MSU Wallops Winthrop, 7-0, Saturday

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Michigan State baseball walloped Winthrop, 7-0, Saturday night at the end of day two of the First Pitch Invitational at Fluor Field, home of the Greenville Drive.

The Spartan bats were backed by standout pitching to shut down the hot-hitting Eagles, as MSU registered its third shutout of the season. Winthrop came into the Saturday with a team batting average of .316, ranking 39th in the NCAA, and averaging nearly 11 hits per game, but the Spartan hurlers held them to a season-low four hits, three fewer than the previous low.

On the mound, sophomore Logan Pikur, sophomore Gannon Grundman and senior Dominic Pianto all went 3.0 IP each. Pikur and Grundman scattered two hits each, while Pikur and Pianto posted three Ks apiece. Grundman earned his first career win. Pianto picked up his first save of the season and second of his Spartan career, in pitching in his penultimate game of his career at Fluor Field, as the former Furman Paladin pitcher played there during his freshman season at Furman in 2020, before the Paladins discontinued their baseball program.

The combined shutout was MSU's third blanking of the season, with a pair of 2-0 shutout Victories for MSU in the opening weekend, both in 7-inning contests as part of a 7/9-inning doubleheader. Saturday was the Spartans' first nine-inning combined shutout since April 5, 2024, when Joseph Dzierwa (7.0 IP), Aaron Mishoulam (1.0 IP) and Garrett Brewer (1.0 IP) blanked Niagara in a 9-0 win.

Michigan State had 11 hits on the night, including five extra-base hits, with three doubles and two home runs, one each by graduate catcher Caleb Berry and senior outfielder Nick Williams.

MSU scored one run in the second, then broke the game open with a three-run third frame before tacking on two in the seventh and one in the eighth.

"We played really well tonight, I thought we made some big plays early in the game and made some big pitches throughout the game. All three guys really settled into it and I thought they all threw extremely well, so that was all a lot of fun to watch," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "Offensively, I thought we got the barrel to the ball a lot and I though we had a pretty good two-strike approach tonight, and we hit a couple of home runs which is always good. I thought our approach was really good all night long and I think collectively, tonight was one of our better games we've played so far this season and it came against a really good team. Winthrop is a very offensive team and already has a couple of big wins under their belts this year and are going to win a lot of games this season, so very proud of our all-around effort tonight. We're excited to finish out a very successful weekend and time in Greenville tomorrow."

MSU wraps up its Greenville residency taking on UAB on Sunday at Noon.

With Saturday's win, the Spartans won their third game in a row in the last two days, after sweeping Friday's DH with a 3-2 walk-off win over Cornell in the opener, and beating UAB, 5-2, in the second contest.

Saturday's win also moved MSU to 6-1 so far during its eight-game, 10-day residency in Greenville.

Overall, MSU improved to 12-2 on the season, the Spartans' best start to a season since 2016.

N.Williams was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Berry was 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored. Sophomore infielder Ryan McKay and senior outfielder JT Sokolove were also both 2-for-5, with McKay touching home twice.

Junior infielder Randy Seymour was 1-for-3 with two RBI, while classmate, outfielder Jake Dresselhouse was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Sophomore outfielder Parker Picot was 1-for-5, and made a running catch in foul territory for the final out to spark the Victory for MSU celebration.

After scoring in the first inning in the previous four-straight games, MSU threatened to make it five in a row in its first at bat, getting two runners on, but the rally came to a close without a run, snapping the first frame streak.

The Spartans did get on the board in the home half of the second stanza, as Dresselhouse reached on a 1-out infield single, and advanced to second on a balk. Seymour came to bat and smacked a double down the left field line and Dresselhouse scampered around and scored for MSU's first run of the night, but definitely not the last.

McKay led off the third with a single through the right side and N. Williams laced a double down into the right-field corner. Busch then followed with an RBI groundout, driving McKay in and moving N.Williams up to second. Berry was up next and he belted a two-run homer to right center, his fourth homer of the season, all coming in Greenville, and all four going to nearly the same spot in right center of Fluor Field. Along with Berry's fourth HR of the week, it was MSU's fourth run of the day and a 4-0 lead.

After stretching and singing by the fans at Fluor Field was completed, McKay again led off the frame with a single. He moved up to second on a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt. After Busch walked, Berry flew out to center, but it was deep enough for McKay to tag up and move to third.

McKay scored and Busch moved to third on another Winthrop error off the bat of Picot. Dresselhouse followed with a walk to load the bases, bringing Seymour to bat. The Spartan junior drew a full-count walk for an RBI and MSU's second of the inning and sixth of the game.

N.Williams provided the extra point in the eighth with a solo home run to left center for the final scoring in the 7-0 Victory for MSU.Michigan State plays UAB on Sunday at Noon to wrap up its stay in Greenville, while Cornell plays Winthrop at Winthrop's home field also at Noon, in the final day First Pitch Invitational action.

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."

Michigan State baseball and softball's B1G Preview Special Radio Show, will air live from One North Kitchen & Bar East Lansing on Monday, March 10 from 12-1 p.m. ET.

Fans can hear from MSU baseball head coach Jake Boss Jr. and MSU softball head coach Sharonda McDonald-Kelley recap their respective seasons through the first few weeks, and preview the upcoming Big Ten portions of their schedules that start the weekend of Thursday-Sunday, March 13-16.

Those fans that cannot make it in person to One North Kitchen & Bar East Lansing, located at 1310 Abbot Rd., East Lansing, MI 48823, catch watch the B1G Preview Special: Baseball & Softball on MSU Baseball and Softball Facebook and X accounts.

The show can also be heard live on the Spartan Media Network locally on WJIM AM 1240/FM 106.9 in addition at msuspartans.com/watch under the "Live" tab, on the official Michigan State Athletics app. For more information, fans can visit msuspartans.com/feature/CoachesRadioShows.

Spartan baseball will open B1G action at Iowa City, Iowa in a three-game series at Iowa, Friday-Sunday, March 14-16.

Michigan State softball will head to Oklahoma City, Okla., Thursday-Sunday, March 13-16, taking on Minnesota (March 13-14) and Northwestern (March 15-16) for two games each.

MSU baseball is scheduled to host Michigan in a non-conference game at Jeff Ishbia Field at McLane Stadium on Wednesday, March 12 at 4:05 p.m.

Spartan softball is slated for its home opener at Secchia Stadium also against an in-state foe, taking on Oakland on Tuesday, March 18 at 5 p.m.

Michigan State baseball and softball 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

JT Sokolove

Ryan McKay

Nick Williams

Caleb Berry

Players Mentioned

Caleb Berry

Garrett Brewer

Jake Dresselhouse

Joseph Dzierwa

Gannon Grundman

Ryan McKay

Aaron Mishoulam

Dominic Pianto

Parker Picot

Logan Pikur

Randy Seymour

JT Sokolove

Nick Williams