MSU Downs CMU, 9-2, Tuesday

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State baseball jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back on the way to a 9-2 Victory for MSU over in-state foe Central Michigan Tuesday night at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field.

With the win, MSU improves to 30-19 on the year, the Spartans' first 30-win season since 2016. Central Michigan slid to 32-19 with the loss. Michigan State finishes with a 6-2 record in official games vs in-state foes, including 4-0 at home.

While Tuesday was the first meeting between MSU and CMU since 2019, the Michigan State win also snapped a four-game losing skid in the Spartans' series with the Chippewas, and MSU now leads 37-31 in games in East Lansing, and the Spartans have won 15 of the last 24 overall meetings dating back to 2011 in closing CMU's overall lead to 71-63 in the all-time series that dates back to 1911. MSU also improved to 18-13 vs. CMU under head coach Jake Boss Jr.

"I'm proud of our guys, they came ready to play today and I thought we played very well," Boss said. "Obviously, if you put up five runs in the first inning, that kind of takes the edge off a little bit, but a lot of good approaches tonight at the plate. I thought we got really good pitching all night long too, and again, just very pleased with how we played tonight."

VICTORY FOR MSU!!!!

Final score:
Michigan State 9, Central Michigan 2

Spartans start off 4-game week at home with a W!!#VictoryForMSU | #SpartanStrong pic.twitter.com/NioeSkYNsC
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) May 17, 2023

MSU rapped out eight hits in scoring the nine runs Tuesday night, including a two-run home run by redshirt-sophomore catcher Bryan Broecker in the five-run first frame, along with five doubles from five different Spartans.

Broecker finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. The opposite-field blast over the right field wall and into the Red Cedar River was Broecker's eighth homer of the season, moving up to second on the team.

Junior outfielder Jack Frank, junior infielder Trent Farquhar, freshman infielder Randy Seymour, junior outfielder Greg Ziegler and senior catcher Sam Thompson all knocked doubles for their lone hits on the day. Junior infielder Mitch Jebb added a single, coming on a two-run knock to get the Spartan scoring going in the first inning, and added a sacrifice fly in the seventh to finish with three RBI and a run scored.

Farquhar, Seymour and Ziegler all collected an RBI apiece, while Frank and Farquhar scored two runs, and junior infielder Brock Vradenburg got in on the scoring after drawing a walk in the first and scoring on an error on the play with Jebb's two-run single. Jebb and Seymour rounded out the run scoring.

On the mound, seven different Spartan pitchers saw action in the bullpen day. Redshirt-sophomore Adam Berghorst started and went 2.1 IP with four strikeouts, two walks and just one hit without a run. Junior Max Chapman came on and 1.1 IP with just one hit to earn the win, his first as a Spartan. Redshirt-sophomore Noah Matheny (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K), freshman Gavin Sitarz (0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K), junior Harrison Cook (1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K), redshirt-sophomore Dominic Pianto (1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 0 K) and senior Brian Martin (1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K) closed it out.

The Spartans jumped out to a 5-0 lead in their first at bat, with Jebb coming to bat with the bases loaded, after three walks to Frank, Farquhar and Vradenburg. Jebb knocked a two-run single to right to drive in Frank and Farquhar, and Vradenburg scored on an error on the play.

The Spartans got on the board in their first AB with Jebb coming to the plate with the bases loaded and clears them with a 2-run single and the third run comes in on an error on the play!!

CMU 0
MSU 3
B1st#GoGreen | #SpartanStrong | @jebb_mitch pic.twitter.com/jlweMk9qGp
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) May 16, 2023

Broecker was the next batter and he blasted an opposite field home run over the wall in right and into the Red Cedar River for a two-run home run and a 5-0 Spartan lead.

End 3rd |
CMU 0
MSU 7

Spartans add two on pair of RBI doubles by Seymour and Ziegler.

Chapman back to work in T4th.#GoGreen | #SpartanStrong | @RandySeymour14 | @GKZ27 pic.twitter.com/3sYuGwLAUn
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) May 16, 2023

MSU added to its lead in the third stanza, as Broecker sparked the rally with a one-out single up the middle and Seymour followed with a double to the wall in left-center. Two batters later, Ziegler traded places with him with a double to left center for a 7-0 advantage.

End 3rd |
CMU 0
MSU 7

Spartans add two on pair of RBI doubles by Seymour and Ziegler.

Chapman back to work in T4th.#GoGreen | #SpartanStrong | @RandySeymour14 | @GKZ27 pic.twitter.com/3sYuGwLAUn
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) May 16, 2023

The Chips threatened in the top of the sixth, loading the bases with only one out, but Cook came on and slammed the door on a CMU rally by ringing up back-to-back strikeouts to leave the bases loaded and end the stanza.

After stretching and singing, the Spartans tacked on two runs, as Frank sparked the rally with a double to right center. Following a CMU pitching change, Farquhar doubled to right to drive in Frank and Vradenburg followed with a groundout to move Farquhar to third. Jebb then flew out to left for the sac fly to plate Farquhar and put the home team ahead, 9-0.

Central Michigan got on the board in the eighth, scoring on a sac fly of its own and an RBI groundout to pull within 9-2, but Pianto denied any further Chips' rally by inducing a groundout to end the inning.

Martin took over on the mound in the ninth and chalked up a leadoff strikeout, then a groundout, before yielding a double, but the ended the CMU rally and the game with a groundout to Farquhar at second.

Michigan State's weekend schedule has been altered with time changes for all three games of the Big Ten Conference weekend series vs. Indiana at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field. Along with the time changes, all three games will be nationally televised on Big Ten Network, as announced Monday afternoon by the conference office.

MSU and Indiana will now play at 8 p.m. ET on both Thursday, May 18 and Friday, May 19, before the series finale and regular-season finale on Saturday, May 20 at 3 p.m. ET.

Saturday is Spartan Senior Day Celebration, presented by Health Alliance Plan (HAP) and MSU will be honoring seven seniors in a pregame ceremony: players Andrew Carson, Zach Hopman, John Malcom, Brian Martin, Casey Mayes and Wyatt Rush, along with student manager Josh Wolf.

In addition to the HAP Senior Celebration on Saturday, Thursday night is Super-Hero Night with fans encouraged to dress up as their favorite superhero with prizes being awarded to the best costume. Capes will be given out to the early-arriving fans.

Friday is Aloha Friday, with fans encouraged to wear their Tropical shirts. Green leis and sunglasses will be given out to fans arriving early.

Fans can purchase tickets for all upcoming Spartan baseball games at https://sprtns.co/MSUBSBTix.

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

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Players Mentioned

Adam Berghorst

Bryan Broecker

Andrew Carson

Max Chapman

Harrison Cook

Trent Farquhar

Jack Frank

Zach Hopman

Mitch Jebb

John Malcom

Brian Martin

Noah Matheny

Casey Mayes

Dominic Pianto

Wyatt Rush

Randy Seymour

Gavin Sitarz

Sam Thompson

Brock Vradenburg

Greg Ziegler