Saturday, April 8
Jackson Field | Lansing, Mich.
1:05 p.m.
Michigan State University
17-10, 6-2
2
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13
Ohio State
15-14, 2-6
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2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Ohio State
2
0
1
1
2
1
6
13
13
0
Michigan State
0
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1
0
0
0
2
5
4
Spartans Split Saturday Twinbill With Buckeyes In Pair Of Run-Rule Contests
4/8/2023 9:02:00 PM | Baseball
Box Score 1Box Score 2G1: OSU 13, MSU 2 (7 inn.) Box Score (PDF)G2: MSU 16, OSU 3 (7 inn.) Box Score (PDF)
MSU wins third B1G series in a row.
LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State baseball split its doubleheader with Ohio State Saturday afternoon at Jackson Field, home of the Lansing Lugnuts, in a pair of seven-inning run-rule contests, with the Buckeyes taking game one, 13-2, before the Spartans bounced back to win the night cap, 16-3.
Prior to Saturday's action, MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. was recognized by MSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Alan Haller, and MSU Senior Associate AD/Student-Athlete Engagement and Baseball sport administrator Elliott Daniels, for winning his 400th win at Michigan State in Friday's win. Boss became just the third MSU baseball head coach to reach 400 wins leading the Spartans.
With Saturday's split, combined with Michigan State's 7-1 win Friday night for the 400 Victory for MSU for head coach Jake Boss Jr., the Spartans won the weekend Big Ten Conference series, their third league series win in as many weekends.
"It's always better to win the second game. You leave the park feeling a little bit better, and the bus ride is a little sweeter when you win game two," Boss said. "I don't know that I've ever been a part of being 10-run ruled in one game and then turning it around and doing it to the opponent in the second game, so kind of a strange day. I credit our guys. We challenged them a little bit between games, just mentally, what our approach was, and they really answered the bell. So it was good to see."
Michigan State improved to 6-3 in B1G play, its best conference mark since 2016 when the Spartans were 7-2 through nine league games. The Spartans have won seven of their last nine and 13 of their last 16 and are now 18-10 on the season.
"It was weird day. You don't get to play 14 innings a doubleheader too often," junior infielder Dillon Kark said. "We got our butt handed to us first game, but that's the beauty of baseball - you just have a short memory. We played 40 minutes after, so couldn't really carry it into this game. We mercied them, so it was a good day overall winning the series."
Saturday was MSU's fifth doubleheader this season, including third in the last four weekends, and the Spartans are now 8-2 in twinbills, with Saturday's first game loss snapping a six-game win streak in double-dips, as MSU had swept its three previous doubleheaders.
"They're probably better at it [the short turnaround] than I am," Boss said. "Most coaches are like that, but when you have a doubleheader, there's nothing you can do about the last one. We challenged our guys to take a different mental approach. We had to flush that first game and be ready to go in game two, and they were."
Ohio State is 15-15 overall and 2-7 in B1G action with Saturday's split.
The Spartans have won eight of the last 12 as part of winning 10 of the last 16 against the Buckeyes. With Michigan State's series win, the home team has won six of the last seven series between the two, with MSU's 2021 series win in Columbus the only road team triumph during that stretch.
Saturday's festivities including Bunny at the Ballpark, and a Spring Egg hunt for the younger fans in between games of the twinbill.
Due to the Red Cedar River flooding at Old College Field, Michigan State's three-game Big Ten Conference series against Ohio State was moved to Jackson® Field™, home of the Lansing Lugnuts, and condensed to three games in two days, opening with Friday night's game before Saturday's doubleheader.
Junior infielder Dillon Kark was 4-for-5 with four RBI and four runs scored in game two of the twinbill, belting a two-run home run in the second inning. He finished the day 5-for-7 with nine total bases.
"It felt really good. Just driving the ball around. It was a good day," Kark said. "I credit a lot of our hitting coaches. We've got Coach Sikes, Coach Eaton and Coach Stone, and they work with us anytime we want. They could have an off day too and sitting at home, and we ask them to come throw to us and work with us. So, credit to these guys and the scouting reports they build. It really helps."
Kark finished the weekend 6-for-9 with four runs scored and four RBI with 10 total bases with a double and home run, adding one walk and two sac bunts.
"Dillon had a really good day today. He's been playing really well all year long," Boss said. "He's been kind of nursing a hamstring here, so we weren't quite sure on what we're going to be able to get this weekend, especially after basically playing three games and 24 hours. It held up and he obviously felt really good in game two, so a big part of the offense today."
Sophomore catcher Bryan Broecker was 4-for-6 with two doubles, knocking an RBI and a run scored on the day, going 2-for-3 in both games, notching the RBI in game one and the run in the nightcap. Broecker also caught all 14 innings on the day, throwing out one Buckeye trying to steal, adding to his B1G-best season total for runners caught stealing, now at 12.
Junior infielder Mitch Jebb was 3-for-8 with three RBI and a run scored, while fellow junior infielder Trent Farquhar was 2-for-6 with a double, notching a pair of RBI and scoring two runs. The outfield trio of senior Casey Mayes, junior Greg Ziegler and junior Jack Frank each had a hit, with Mayes and Frank scoring two runs, while Ziegler scored once, and Mayes logged a pair of RBI, while Frank posted one. Junior infielder Brock Vradenburg had one hit, one RBI and two runs scored, whiele sophomore designated hitters Jacob Anderson and Sam Busch, along with senior Sam Thompson all logged hit, with Anderson knocking a triple in game one, while Busch drew a game-high three walks on the day.
Frank, Ziegler and Jebb also each swiped one stolen base apiece.
"The offense kind of broke out of it there in game two today, which was good," Boss said. "I wouldn't say we've been on the skids offensively recently; it's been a little up and down, I think, but it feels good to put a big number out for sure."
Junior Harrison Cook started on the mound in game one, going 4.0 IP with six hits, yielding four runs, two earned, with one walk and five Ks. Sophomore Ryan Szczepaniak (2.1 IP, 6 H, 9 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 K) and redshirt-sophomore Dominic Pianto (0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K) came on in relief.
In game two, junior Nick Powers went 6.0 IP to earn the win, scattering six hits with three runs, no walks and one strikeout. Senior Wyatt Rush pitched a three-up, three-down seventh inning to secure the win.
Game One - OSU 13, MSU 2
The Buckeyes scored in their first at bat, plating a pair of runs on three hits for the early 2-0 lead, their first lead of the weekend.
OSU extended its advantage to 3-0 with a run in the third, capitalizing on an MSU error.
MSU got on the board in the fourth after Anderson knocked a one-out triple to the gap in right center, the deepest part of Jackson Field's outfield. Farquhar followed with a walk, bringing Jebb to bat and he knocked a fielder's choice to drive in Anderson for the first Spartan run of the day, pulling within 3-1.
Vradenburg led off the fourth with a single off the wall down the left-field line, moved to second on a wild pitch, before Broecker laced a double down the right field line to drive him in, pulling MSU within 4-2.
That would be the closest the host team Spartans would get, as OSU added a pair of runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and six runs in the seventh to push the game to the run-rule shortened ending.
Game Two - MSU 16, OSU 3
The Spartans erupted for a six-spot in the home half of the first, with four hits, scoring on an RBI walk by Busch, Jebb scoring on a wild pitch followed by Vradenburg scoring on a throwing error on the play. Frank drove in Busch with a fielder's choice, Kark later singled to plate Frank, and Kark scored on a Farquhar single up the middle, as MSU sent 12 batters to the plate, tying a season-high for most batters in an inning, before leaving the bases loaded.
OSU got on the board in the top of the second on a sac fly.
Kark crushed his two-run home run to left center, bouncing off the walkway at Jackson Field, for an 8-1 MSU advantage after two frames.
The Buckeyes scored another run in the visitor's third, but the Spartans got the run back, perfectly executing a first-and-third double steal, with Ziegler swiping home after Jebb stole second, following both reaching on singles.
Jebb came to bat again in the fourth, and knocked a two-run single through the right side, and Vradenburg followed with an RBI fielder's choice to drive in Farquhar, who reaching by getting hit by a pitch, and MSU had a 12-2 lead.
After their three-run fourth frame, the Spartans plated four runs in the fifth, on four hits, all doubles and spraying the outfield, as Broecker led off with a double to left center. After Frank walked, Kark doubled down the left field line to plate Broecker, then Mayes knocked a double down the right field line to drive in Frank and Kark. Two batters later, Farquhar laced a double to right center to bring Mayes around and in for the fourth run of the frame and the Spartans' 16th and final run of the game.
OSU got a run back in the sixth on a sac fly, but Powers closed the door on a Buckeye rally with a groundout and flyout.
Rush came on in the top of the seventh to get his first work of the week, and the Spartan closer worked a 1-2-3 seventh stanza to secure the Victory for MSU.
Michigan State is slated to play another five-game week, opening at Notre Dame on Tuesday, April 11 in a 6 p.m. start time, before hosting Oakland on Wednesday, April 12 in a 6:05 p.m. first pitch. 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.
Prior to Saturday's action, MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. was recognized by MSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Alan Haller, and MSU Senior Associate AD/Student-Athlete Engagement and Baseball sport administrator Elliott Daniels, for winning his 400th win at Michigan State in Friday's win. Boss became just the third MSU baseball head coach to reach 400 wins leading the Spartans.
With Saturday's split, combined with Michigan State's 7-1 win Friday night for the 400 Victory for MSU for head coach Jake Boss Jr., the Spartans won the weekend Big Ten Conference series, their third league series win in as many weekends.
"It's always better to win the second game. You leave the park feeling a little bit better, and the bus ride is a little sweeter when you win game two," Boss said. "I don't know that I've ever been a part of being 10-run ruled in one game and then turning it around and doing it to the opponent in the second game, so kind of a strange day. I credit our guys. We challenged them a little bit between games, just mentally, what our approach was, and they really answered the bell. So it was good to see."
Michigan State improved to 6-3 in B1G play, its best conference mark since 2016 when the Spartans were 7-2 through nine league games. The Spartans have won seven of their last nine and 13 of their last 16 and are now 18-10 on the season.
"It was weird day. You don't get to play 14 innings a doubleheader too often," junior infielder Dillon Kark said. "We got our butt handed to us first game, but that's the beauty of baseball - you just have a short memory. We played 40 minutes after, so couldn't really carry it into this game. We mercied them, so it was a good day overall winning the series."
Saturday was MSU's fifth doubleheader this season, including third in the last four weekends, and the Spartans are now 8-2 in twinbills, with Saturday's first game loss snapping a six-game win streak in double-dips, as MSU had swept its three previous doubleheaders.
"They're probably better at it [the short turnaround] than I am," Boss said. "Most coaches are like that, but when you have a doubleheader, there's nothing you can do about the last one. We challenged our guys to take a different mental approach. We had to flush that first game and be ready to go in game two, and they were."
Ohio State is 15-15 overall and 2-7 in B1G action with Saturday's split.
The Spartans have won eight of the last 12 as part of winning 10 of the last 16 against the Buckeyes. With Michigan State's series win, the home team has won six of the last seven series between the two, with MSU's 2021 series win in Columbus the only road team triumph during that stretch.
Saturday's festivities including Bunny at the Ballpark, and a Spring Egg hunt for the younger fans in between games of the twinbill.
Due to the Red Cedar River flooding at Old College Field, Michigan State's three-game Big Ten Conference series against Ohio State was moved to Jackson® Field™, home of the Lansing Lugnuts, and condensed to three games in two days, opening with Friday night's game before Saturday's doubleheader.
Junior infielder Dillon Kark was 4-for-5 with four RBI and four runs scored in game two of the twinbill, belting a two-run home run in the second inning. He finished the day 5-for-7 with nine total bases.
"It felt really good. Just driving the ball around. It was a good day," Kark said. "I credit a lot of our hitting coaches. We've got Coach Sikes, Coach Eaton and Coach Stone, and they work with us anytime we want. They could have an off day too and sitting at home, and we ask them to come throw to us and work with us. So, credit to these guys and the scouting reports they build. It really helps."
Kark finished the weekend 6-for-9 with four runs scored and four RBI with 10 total bases with a double and home run, adding one walk and two sac bunts.
"Dillon had a really good day today. He's been playing really well all year long," Boss said. "He's been kind of nursing a hamstring here, so we weren't quite sure on what we're going to be able to get this weekend, especially after basically playing three games and 24 hours. It held up and he obviously felt really good in game two, so a big part of the offense today."
Sophomore catcher Bryan Broecker was 4-for-6 with two doubles, knocking an RBI and a run scored on the day, going 2-for-3 in both games, notching the RBI in game one and the run in the nightcap. Broecker also caught all 14 innings on the day, throwing out one Buckeye trying to steal, adding to his B1G-best season total for runners caught stealing, now at 12.
Junior infielder Mitch Jebb was 3-for-8 with three RBI and a run scored, while fellow junior infielder Trent Farquhar was 2-for-6 with a double, notching a pair of RBI and scoring two runs. The outfield trio of senior Casey Mayes, junior Greg Ziegler and junior Jack Frank each had a hit, with Mayes and Frank scoring two runs, while Ziegler scored once, and Mayes logged a pair of RBI, while Frank posted one. Junior infielder Brock Vradenburg had one hit, one RBI and two runs scored, whiele sophomore designated hitters Jacob Anderson and Sam Busch, along with senior Sam Thompson all logged hit, with Anderson knocking a triple in game one, while Busch drew a game-high three walks on the day.
Frank, Ziegler and Jebb also each swiped one stolen base apiece.
"The offense kind of broke out of it there in game two today, which was good," Boss said. "I wouldn't say we've been on the skids offensively recently; it's been a little up and down, I think, but it feels good to put a big number out for sure."
Junior Harrison Cook started on the mound in game one, going 4.0 IP with six hits, yielding four runs, two earned, with one walk and five Ks. Sophomore Ryan Szczepaniak (2.1 IP, 6 H, 9 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 K) and redshirt-sophomore Dominic Pianto (0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K) came on in relief.
In game two, junior Nick Powers went 6.0 IP to earn the win, scattering six hits with three runs, no walks and one strikeout. Senior Wyatt Rush pitched a three-up, three-down seventh inning to secure the win.
Game One - OSU 13, MSU 2
The Buckeyes scored in their first at bat, plating a pair of runs on three hits for the early 2-0 lead, their first lead of the weekend.
OSU extended its advantage to 3-0 with a run in the third, capitalizing on an MSU error.
MSU got on the board in the fourth after Anderson knocked a one-out triple to the gap in right center, the deepest part of Jackson Field's outfield. Farquhar followed with a walk, bringing Jebb to bat and he knocked a fielder's choice to drive in Anderson for the first Spartan run of the day, pulling within 3-1.
The Spartans got on the board in the 3rd after Jacob Anderson led off with this triple to RC and was later driven in by Jebb. #GoGreen | #SpartanStrong | @jacobdanderson5 pic.twitter.com/1tz4rvkfH0
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) April 8, 2023
Vradenburg led off the fourth with a single off the wall down the left-field line, moved to second on a wild pitch, before Broecker laced a double down the right field line to drive him in, pulling MSU within 4-2.
That would be the closest the host team Spartans would get, as OSU added a pair of runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and six runs in the seventh to push the game to the run-rule shortened ending.
Game Two - MSU 16, OSU 3
The Spartans erupted for a six-spot in the home half of the first, with four hits, scoring on an RBI walk by Busch, Jebb scoring on a wild pitch followed by Vradenburg scoring on a throwing error on the play. Frank drove in Busch with a fielder's choice, Kark later singled to plate Frank, and Kark scored on a Farquhar single up the middle, as MSU sent 12 batters to the plate, tying a season-high for most batters in an inning, before leaving the bases loaded.
OSU got on the board in the top of the second on a sac fly.
Kark crushed his two-run home run to left center, bouncing off the walkway at Jackson Field, for an 8-1 MSU advantage after two frames.
The Buckeyes scored another run in the visitor's third, but the Spartans got the run back, perfectly executing a first-and-third double steal, with Ziegler swiping home after Jebb stole second, following both reaching on singles.
Jebb came to bat again in the fourth, and knocked a two-run single through the right side, and Vradenburg followed with an RBI fielder's choice to drive in Farquhar, who reaching by getting hit by a pitch, and MSU had a 12-2 lead.
After their three-run fourth frame, the Spartans plated four runs in the fifth, on four hits, all doubles and spraying the outfield, as Broecker led off with a double to left center. After Frank walked, Kark doubled down the left field line to plate Broecker, then Mayes knocked a double down the right field line to drive in Frank and Kark. Two batters later, Farquhar laced a double to right center to bring Mayes around and in for the fourth run of the frame and the Spartans' 16th and final run of the game.
OSU got a run back in the sixth on a sac fly, but Powers closed the door on a Buckeye rally with a groundout and flyout.
Rush came on in the top of the seventh to get his first work of the week, and the Spartan closer worked a 1-2-3 seventh stanza to secure the Victory for MSU.
VICTORY FOR MSU!!
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) April 8, 2023
Final score from Jackson Field in G2 of DH:
Michigan State 16, Ohio State 3 (7 inn./run rule)
High fives and handshakes all around as Spartans split DH to win @B1Gbaseball series for third series triumph of season!!#VictoryForMSU | #SpartanStrong pic.twitter.com/a78Jg6tSTP
Michigan State is slated to play another five-game week, opening at Notre Dame on Tuesday, April 11 in a 6 p.m. start time, before hosting Oakland on Wednesday, April 12 in a 6:05 p.m. first pitch. 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: Bruni, Gavin (2-0)
L: Cook, Harrison (3-2)
Batting:
2B: Kern, Kade 1 ; Pettorini, Tyler 1 ; Erwin, Nick 2
3B: Okuley, Mitchell 1
HR: Graveline, Matthew 1
RBI: Kern, Kade 1 ; Pettorini, Tyler 2 ; Andrews, Cole 1 ; Kaiser, Caden 1 ; Graveline, Matthew 4 ; Erwin, Nick 1 ; Okuley, Mitchell 1
SF: Graveline, Matthew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lipsey, Trey 1 ; Kern, Kade 3 ; Pettorini, Tyler 1 ; Graveline, Matthew 2 ; Kaczmar, Henry 1 ; Erwin, Nick 3 ; Okuley, Mitchell 1 ; McAlister, Josh 1
SB: Kern, Kade 2
CS: Lipsey, Trey 1
HBP: McAlister, Josh 1
Batting:
2B: Broecker, Bryan 1
3B: Anderson, Jacob 1
RBI: Jebb, Mitch 1 ; Broecker, Bryan 1
SH: Kark, Dillon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Vradenburg, Brock 1 ; Anderson, Jacob 1
PO: Jebb, Mitch 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
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RHP
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INF
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OF
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INF
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INF
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OF
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RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
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RHP
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C
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INF
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OF
/ BaseballPursuit to Greatness | Spartans All-Access
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