Saturday, March 15
Iowa City, Iowa
2:02 PM ET / 1:02 PM CT
Michigan State University
13-6, 1-2
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Michigan State
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Photo by: Jeremy Fleming
MSU Dealt Defeat By Iowa In Saturday’s Rubber Match
3/15/2025 5:54:00 PM | Baseball
Spartans topped in B1G series opening weekend.
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Michigan State baseball was dealt defeat in the rubber match of the Spartans' three-game Big Ten Conference opening series at Iowa on Saturday.
The Hawkeyes scored early and often in the first two frames, opening a 10-0 lead, and went on to win by that same score in a 7-inning, run-rule shortened game. The Spartans got traffic on the basepaths, including loading the bases in two of the first three innings, trying to keep up with the Hawkeyes, but were unable to push across a run.
MSU is now 13-6 overall and 1-2 in B1G play. Iowa improved to 10-8 overall and 4-2 in conference competition after opening league play last weekend going 2-1 at Rutgers.
The Spartans won Friday's series opener, 12-8, in 11-innings, before the Hawkeyes countered by winning the nightcap, 7-3, as the teams played a DH on Friday and a single game Saturday, due to inclement weather in the Iowa City forecast for Saturday evening and Sunday.
This weekend's MSU vs. Iowa meetings were the earliest match-up between the Spartans and Hawkeyes in the over 100-year old series, first played in 1921. It was only the second-ever March meeting, joining the 1998 series in Iowa City, March 27-29, 1998.
This was the first meeting between the Spartans and Hawkeyes since 2023, and the first back-to-back series in Iowa City since 2013 and 2016. By winning the last two series, the home team Hawkeyes have won the last two series after the visiting team had won the previous four series between MSU and Iowa.
After Friday's doubleheader was played in warm but windy conditions, with temperatures in the 70s for both games, beating thunderstorms that rolled into the Iowa City area Friday night. The storms brought rain overnight, and colder temperatures on Saturday, with first pitch at 45 degrees and windy, at 20-25 mph.
Despite the colder temps, Iowa's bats were hot in the early going, as the Hawkeyes jumped out of the gate with four runs in the first on five hits for an early 4-0 lead. The home team added six more runs off five hits in the second inning off three different MSU pitchers, to post a 10-0 lead after two frames.
The Spartan offense threatened and tried to keep pace with the Hawkeyes, loading the bases in the first and third innings, but were unable to push across a run in either of those frames or in the remaining innings. Graduate catcher Caleb Berry, senior designated hitter Nick Williams, junior outfielder Jake Dresselhouse and redshirt-junior infielder Jacob Anderson all had singles for the Spartans.
Sophomore infielder Ryan McKay drew two walks, while Berry, N.Williams, senior outfielder JT Sokolove and freshman outfielder Isaac Sturgess also earned a free base on balls.
On the mound, freshman starter Aidan Donovan went 1.1 IP, spraying eight hits, yielding eight runs on one walk and no strikeouts, in being dealt the loss, sliding to 0-2 on the season. Sophomore Logan Pikur came on and went 0.1 IP, with two hits, two runs and one walk, before turning the ball over to redshirt-sophomore Tate Farquhar. He quieted the Hawkeye bats, going 2.1 IP without a hit, run or walk, and chalking up two strikeouts. Sophomore Gannon Grundman also kept Iowa in check, pitching a hitless, runless 2.0 IP to finish out the game.
MSU returns to Jeff Ishbia Field at McLane Stadium to host Oakland on Wednesday, March 10 at 4 p.m.
The Spartans then return to both the road and B1G action, heading to State College, Pa., to take on Penn State in a three-game weekend series at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, Friday-Sunday, March 21-23. The series opener is on Friday at 5:30 p.m., before Saturday's contest at 2 p.m. MSU and PSU wrap up the weekend on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The week'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.
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.
The Hawkeyes scored early and often in the first two frames, opening a 10-0 lead, and went on to win by that same score in a 7-inning, run-rule shortened game. The Spartans got traffic on the basepaths, including loading the bases in two of the first three innings, trying to keep up with the Hawkeyes, but were unable to push across a run.
MSU is now 13-6 overall and 1-2 in B1G play. Iowa improved to 10-8 overall and 4-2 in conference competition after opening league play last weekend going 2-1 at Rutgers.
The Spartans won Friday's series opener, 12-8, in 11-innings, before the Hawkeyes countered by winning the nightcap, 7-3, as the teams played a DH on Friday and a single game Saturday, due to inclement weather in the Iowa City forecast for Saturday evening and Sunday.
This weekend's MSU vs. Iowa meetings were the earliest match-up between the Spartans and Hawkeyes in the over 100-year old series, first played in 1921. It was only the second-ever March meeting, joining the 1998 series in Iowa City, March 27-29, 1998.
This was the first meeting between the Spartans and Hawkeyes since 2023, and the first back-to-back series in Iowa City since 2013 and 2016. By winning the last two series, the home team Hawkeyes have won the last two series after the visiting team had won the previous four series between MSU and Iowa.
After Friday's doubleheader was played in warm but windy conditions, with temperatures in the 70s for both games, beating thunderstorms that rolled into the Iowa City area Friday night. The storms brought rain overnight, and colder temperatures on Saturday, with first pitch at 45 degrees and windy, at 20-25 mph.
Despite the colder temps, Iowa's bats were hot in the early going, as the Hawkeyes jumped out of the gate with four runs in the first on five hits for an early 4-0 lead. The home team added six more runs off five hits in the second inning off three different MSU pitchers, to post a 10-0 lead after two frames.
The Spartan offense threatened and tried to keep pace with the Hawkeyes, loading the bases in the first and third innings, but were unable to push across a run in either of those frames or in the remaining innings. Graduate catcher Caleb Berry, senior designated hitter Nick Williams, junior outfielder Jake Dresselhouse and redshirt-junior infielder Jacob Anderson all had singles for the Spartans.
Sophomore infielder Ryan McKay drew two walks, while Berry, N.Williams, senior outfielder JT Sokolove and freshman outfielder Isaac Sturgess also earned a free base on balls.
On the mound, freshman starter Aidan Donovan went 1.1 IP, spraying eight hits, yielding eight runs on one walk and no strikeouts, in being dealt the loss, sliding to 0-2 on the season. Sophomore Logan Pikur came on and went 0.1 IP, with two hits, two runs and one walk, before turning the ball over to redshirt-sophomore Tate Farquhar. He quieted the Hawkeye bats, going 2.1 IP without a hit, run or walk, and chalking up two strikeouts. Sophomore Gannon Grundman also kept Iowa in check, pitching a hitless, runless 2.0 IP to finish out the game.
MSU returns to Jeff Ishbia Field at McLane Stadium to host Oakland on Wednesday, March 10 at 4 p.m.
The Spartans then return to both the road and B1G action, heading to State College, Pa., to take on Penn State in a three-game weekend series at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, Friday-Sunday, March 21-23. The series opener is on Friday at 5:30 p.m., before Saturday's contest at 2 p.m. MSU and PSU wrap up the weekend on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The week'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.
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.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Reece Beuter (3-0)
L: Donovan, Aidan (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Gable Mitchell 1 ; Jaixen Frost 1
3B: Miles Risley 1
RBI: Miles Risley 4 ; Jackson Beaman 2 ; Jaixen Frost 2 ; Ben Swails 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Ben Wilmes 1 ; Gable Mitchell 2 ; Reese Moore 1 ; Miles Risley 2 ; Jackson Beaman 2 ; Jaixen Frost 1 ; Ben Swails 1
SB: Jackson Beaman 1
HBP: Jaixen Frost 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ BaseballC
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF/LHP
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballPursuit to Greatness | Spartans All-Access
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