Saturday, March 1
Greenville, S.C.
6 PM
Michigan State University
8-1
11
vs
1
Harvard
0-5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Harvard
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
7
3
Michigan State
0
0
3
0
5
2
1
11
7
1
Photo by: Jeremy Fleming
No. 23 Michigan State Routs Harvard In 11-1 Run-Rule Saturday
3/1/2025 10:49:00 PM | Baseball
Spartans overcome 1-0 deficit and win going away to improve to 8-1 for first time since 2016.
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- No. 23 Michigan State baseball got off to a slow start, but then scored a bunch of runs in a hurry to overcame an early 1-0 deficit to rout Harvard, 11-1, in seven-innings due to the run-rule for the second-straight night Saturday at Fluor Field, home of the Greenville Drive.
The Spartans improved to 8-1 for the first time since 2016 with the win, which clinched the series with Harvard after winning Friday night's game by a 14-1 seven-inning run-rule victory, and will go for the series sweep on Sunday in a 12 p.m. start time. The Crimson slide to 0-5 on the season.
Harvard scored in its first at bat with a solo home run for an early 1-0 lead.
MSU was held without a hit going into the third, but manufactured three runs in the frame despite remaining without a hit, taking advantage of three walks and two hit-by-pitch with a sac bunt and a sac fly to generate three runs for a 3-1 lead.
The Spartans got their first hit of the night in the fourth inning, before breaking the game open with a five-run fifth frame to open an 8-1 advantage. Michigan State tacked on two in the sixth, before one more in the seventh for the "walk-off run-rule" Victory for MSU.
"I'm proud of our guys, they stayed the course and I don't think anybody panicked," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "We had a pretty consistent approach that really paid off for us. Credit their starter, (Truman) Pauley, his stuff was really good, he was probably a little effectively wild and got us to chase a lot. I think the second time through the order, we settled down a little bit and started to take what we were given and took some walks and got ourselves into some spots where we could score, and again, I thought our guys did a nice job of just remaining patient and taking what we were given."
The Spartans were boosted by solid defensive plays to keep the offense in the game, highlighted by a spectacular play at third by junior infielder Jacob Anderson to end the fourth frame. The hot corner-tender made a diving stop on a chopper headed down the line, getting up to step on third while firing across the diamond to senior infielder Sam Busch at first base for the inning-ending double play to get out of the bases loaded jam with only one out.
"Jacob made a huge play in the fourth for us to get us out of that inning with an unbelievable diving play, and then to have the presence of mind to get up, step on third and throw on the run at the same time to get the double play was the play of the game for us," Boss said.
Anderson started another double play in the top of the seventh, starting a 5-4-3 2-outs, 1-play to end the inning. He also had a solid night at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI, adding the sac bunt in the third frame
"Then we turned another double play later in the game in the seventh to end that inning that Jacob started with a nice play," Boss said. "Jacob played well tonight both defensively and offensively, with a couple hits with an RBI. I thought he really played well and he's one of our captains so we need him to do that for us and it was great to see him have a great night tonight."
Along with Anderson's outing at the plate, senior outfielder Nick Williams and junior infielder Randy Seymour were both 1-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Busch was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored, while junior outfielder Jake Dresselhouse and sophomore outfielder Parker Picot were both 1-for-3. Dresselhouse tallied two RBI and a run scored, while Picot drove in one run and scored another. Busch had the Spartans' lone extra-base hit with a double in the sixth, while MSU's other six hits on the night were singles.
The Spartans drew nine walks, boosted by three by sophomore infielder Ryan McKay, while Busch drew a pair of free passes. Senior outfielder JT Sokolove drew one walk and was hit by pitch twice, and scored two runs. N.Williams, Seymour and senior catcher Noah Bright also drew walks. N.Williams, Picot and Dresselhouse also were hit-by-pitch.
The Spartans also swiped five stolen bases, with Sokolove, N.Williams, Picot, Dresselhouse and Anderson snagging a bag apiece.
On the mound, junior starter Nolan Higgins went 3.1 IP, scattering six hits with one run and two walks, while striking out four. Graduate reliever Zach Maxey came on for the final 3.2 IP, holding Harvard to just one hit with two walks, chalking up three strikeouts to earn the win, improving to 3-0.
Saturday night was the Spartans' first of eight games in 10 days at its home-away-from-home, Fluor Field, in Greenville, South Carolina, home of the Greenville Drive, the high-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, for MSU's Spring Break trip Feb. 28-March 9.
MSU concludes the Harvard three-game series on Sunday, March 2 in a 12 p.m. first pitch.
Michigan State then plays Western Carolina on Wednesday, March 5 in a single midweek contest.
The Spartans then host the First Pitch Invitational on Friday-Sunday, March 7-9, tangling with Cornell and UAB on March 7, then Winthrop on March 8 and UAB again on March 9.
The weekend schedule is subject to further change, fans can stay tuned to MSUSpartans.com and @MSUBaseball on Twitter for schedule updates, along with follow this weekend's action with "Watch Live" and "Live Stats."
The Spartans improved to 8-1 for the first time since 2016 with the win, which clinched the series with Harvard after winning Friday night's game by a 14-1 seven-inning run-rule victory, and will go for the series sweep on Sunday in a 12 p.m. start time. The Crimson slide to 0-5 on the season.
Harvard scored in its first at bat with a solo home run for an early 1-0 lead.
MSU was held without a hit going into the third, but manufactured three runs in the frame despite remaining without a hit, taking advantage of three walks and two hit-by-pitch with a sac bunt and a sac fly to generate three runs for a 3-1 lead.
The Spartans got their first hit of the night in the fourth inning, before breaking the game open with a five-run fifth frame to open an 8-1 advantage. Michigan State tacked on two in the sixth, before one more in the seventh for the "walk-off run-rule" Victory for MSU.
"I'm proud of our guys, they stayed the course and I don't think anybody panicked," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "We had a pretty consistent approach that really paid off for us. Credit their starter, (Truman) Pauley, his stuff was really good, he was probably a little effectively wild and got us to chase a lot. I think the second time through the order, we settled down a little bit and started to take what we were given and took some walks and got ourselves into some spots where we could score, and again, I thought our guys did a nice job of just remaining patient and taking what we were given."
The Spartans were boosted by solid defensive plays to keep the offense in the game, highlighted by a spectacular play at third by junior infielder Jacob Anderson to end the fourth frame. The hot corner-tender made a diving stop on a chopper headed down the line, getting up to step on third while firing across the diamond to senior infielder Sam Busch at first base for the inning-ending double play to get out of the bases loaded jam with only one out.
"Jacob made a huge play in the fourth for us to get us out of that inning with an unbelievable diving play, and then to have the presence of mind to get up, step on third and throw on the run at the same time to get the double play was the play of the game for us," Boss said.
Anderson started another double play in the top of the seventh, starting a 5-4-3 2-outs, 1-play to end the inning. He also had a solid night at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI, adding the sac bunt in the third frame
"Then we turned another double play later in the game in the seventh to end that inning that Jacob started with a nice play," Boss said. "Jacob played well tonight both defensively and offensively, with a couple hits with an RBI. I thought he really played well and he's one of our captains so we need him to do that for us and it was great to see him have a great night tonight."
Along with Anderson's outing at the plate, senior outfielder Nick Williams and junior infielder Randy Seymour were both 1-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Busch was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored, while junior outfielder Jake Dresselhouse and sophomore outfielder Parker Picot were both 1-for-3. Dresselhouse tallied two RBI and a run scored, while Picot drove in one run and scored another. Busch had the Spartans' lone extra-base hit with a double in the sixth, while MSU's other six hits on the night were singles.
The Spartans drew nine walks, boosted by three by sophomore infielder Ryan McKay, while Busch drew a pair of free passes. Senior outfielder JT Sokolove drew one walk and was hit by pitch twice, and scored two runs. N.Williams, Seymour and senior catcher Noah Bright also drew walks. N.Williams, Picot and Dresselhouse also were hit-by-pitch.
The Spartans also swiped five stolen bases, with Sokolove, N.Williams, Picot, Dresselhouse and Anderson snagging a bag apiece.
On the mound, junior starter Nolan Higgins went 3.1 IP, scattering six hits with one run and two walks, while striking out four. Graduate reliever Zach Maxey came on for the final 3.2 IP, holding Harvard to just one hit with two walks, chalking up three strikeouts to earn the win, improving to 3-0.
Saturday night was the Spartans' first of eight games in 10 days at its home-away-from-home, Fluor Field, in Greenville, South Carolina, home of the Greenville Drive, the high-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, for MSU's Spring Break trip Feb. 28-March 9.
MSU concludes the Harvard three-game series on Sunday, March 2 in a 12 p.m. first pitch.
Michigan State then plays Western Carolina on Wednesday, March 5 in a single midweek contest.
The Spartans then host the First Pitch Invitational on Friday-Sunday, March 7-9, tangling with Cornell and UAB on March 7, then Winthrop on March 8 and UAB again on March 9.
The weekend schedule is subject to further change, fans can stay tuned to MSUSpartans.com and @MSUBaseball on Twitter for schedule updates, along with follow this weekend's action with "Watch Live" and "Live Stats."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Maxey, Zach (3-0)
L: Pauley, Truman (0-2)
Batting:
HR: Wilson, Liam 1
RBI: Wilson, Liam 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wilson, Liam 1
HBP: Kang, Jordan 1
Batting:
2B: Busch, Sam 1
RBI: Williams, Nick 2 ; Busch, Sam 1 ; Bright, Noah 1 ; Picot, Parker 1 ; Dresselhouse, Jake 2 ; Seymour, Randy 2 ; Anderson, Jacob 1
SH: Anderson, Jacob 1
SF: Bright, Noah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sokolove, JT 2 ; McKay, Ryan 1 ; Williams, Nick 2 ; Busch, Sam 1 ; Bright, Noah 1 ; Picot, Parker 1 ; Dresselhouse, Jake 1 ; Seymour, Randy 2
SB: Sokolove, JT 1 ; Williams, Nick 1 ; Picot, Parker 1 ; Dresselhouse, Jake 1 ; Anderson, Jacob 1
HBP: Sokolove, JT 2 ; Williams, Nick 1 ; Picot, Parker 1 ; Dresselhouse, Jake 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
OF/C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballPursuit to Greatness | Spartans All-Access
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