MSU Overtaken By Evansville, 5-3 In 11 Innings

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State baseball was overtaken by Evansville in a 5-3 11-inning loss Saturday afternoon at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field.

MSU and UE even their series at 1-1 heading into Sunday's series finale after the Spartans posting an 11-3 Victory for MSU Friday in the Green & White's home opener.

Saturday's 11-inning contest was MSU's longest game of the season, as well as second extra-inning game, after a 7-6 loss to Indiana State in 10-innings on Feb. 23 in Port Charlotte, Fla. in the Snowbird Classic. The 11-inning game was the Spartans' longest since playing 11 innings last season on April 11 at Notre Dame, when the Spartans won, 7-6.

Redshirt-sophomore infielder Randy Seymour smacked a three-run home run over the wall in right and into the Red Cedar River in the second inning for MSU's offense. The Spartans had a chance to add to the scoring in the fifth inning, getting the first two batters on, but the rally fizzled without a run.

"'m very disappointed, I thought we left some opportunities out there, probably early in the game, the one inning in particular, when we had first and third nobody out, and then second and third with one out, and struck out twice in the inning, so we left some chances out there," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "Credit to their guy, especially for a freshman, he gave it everything he had and he was really good today. At the same time, I think we missed some opportunities and it was disappointing. I thought we maybe gave them some opportunities late and they capitalized. It's an older team over there, it's a veteran team and that's what good teams do, and I think that's a good team. We still have a chance to win the series and we'll get a good effort out of our guys tomorrow, but this one stings a little bit right now."

The loss squandered a solid outing by senior starting pitcher Nick Powers, who went 7.0 IP with six strikeouts, scattering five hits and yielding just one run. Powers has rung up five or more Ks in his last four outings.

"Nick was great, he was really, really good," Boss said. "Again it's a total team game, so as good as Nick was, offensively, we weren't very good outside of the three-run homer. We really came up empty offensively. We needed that out of Nick, but we also needed some more production offensively in the spots when we had those opportunities. I think guys try and do too much or be a little bit too perfect and it is a matter of just going out and playing the game."

Seymour finished 2-for-4 with the three RBI, while freshman outfielder Landen Lozier laced a career-high four hits in going 4-for-4. Senior outfielder Dillon Kark was for 1-for-4 with a run scored and junior outfielder Nick Williams was 1-for-5.

Powers was relieved by freshman Logan Pikur, before sophomore closer Tommy Szczepanski took over and went a career-long 3.1 IP with a career-high five punchouts.

The Spartans scored three runs in the second inning on Seymour's first round-tripper at home, smacking a three-run opposite field homer over the wall in right and into the Red Cedar River. It was Seymour's third home run of the season.

Evansville got on the board with a solo home run in the top of the seventh, then tied it up with two runs in the eighth.

The game stayed tied up through the rest of the eighth and ninth frames, sending the game to extras. The visiting Purple Aces plated two runs in the top of the 11th, and MSU was unable to rally in the home half of the frame to end the game.

The Spartans and Purple Aces wrap up their three-game weekend series on Sunday, March 17 at 1:05 p.m. at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field.

Fans can follow this weekend's action with "Watch Live," "Listen Live" and "Live Stats" links at MSUSpartans.com.

The weekend schedule is subject to continued change based on weather.

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For the first time ever, Michigan State baseball fans have the ability to purchase season tickets.

Season tickets packages are on sale through the Spartan Ticket Office. The MSU baseball season ticket package, which includes 24 home games at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field, is available for $50.

All ticket levels for seniors, adults and children are the same price. Admission remains free for all Michigan State students by showing their MSU ID at the entry gate.

The 2024 Spartan baseball season includes Big Ten match-ups against Rutgers, Penn State and Nebraska, along with regional clashes with Central Michigan, Oakland and Notre Dame, in addition to giving fans admission to all three home games of baseball Rivalry Week against Michigan.

Individual game tickets will go on sale later this spring.

Fans can contact the Spartan Ticket Office at 517-355-1610 or by email at tickets@msu.edu for questions or more information. A direct link to purchase season tickets is here.

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Team Stats

Landen Lozier

Randy Seymour

Nick Williams

Dillon Kark

Players Mentioned

Dillon Kark

Landen Lozier

Logan Pikur

Nick Powers

Randy Seymour

Tommy Szczepanski

Nick Williams