19 runs Saturday is MSU's most since scoring 22 vs. UNC Greensboro (W, 22-16) on Feb. 25, 2017. The five Spartan home runs was their most since knocking eight round-trippers on March 26, 2017 at Illinois.
"It was a very good offensive day for us. I was really proud of the way we swung the bat today. I think it was important that every time they scored, we answered with a big inning, which was good to see," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "We got a couple big home runs from Christian Williams as part of five home runs on the day, Jake Dresselhouse got his first collegiate hit today. Nolan Higgins got his first win on the mound as well. So it was a good day, especially offensively, for us."
MSU's offense bounced back after just five hits and three runs in Friday's 11-3 loss at College of Charleston to open the Spartans' Spring Break trip to South Carolina. Michigan State returns to College of Charleston on Sunday.
"It's a pretty resilient group. I think they do a pretty good job of separating one day from the next and so guys were enthusiastic, energetic and ready to play today, which was good to see. So now the challenge is to duplicate it tomorrow," Boss said.Â
Saturday was part of MSU's third weekend 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.Â
Redshirt-freshman designated hitter Williams had a breakout season debut after missing the first two weekends with an injury, then bashing a home run in his first two at bats on Saturday. Williams also homered for his first hit in his 2022 debut as well.Â
Williams also becomes the first Spartan with a pair of homers in the same game since Mitch Jebb on March 11, 2022, and both occasions have come in South Carolina, as Jebb accomplished the feat vs. Cincinnati at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C.
In addition to the two round-trippers from Williams, sophomore catcher Bryan Broecker started the home run party with a solo shot to lead off the second inning and Williams followed for back-to-back round-trippers. Junior outfielder Jack Frank and junior infielder Brock Vradenburg also knocked home runs.
By going 3-for-6, Williams was one of five Spartans with three hits, as he finished with three RBI and two runs scored. Junior infielder Trent Farquhar was 3-for-7 with three runs and two RBI, Vradenburg and Broecker both went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI each, while junior infielder Dillon Kark was also 3-for-5, with three runs scored and one RBI.
Frank finished 2-for-6 with four RBI and two runs scored, while senior outfielder Casey Mayes went 1-for-4 with a run scored and freshman outfielder Jake Dresselhouse knocked his first collegiate hit with a single, part of going 1-for-3 with two runs scored. Dresselhouse, Mayes and Kark all swiped one stolen base apiece.
On the mound, senior Andrew Carson started, going 1.0 IP with two Ks, before giving way to freshman Nolan Higgins, who went 4.1 IP in stymieing the Buccaneer bats, holding them to just one hit, while ringing up five strikeouts, one hit and one run to earn his first collegiate win.
Senior Brian Martin, junior Nick Powers, redshirt-sophomore Dominic Pianto and senior Wyatt Rush closed it out.
After Charleston Southern scored a pair of runs in its first at bat to take a 2-0 lead, MSU wiped the deficit out in a hurry by hanging a five-spot in the second inning, followed by a three-run third, one run in each of the fourth and sixth innings, then descending order of four in the seventh, three in the eighth and two in the ninth.
CSU didn't score again until the sixth inning with three runs, then closed with four runs in the eighth and one in the ninth before Rush closed the door on the Bucs' rally to end the game.
Charleston Southern got on the board in their first at bat of the game, with leadoff hitter Ike George getting hit by pitch, stealing second, moving to third on a wild pitch and coming in to score on sacrifice fly by Ashton Wilson. After a strikeout, Kieran Davis homered to left field just inside the foul pole, for a 2-0 Buccaneer lead.
Michigan State quickly countered, as Broecker led off the top of the second with a home run, and Williams followed up the second half of the back-to-back Spartan jacks, in his first at bat of the season. Kark, Farquhar and Frank also scored in the inning, with Kark scoring on an error, and Farquhar scoring on a Frank double, then Frank scored on another Bucs' error off the bat of Vradenburg, and MSU had a 5-2 lead.
Higgins came on in the bottom of the second and rang up his first 3-up, 3-down inning with a groundout and back-to-back strikeouts.
After the Spartans batted around in the third, Broecker again led off to start the third, and he drew a new ChSo reliever Daniel Padyshak, who is slated to play for the Czech Republic in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Broecker battled Padyshak through an 11-pitch at bat, and on the 11th pitch, singled second. Williams followed and smacked his second home run in as many at  bats with a two-run shot to left field. Kark then tripled down the line in right, and two batters later, Farquhar singled to drive Kark in for an 8-2 Spartan advantage.
For the second frame in a row, Higgins fired a 1-2-3 frame in the bottom of the third. MSU tacked on a run in the fourth on a Kark RBI single, driving in Vradenburg who led off the inning with an infield single to second.Â
Higgins worked around a leadoff single and walk, getting a popup, then Broecker threw out a Buc runner trying to steal third, and Higgins rang up a strikeout to end the fourth frame. The Spartan freshman pitcher threw another 1-2-3 inning in the fifth.
Michigan State added a run in the sixth as Mayes led off with a single, stole second, and scored on a fielding error off the bat of Williams for a 10-2 lead.
ChSo plated three runs in the sixth to close to 10-5.Â
MSU pulled away with a four-run seventh, as Dresselhouse led off by getting hit by pitch, followed by Farquhar with a single, bringing Frank to the plate. The Spartan outfielder blasted a home run to the deepest part of Nielsen Field in straight-away center. Vradenburg followed with a double, moved to third on a Mayes flyout and scored on a Broecker single for a 14-5 Michigan State advantage.
After some stretching and singing at the ol' ballgame, Pianto rang up a 3-up, 3-down inning, and the Spartans plated three runs in the top of the eighth. Dresselhouse laced his first hit as a Spartan with a single up the middle, then stole second and scored on a Farquhar single. Two batters later, Vradenburg launched a towering home run high into the trees beyond the right-field fence at Nielsen Field to put the Green & White ahead, 17-5.Â
The Bucs scored four runs in the eighth to cut the Spartan gap to 17-9, but MSU scored two in the top of the ninth, as Broecker and Kark both scored on separate wild pitches for a 19-9 Michigan State lead, before ChSo scored one in the ninth for the final 19-10 score.
The Spartans continue their weekend in Charleston returning to College of Charleston on Sunday, March 5 for a 1 p.m. first pitch at CofC's Patriots Point.
Michigan State then plays Air Force in a neutral-site meeting on Monday, March 6 at Shipyard Park.Â
MSU then heads to Greenville, S.C. to play at Fluor Field, the Spartans' home-away-from home, Fluor Field, home of the Greenville Drive, where MSU will meet Wofford on Wednesday, March 8, before hosting the First Pitch Invitational, taking on Western Carolina and Kansas in a rotating schedule March 10-12. 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: Higgins, Nolan (1-0)
L: Gleason, Ryan (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Frank, Jack 1 ; Vradenburg, Brock 1
3B: Kark, Dillon 1
HR: Frank, Jack 1 ; Vradenburg, Brock 1 ; Broecker, Bryan 1 ; Williams, Christian 2
RBI: Farquhar, Trent 2 ; Frank, Jack 4 ; Vradenburg, Brock 2 ; Broecker, Bryan 2 ; Williams, Christian 3 ; Kark, Dillon 1
SF: Mayes, Casey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Farquhar, Trent 3 ; Frank, Jack 2 ; Vradenburg, Brock 3 ; Mayes, Casey 1 ; Broecker, Bryan 3 ; Williams, Christian 2 ; Kark, Dillon 3 ; Dresselhouse, Jake 2
SB: Mayes, Casey 1 ; Kark, Dillon 1 ; Dresselhouse, Jake 2
HBP: Broecker, Bryan 1 ; Kark, Dillon 1 ; Dresselhouse, Jake 1
Batting:
2B: George, Ike 1 ; Rae, Jaylin 1 ; Davis, Kieran 1
HR: Davis, Kieran 1
RBI: George, Ike 2 ; Wilson, Ashton 1 ; Rae, Jaylin 1 ; Davis, Kieran 2 ; Tuuop, Chandler 3 ; Agard, JC 1
SF: Wilson, Ashton 1 ; Agard, JC 1
Base Running:
RUNS: George, Ike 1 ; Brock, Bryce 1 ; Rae, Jaylin 3 ; Davis, Kieran 3 ; Tuuop, Chandler 1 ; Aldrich, Connor 1
SB: George, Ike 1
CS: George, Ike 1 ; Rae, Jaylin 1
HBP: George, Ike 1
Game Leaders
ss/2b
AB
7
R
3
H
3
RBI
2
AB
5
R
3
H
3
RBI
2
AB
5
R
3
H
3
RBI
2
AB
6
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
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OF/C
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INF
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OF
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RHP
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INF
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OF/RHP
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OF
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RHP
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LHP
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RHP
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C
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