Friday, March 14
Iowa City, Iowa
1:02 PM ET / 12:02 PM CT
Michigan State University
13-4, 1-0
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8
Iowa
8-8, 2-1
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11
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H
E
Michigan State
0
0
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1
1
4
2
0
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12
18
2
Iowa
0
0
0
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Photo by: Jeremy Fleming
Spartans Split Twinbill With Hawkeyes Friday
3/14/2025 10:34:00 PM | Baseball
MSU wins windy opener, 12-8 in 11-innings, fall 7-3, in nightcap.
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Michigan State baseball split a doubleheader at Iowa, winning the opener in a wild, 12-8, 11-inning ball game, before falling in the nightcap, 7-3, Friday at Iowa's Duane Banks Field.
The Spartans and Hawkeyes played a doubleheader on Friday due to inclement weather in the forecast for the Iowa City area this weekend, and will wrap up the series on Saturday afternoon. Friday's weather started warm and windy, blowing 20-25 mph with gusts up to 35-40 mph, but the twinbill was completed before the thunderstorms rolled into the area Friday night.
MSU rapped out a season-high 18 hits, including a season-high tying six home runs, taking advantage of the windy conditions. The Spartans also had six homers vs. Harvard on Feb. 28 at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C.
Despite the hits and home run barrage, the Spartans couldn't put the Hawkeyes away, as MSU opened a 6-3 lead in the sixth with a four-run frame, and stretched it to 8-3 in the seventh, before Iowa mounted its comeback. The home team Hawkeyes added a run in the seventh, three in the eighth and one in the ninth to send the game to extras.
"I thought our guys showed great resolve today," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "Conditions were difficult to play in, the wind was howling out, and both teams took advantage of that to a certain degree. We were fortunate to put up a big number in the 11th inning of game one after losing the lead. So credit them for coming back, and give our guys credit for taking the lead again and winning game one."
In game two, MSU and Iowa played a scoreless first five innings, before the Hawkeyes broke the game open with six runs in the fifth. The Spartans closed to 6-3 in the top of the eighth, but couldn't get any closer, as Iowa added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth for the 7-3 final score.Â
"Game two was more of the same. I think they had a big inning, which you know, again, walks and hit batter led to a big inning, which we haven't figured out how to quite stop the bleeding yet. But again, to our guys credit, we got back into the game, and had some chances there late. So we'll be ready to play tomorrow and try to win the series tomorrow."
Senior infielder Sam Busch blasted two homers in Friday's first game for his second two-HR outing in a week, also belting a pair of round-trippers last Friday vs. UAB. Busch now has a team-leading seven homers on the season.
Junior infielder Randy Seymour, senior outfielder Nick Williams, junior infielder Jacob Anderson and sophomore infielder Ryan McKay added homers. McKay entered the day without a round-tripper, but belted one in each of Friday's game.
Friday's extra-inning contest was MSU's first extra-inning game of the season, and was the Spartans' first game going extras since May 5, 2024 in a 12-inning loss vs. Michigan. It was MSU's first 11-inning game since March 16 of last season, going 11 in a loss vs. Evansville. While both of those extra-inning games were at home, it was MSU's first 11-inning game on the road since April 11, 2023 with a 7-6 win at Notre Dame.
Game 1: MSU 12, Iowa 8 (11 innings)
The Spartans got on the board first, with Busch blasting a 428-foot solo home run, belting the ball up into the Iowa City stratosphere and the wind pushed it even deeper over the wall in left-center field, and MSU had an early 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth after Busch's team-leading sixth round-tripper of the season.Â
Michigan State's 1-0 lead was short-lived as Iowa's Reese Moore mashed a three-run home run in the home half of the fourth and a 3-1 advantage.
The Spartans countered with a run in the top of the fifth, as Seymour smacked a triple and two batters later, senior outfielder JT Sokolove drove him in with a "swinging bunt," to close within, 3-2.
In the sixth, Busch sparked the rally with a one-out hit-by-pitch. Sophomore outfielder Parker Picot followed with a triple to drive Busch home, Picot's first of two three-baggers on the day. Junior outfielder Jake Dresselhouse laid down a picture-perfect sacrifice squeeze bunt to plate Picot and give MSU a 4-3 lead.Â
The Spartans weren't done scoring in the frame, as Seymour came to bat and belted a solo homer off the batter's eye in center. After Iowa made a pitching change, replacing starter Cade Obermueller with reliever Daniel Wright, Anderson rudely welcomed Wright to the game by blasting a 439-foot home run well beyond and over the left field wall and the visitors had a 6-3 advantage.
N.Williams roped a two-run home run in the eighth, driving in graduate catcher Caleb Berry, and putting the Spartans ahead, 8-3, going into the seventh inning stretch.
After the singing and stretching was completed, Iowa started its comeback with one run, then adding two more in the eighth and another in the ninth, extending the already scheduled long day even longer.Â
Both teams got a runner on base in the 10th, but nothing else going, before MSU broke through in the 11th. McKay came to bat with two outs and smacked a home run to left field. Berry followed with a single, then N.Williams reached on an infield single, bringing Busch to bat, and he blasted a three-run off the batter's eye in center.Â
Graduate reliever Tyler Horvath, who came on in the ninth, recovered with a three-up, three-down 11th, with a strikeout, lineout and then a popup to Seymour at shortstop to secure the Victory for MSU and earn the win, improving to 3-1 on the year.
Busch, McKay and Picot all finished with three hits, while Sokolove, N.Williams and Seymour had two hits apiece. Berry and Dresselhouse had one hit each.
On the mound, junior Joseph Dzierwa started and went 6.0 IP, scattering eight hits, yielding four runs and one walk, with five strikeouts. Senior Dominic Pianto went 2.0 IP with four Ks, two hits and three runs, before turning the ball over to Horvath, going 3.0 IP, with two hits, one run and four strikeouts.
Game 2: Iowa 7, MSU 3
The nightcap was a scoreless, pitchers' battle in the early going, with both teams threatening with traffic on the basepaths, only to have Spartan junior starter Nolan Higgins and Iowa starting pitcher Aaron Savary made big pitches to get out of jams.Â
It remained a 0-0 tie until the bottom of the fourth inning, when the Hawkeyes broke through with six runs on just two hits, taking advantage of three walks and a hit-by-pitch by Higgins and graduate reliever Zach Maxey, before a three-run home run made it 6-0 in the Hawkeyes' favor.
The Spartans got on the board and cut the gap in half in the eighth, as Sokolove sparked the rally with a one-out single. McKay followed with a two-run home run off the scoreboard in left field, chasing Savary. N.Williams drew a walk off the new Iowa pitcher Chas Wheatley, and two batters later, Berry singled to move N.Williams to second. Picot followed with a single up the middle to plate N.Williams and close to 6-3.
MSU's three-run deficit was short-lived as Iowa scored a run in the bottom of the eighth for a 7-3 lead. The Spartans threatened in the ninth with a one-out pinch hit double by senior Will Shannon, but a groundout and flyout ended both the MSU rally and the game, splitting the series heading into Saturday's rubber match.
McKay finished game two going 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored, a triple shy of the cycle. Berry was 2-for-4, while Picot and Seymour were 1-for-4, with Picot adding the other Spartan RBI in the game.Â
Higgins went 4.0 IP with four hits, three runs and five walks, without a strikeout, being dealt the loss, leveling his record at 1-1. Maxey went 3.0 IP with two hits, three runs, three walks and two Ks. Sophomore reliever Josh Klug went 1.0 IP with two hits, one run, one walk and one strikeout.
Saturday's series finale and rubber match between MSU and Iowa will start at 2:02 p.m. ET/1:02 p.m. CT.
The weekend's 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," "Listen Live" and "Live Stats" links where available.
MSU returns to Jeff Ishbia Field at McLane Stadium to host Oakland on Wednesday, March 10 at 4 p.m.
Michigan State baseball tickets are available online at msuspartans.evenue.net, by contacting the Spartan Ticket Office at 517-355-1610 or by email at tickets@msu.edu for questions or more information.
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The Spartans and Hawkeyes played a doubleheader on Friday due to inclement weather in the forecast for the Iowa City area this weekend, and will wrap up the series on Saturday afternoon. Friday's weather started warm and windy, blowing 20-25 mph with gusts up to 35-40 mph, but the twinbill was completed before the thunderstorms rolled into the area Friday night.
MSU rapped out a season-high 18 hits, including a season-high tying six home runs, taking advantage of the windy conditions. The Spartans also had six homers vs. Harvard on Feb. 28 at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C.
Despite the hits and home run barrage, the Spartans couldn't put the Hawkeyes away, as MSU opened a 6-3 lead in the sixth with a four-run frame, and stretched it to 8-3 in the seventh, before Iowa mounted its comeback. The home team Hawkeyes added a run in the seventh, three in the eighth and one in the ninth to send the game to extras.
"I thought our guys showed great resolve today," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "Conditions were difficult to play in, the wind was howling out, and both teams took advantage of that to a certain degree. We were fortunate to put up a big number in the 11th inning of game one after losing the lead. So credit them for coming back, and give our guys credit for taking the lead again and winning game one."
In game two, MSU and Iowa played a scoreless first five innings, before the Hawkeyes broke the game open with six runs in the fifth. The Spartans closed to 6-3 in the top of the eighth, but couldn't get any closer, as Iowa added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth for the 7-3 final score.Â
"Game two was more of the same. I think they had a big inning, which you know, again, walks and hit batter led to a big inning, which we haven't figured out how to quite stop the bleeding yet. But again, to our guys credit, we got back into the game, and had some chances there late. So we'll be ready to play tomorrow and try to win the series tomorrow."
Senior infielder Sam Busch blasted two homers in Friday's first game for his second two-HR outing in a week, also belting a pair of round-trippers last Friday vs. UAB. Busch now has a team-leading seven homers on the season.
Junior infielder Randy Seymour, senior outfielder Nick Williams, junior infielder Jacob Anderson and sophomore infielder Ryan McKay added homers. McKay entered the day without a round-tripper, but belted one in each of Friday's game.
Friday's extra-inning contest was MSU's first extra-inning game of the season, and was the Spartans' first game going extras since May 5, 2024 in a 12-inning loss vs. Michigan. It was MSU's first 11-inning game since March 16 of last season, going 11 in a loss vs. Evansville. While both of those extra-inning games were at home, it was MSU's first 11-inning game on the road since April 11, 2023 with a 7-6 win at Notre Dame.
Game 1: MSU 12, Iowa 8 (11 innings)
The Spartans got on the board first, with Busch blasting a 428-foot solo home run, belting the ball up into the Iowa City stratosphere and the wind pushed it even deeper over the wall in left-center field, and MSU had an early 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth after Busch's team-leading sixth round-tripper of the season.Â
Michigan State's 1-0 lead was short-lived as Iowa's Reese Moore mashed a three-run home run in the home half of the fourth and a 3-1 advantage.
The Spartans countered with a run in the top of the fifth, as Seymour smacked a triple and two batters later, senior outfielder JT Sokolove drove him in with a "swinging bunt," to close within, 3-2.
In the sixth, Busch sparked the rally with a one-out hit-by-pitch. Sophomore outfielder Parker Picot followed with a triple to drive Busch home, Picot's first of two three-baggers on the day. Junior outfielder Jake Dresselhouse laid down a picture-perfect sacrifice squeeze bunt to plate Picot and give MSU a 4-3 lead.Â
The Spartans weren't done scoring in the frame, as Seymour came to bat and belted a solo homer off the batter's eye in center. After Iowa made a pitching change, replacing starter Cade Obermueller with reliever Daniel Wright, Anderson rudely welcomed Wright to the game by blasting a 439-foot home run well beyond and over the left field wall and the visitors had a 6-3 advantage.
N.Williams roped a two-run home run in the eighth, driving in graduate catcher Caleb Berry, and putting the Spartans ahead, 8-3, going into the seventh inning stretch.
After the singing and stretching was completed, Iowa started its comeback with one run, then adding two more in the eighth and another in the ninth, extending the already scheduled long day even longer.Â
Both teams got a runner on base in the 10th, but nothing else going, before MSU broke through in the 11th. McKay came to bat with two outs and smacked a home run to left field. Berry followed with a single, then N.Williams reached on an infield single, bringing Busch to bat, and he blasted a three-run off the batter's eye in center.Â
Graduate reliever Tyler Horvath, who came on in the ninth, recovered with a three-up, three-down 11th, with a strikeout, lineout and then a popup to Seymour at shortstop to secure the Victory for MSU and earn the win, improving to 3-1 on the year.
Busch, McKay and Picot all finished with three hits, while Sokolove, N.Williams and Seymour had two hits apiece. Berry and Dresselhouse had one hit each.
On the mound, junior Joseph Dzierwa started and went 6.0 IP, scattering eight hits, yielding four runs and one walk, with five strikeouts. Senior Dominic Pianto went 2.0 IP with four Ks, two hits and three runs, before turning the ball over to Horvath, going 3.0 IP, with two hits, one run and four strikeouts.
Game 2: Iowa 7, MSU 3
The nightcap was a scoreless, pitchers' battle in the early going, with both teams threatening with traffic on the basepaths, only to have Spartan junior starter Nolan Higgins and Iowa starting pitcher Aaron Savary made big pitches to get out of jams.Â
It remained a 0-0 tie until the bottom of the fourth inning, when the Hawkeyes broke through with six runs on just two hits, taking advantage of three walks and a hit-by-pitch by Higgins and graduate reliever Zach Maxey, before a three-run home run made it 6-0 in the Hawkeyes' favor.
The Spartans got on the board and cut the gap in half in the eighth, as Sokolove sparked the rally with a one-out single. McKay followed with a two-run home run off the scoreboard in left field, chasing Savary. N.Williams drew a walk off the new Iowa pitcher Chas Wheatley, and two batters later, Berry singled to move N.Williams to second. Picot followed with a single up the middle to plate N.Williams and close to 6-3.
MSU's three-run deficit was short-lived as Iowa scored a run in the bottom of the eighth for a 7-3 lead. The Spartans threatened in the ninth with a one-out pinch hit double by senior Will Shannon, but a groundout and flyout ended both the MSU rally and the game, splitting the series heading into Saturday's rubber match.
McKay finished game two going 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored, a triple shy of the cycle. Berry was 2-for-4, while Picot and Seymour were 1-for-4, with Picot adding the other Spartan RBI in the game.Â
Higgins went 4.0 IP with four hits, three runs and five walks, without a strikeout, being dealt the loss, leveling his record at 1-1. Maxey went 3.0 IP with two hits, three runs, three walks and two Ks. Sophomore reliever Josh Klug went 1.0 IP with two hits, one run, one walk and one strikeout.
Saturday's series finale and rubber match between MSU and Iowa will start at 2:02 p.m. ET/1:02 p.m. CT.
The weekend's 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," "Listen Live" and "Live Stats" links where available.
MSU returns to Jeff Ishbia Field at McLane Stadium to host Oakland on Wednesday, March 10 at 4 p.m.
Michigan State baseball tickets are available online at msuspartans.evenue.net, by contacting the Spartan Ticket Office at 517-355-1610 or by email at tickets@msu.edu for questions or more information.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Horvath, Tyler (3-1)
L: Anthony Watts (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Sokolove, JT 1
3B: Picot, Parker 2 ; Seymour, Randy 1
HR: McKay, Ryan 1 ; Williams, Nick 1 ; Busch, Sam 2 ; Seymour, Randy 1 ; Anderson, Jacob 1
RBI: Sokolove, JT 1 ; McKay, Ryan 1 ; Williams, Nick 2 ; Busch, Sam 4 ; Picot, Parker 1 ; Dresselhouse, Jake 1 ; Seymour, Randy 1 ; Anderson, Jacob 1
SH: Dresselhouse, Jake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: McKay, Ryan 1 ; Berry, Caleb 2 ; Williams, Nick 2 ; Busch, Sam 3 ; Picot, Parker 1 ; Seymour, Randy 2 ; Anderson, Jacob 1
HBP: Busch, Sam 1
PO: Sokolove, JT 1 ; Seymour, Randy 1
Batting:
2B: Ben Wilmes 1 ; Gable Mitchell 1 ; Jaixen Frost 1
HR: Blake Guerin 1 ; Reese Moore 1 ; Daniel Rogers 1
RBI: Gable Mitchell 1 ; Blake Guerin 1 ; Reese Moore 3 ; Daniel Rogers 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Ben Wilmes 1 ; Miles Risley 1 ; Caleb Wulf 1 ; Blake Guerin 1 ; Reese Moore 2 ; Jaixen Frost 1 ; Daniel Rogers 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
6
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
6
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF/INF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballPursuit to Greatness | Spartans All-Access
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