Tuesday, April 11
Frank Eck Stadium | South Bend, Ind.
6 p.m.
Michigan State University
19-10
7
at
6
Notre Dame
17-13
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
R
H
E
Michigan State
0
0
1
3
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
7
14
2
Notre Dame
2
0
0
3
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
6
7
0
Vradenburg’s Blast Boosts Spartans To Extra-Inning Victory At Notre Dame Tuesday
4/11/2023 11:58:00 PM | Baseball
MSU rallies from early deficit; Spartans have won eight of last 10 in improving to 19-10.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Brock Vradenburg's solo home run in the top of the 11th inning boosted Michigan State baseball to a 7-6 Victory for MSU over Notre Dame Tuesday night at ND's Frank Eck Stadium.
Tuesday was the first of MSU's five games in six days this week, as Michigan State returns home for the other four games of the week, hosting Oakland on Wednesday night, before welcoming Western Illinois to East Lansing for a three-game non-conference series, Friday-Sunday, April 14-16.
The Spartans have won eight of their last 10 and 14 of the last 17 on the way to improving to 19-10 on the season. Notre Dame is 17-13 with the loss. MSU has won the last two of three meetings with Notre Dame, and now leads the all-time series, 82-59, including 38-33 in South Bend. Tuesday's 1-run result was reflective of the previous meetings, as six of the last eight meetings and seventh of the last 11 match-ups have been 1-run games, including two of the last four meetings in the last two seasons.
The 11-inning contest was both teams' first extra-inning game of the season, and was MSU's longest game since a loss at Penn State on May 9, 2022.
Michigan State rallied from an early 2-0 deficit after the first inning by knocking 14 hits, including bashing four home runs. Sophomore infielder/catcher Bryan Broecker got the home run party started with a solo shot in the third, then a two-run home run by junior outfielder Greg Ziegler in the fourth for his first round-tripper of his Spartan career. Junior infielder Trent Farquhar led off the fifth with a solo homer, and later had an RBI single in the eighth to tie it up, setting the stage for Vradenburg's heroics with his team-leading eighth home run of the season with a 422-foot home run that was 105 mph off the bat and easily cleared the batter's eye in straight away center field at Frank Eck Stadium.
MSU's four home runs were its second-most of the stadium behind five homers at Charleston Southern on March 4, and marked the Spartans' sixth game this season with multiple home runs.
"It was a really good win for our guys tonight, on the road, against a very good opponent in a team that was in the College World Series last year, and Notre Dame is a traditional baseball power, and I couldn't be prouder of our guys," MSU head coach Jake Boss said. "We didn't particularly play the best baseball we've played all year, but our guys stayed resilient and they just kept chipping away and didn't get too high or too low, and we got a big swing when we needed it. Wyatt Rush made some pitches when we needed him late, with an outstanding job out of the bullpen, throwing the final four innings in relief. That was a big character win for our guys today, and I'm very, very proud of them, and now it's on to next one tomorrow with Oakland at home."
Ziegler ended the night 4-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored, while Farquhar finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored. Vradenburg ended 2-for-6 with a run scored and an RBI, while Broecker was 1-for-6 with an RBI and run scored. Junior infielder Mitch Jebb was 2-for-5 with an RBI, while junior outfielder Jack Frank was 1-for-3 with two runs scored, and senior outfielder Casey Mayes was 1-for-4 with a run scored. Freshman Jake Dresselhouse added a stolen base.
Senior reliever Wyatt Rush pitched the final 4.0 innings of the ballgame, earning the win to improve to 2-0. Rush scattered just three hits over the last four frames, without a run or a walk, ringing up four strikeouts, including the final K for the last out, sparking the Victory for MSU celebration.
Rush came on in relief of sophomore Noah Matheny, who went 3.2 IP with one hit, one run, two walks and four strikeouts. Matheny relieved sophomore starter Adam Berghorst, who went 3.1 IP with three hits, five runs, three walks and a pair of punchouts.
Notre Dame wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard, as leadoff hitter Jack Penney drew a walk to open the home half of the first, and Zack Prajzner followed with a two-run home run to right center and the Irish had a 2-0 lead after just two batters.
The Spartans scored their first run of the night in the third inning, as Mayes led off the frame with a walk, moved to second on a groundout and later scored on Jebb's triple to right center, getting MSU on the board but still trailing 3-1.
MSU took a short-lived lead in the fourth, as Broecker belted a one-out solo HR. Frank followed with a walk to bring up Ziegler, and he blasted his first home run as a Spartan with a two-run towering moonshot to left for a 4-2 lead for the visitors.
The Spartan lead didn't last long, as Notre Dame's TJ Wiliams knocked a three-run home run for a 5-4 Irish advantage after four full frames.
MSU's deficit lasted as long as its lead did, as Farquhar led off the fifth with a solo home run to right field, with a 350-foot, 8-inch home run, to knot it up at 5-all.
Notre Dame took a 6-5 lead in the sixth stanza on a sacrifice fly.
However, similar to its previous deficits, MSU didn't trail for long, as the Spartans rallied in the eighth. Frank sparked the rally with a single to left. Ziegler followed by beating out a bunt single, that was originally called out, but after MSU challenged the call, it was overturned after review. Two batters later, junior pinch hitter Dillon Kark drew a walk, bringing Farquhar to bat and knocked a chopper to the right side that just barely cleared Notre Dame first baseman Carter Putz, going off the edge of his glove and past him, where Irish second baseman Estevan Moreno gathered the ball and threw out Kark at third, but not before Frank scored and the Spartans had tied it up.
After yielding a leadoff walk, MSU went to the pen and brought Rush on. He got a strikeout in the first batter he faced, then induced a 4-6-3 double play, with Farquhar scooping the grounder, flipping to Jebb at second and on to Vradenburg at first for the two outs in one play and end the eighth.
Rush bookended the ninth with strikeouts, around a single and groundout, sending the game to extras and giving the fans free baseball.
MSU threatened in the 10th, loading the bases with one out, but a double play thwarted the threat. Rush worked around a one-out single, getting a foulout and flyout to end the frame.
After a pair of groundouts to open the 11th, Vradenburg strode the plate and smacked his heroic home run to give the Spartans the lead.
Rush made sure they didn't relinquish that lead, fielding his position and perfectly executing PFP drills, fielding a toss from Vradenburg on a grounder at first for the opening out of the stanza. After a flyout and a single, Rush rang up his fourth and final strikeout of the night, securing the 1-run extra-inning Victory for MSU.
The Spartans have little time to enjoy the win, as they host Oakland on Wednesday, April 12 in a 6:05 p.m. first pitch at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field. MSU then hosts Western Illinois in a three-game non-conference weekend, Friday-Sunday, April 14-16. The Spartans and Leathernecks series opens Friday evening at 6:05 p.m., followed by Saturday's 3:35 p.m. start time, before wrapping up on Sunday at 1:05 p.m.
MSU's schedule is subject to change, stay tuned to MSUSpartans.com and @MSUBaseball on Twitter for schedule updates.
Tuesday was the first of MSU's five games in six days this week, as Michigan State returns home for the other four games of the week, hosting Oakland on Wednesday night, before welcoming Western Illinois to East Lansing for a three-game non-conference series, Friday-Sunday, April 14-16.
The Spartans have won eight of their last 10 and 14 of the last 17 on the way to improving to 19-10 on the season. Notre Dame is 17-13 with the loss. MSU has won the last two of three meetings with Notre Dame, and now leads the all-time series, 82-59, including 38-33 in South Bend. Tuesday's 1-run result was reflective of the previous meetings, as six of the last eight meetings and seventh of the last 11 match-ups have been 1-run games, including two of the last four meetings in the last two seasons.
The 11-inning contest was both teams' first extra-inning game of the season, and was MSU's longest game since a loss at Penn State on May 9, 2022.
Michigan State rallied from an early 2-0 deficit after the first inning by knocking 14 hits, including bashing four home runs. Sophomore infielder/catcher Bryan Broecker got the home run party started with a solo shot in the third, then a two-run home run by junior outfielder Greg Ziegler in the fourth for his first round-tripper of his Spartan career. Junior infielder Trent Farquhar led off the fifth with a solo homer, and later had an RBI single in the eighth to tie it up, setting the stage for Vradenburg's heroics with his team-leading eighth home run of the season with a 422-foot home run that was 105 mph off the bat and easily cleared the batter's eye in straight away center field at Frank Eck Stadium.
MSU's four home runs were its second-most of the stadium behind five homers at Charleston Southern on March 4, and marked the Spartans' sixth game this season with multiple home runs.
"It was a really good win for our guys tonight, on the road, against a very good opponent in a team that was in the College World Series last year, and Notre Dame is a traditional baseball power, and I couldn't be prouder of our guys," MSU head coach Jake Boss said. "We didn't particularly play the best baseball we've played all year, but our guys stayed resilient and they just kept chipping away and didn't get too high or too low, and we got a big swing when we needed it. Wyatt Rush made some pitches when we needed him late, with an outstanding job out of the bullpen, throwing the final four innings in relief. That was a big character win for our guys today, and I'm very, very proud of them, and now it's on to next one tomorrow with Oakland at home."
Ziegler ended the night 4-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored, while Farquhar finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored. Vradenburg ended 2-for-6 with a run scored and an RBI, while Broecker was 1-for-6 with an RBI and run scored. Junior infielder Mitch Jebb was 2-for-5 with an RBI, while junior outfielder Jack Frank was 1-for-3 with two runs scored, and senior outfielder Casey Mayes was 1-for-4 with a run scored. Freshman Jake Dresselhouse added a stolen base.
Senior reliever Wyatt Rush pitched the final 4.0 innings of the ballgame, earning the win to improve to 2-0. Rush scattered just three hits over the last four frames, without a run or a walk, ringing up four strikeouts, including the final K for the last out, sparking the Victory for MSU celebration.
VICTORY FOR MSU!!!!!
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) April 12, 2023
Final score from South Bend:
Michigan State 7, Notre Dame 6 in 11 innings!!
High fives & handshakes all around!!#VictoryForMSU | #SpartanStrong pic.twitter.com/v7fCG5XjsY
Rush came on in relief of sophomore Noah Matheny, who went 3.2 IP with one hit, one run, two walks and four strikeouts. Matheny relieved sophomore starter Adam Berghorst, who went 3.1 IP with three hits, five runs, three walks and a pair of punchouts.
Notre Dame wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard, as leadoff hitter Jack Penney drew a walk to open the home half of the first, and Zack Prajzner followed with a two-run home run to right center and the Irish had a 2-0 lead after just two batters.
The Spartans scored their first run of the night in the third inning, as Mayes led off the frame with a walk, moved to second on a groundout and later scored on Jebb's triple to right center, getting MSU on the board but still trailing 3-1.
MSU took a short-lived lead in the fourth, as Broecker belted a one-out solo HR. Frank followed with a walk to bring up Ziegler, and he blasted his first home run as a Spartan with a two-run towering moonshot to left for a 4-2 lead for the visitors.
While stretching and singing, take a look back at how the Spartans got on the board today on Bryan Broecker's solo HR in the fourth!! #GoGreen | #SpartanStrong | @BryanBroecker pic.twitter.com/0g3pBQbcxw
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) April 12, 2023
The Spartan lead didn't last long, as Notre Dame's TJ Wiliams knocked a three-run home run for a 5-4 Irish advantage after four full frames.
MSU's deficit lasted as long as its lead did, as Farquhar led off the fifth with a solo home run to right field, with a 350-foot, 8-inch home run, to knot it up at 5-all.
Notre Dame took a 6-5 lead in the sixth stanza on a sacrifice fly.
However, similar to its previous deficits, MSU didn't trail for long, as the Spartans rallied in the eighth. Frank sparked the rally with a single to left. Ziegler followed by beating out a bunt single, that was originally called out, but after MSU challenged the call, it was overturned after review. Two batters later, junior pinch hitter Dillon Kark drew a walk, bringing Farquhar to bat and knocked a chopper to the right side that just barely cleared Notre Dame first baseman Carter Putz, going off the edge of his glove and past him, where Irish second baseman Estevan Moreno gathered the ball and threw out Kark at third, but not before Frank scored and the Spartans had tied it up.
After yielding a leadoff walk, MSU went to the pen and brought Rush on. He got a strikeout in the first batter he faced, then induced a 4-6-3 double play, with Farquhar scooping the grounder, flipping to Jebb at second and on to Vradenburg at first for the two outs in one play and end the eighth.
Rush bookended the ninth with strikeouts, around a single and groundout, sending the game to extras and giving the fans free baseball.
MSU threatened in the 10th, loading the bases with one out, but a double play thwarted the threat. Rush worked around a one-out single, getting a foulout and flyout to end the frame.
After a pair of groundouts to open the 11th, Vradenburg strode the plate and smacked his heroic home run to give the Spartans the lead.
Rush made sure they didn't relinquish that lead, fielding his position and perfectly executing PFP drills, fielding a toss from Vradenburg on a grounder at first for the opening out of the stanza. After a flyout and a single, Rush rang up his fourth and final strikeout of the night, securing the 1-run extra-inning Victory for MSU.
The Spartans have little time to enjoy the win, as they host Oakland on Wednesday, April 12 in a 6:05 p.m. first pitch at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field. MSU then hosts Western Illinois in a three-game non-conference weekend, Friday-Sunday, April 14-16. The Spartans and Leathernecks series opens Friday evening at 6:05 p.m., followed by Saturday's 3:35 p.m. start time, before wrapping up on Sunday at 1:05 p.m.
MSU's schedule is subject to change, stay tuned to MSUSpartans.com and @MSUBaseball on Twitter for schedule updates.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rush, Wyatt (2-0)
L: Ryan Lynch (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Jebb, Mitch 1
3B: Jebb, Mitch 1
HR: Farquhar, Trent 1 ; Vradenburg, Brock 1 ; Broecker, Bryan 1 ; Ziegler, Greg 1
RBI: Farquhar, Trent 2 ; Jebb, Mitch 1 ; Vradenburg, Brock 1 ; Broecker, Bryan 1 ; Ziegler, Greg 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Farquhar, Trent 1 ; Vradenburg, Brock 1 ; Broecker, Bryan 1 ; Frank, Jack 2 ; Ziegler, Greg 1 ; Mayes, Casey 1
SB: Dresselhouse, Jake 1
CS: Ziegler, Greg 1
HBP: Anderson, Jacob 1 ; Frank, Jack 1
Batting:
HR: Zack Prajzner 1 ; TJ Williams 1
RBI: Zack Prajzner 2 ; TJ Williams 4
SF: TJ Williams 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jack Penney 1 ; Zack Prajzner 1 ; DM Jefferson 2 ; Danny Neri 1 ; TJ Williams 1
SB: Jack Penney 1 ; DM Jefferson 1
CS: Zack Prajzner 1
HBP: Brooks Coetzee 1 ; Danny Neri 2
PO: Jack Penney 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
4
RBI
2
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
5
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
6
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
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OF/C
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballOF
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