Spartans Downed By Dukes Sunday In First Pitch Invite Finale

Sunday, March 1

Fluor Field | Greenville, S.C.

2 PM

Michigan State University

3-6

James Madison

5-5

James Madison

Michigan State

Team huddle - vs. Illinois in Greenville

Photo by: Jeremy Fleming

Spartans Downed By Dukes Sunday In First Pitch Invite Finale

3/1/2026 7:48:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score JMU 4, MSU 2 Box Score

MSU defeated by JMU in final game of weekend.

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Michigan State baseball was doubled up by the Dukes of James Madison on Sunday afternoon, 4-2, in the final game of the 2026 First Pitch Invitational at Flour Field, in their residency at the home of the Greenville Drive.

MSU slides to 3-6 on the young season with the loss, while JMU moves to 5-5 with the win, as Sunday was the first-ever meeting between the Spartans and the Dukes.

James Madison plated two runs in the third, before Michigan State cut the deficit in half with a run in the fourth and tied it up in the seventh. The game stayed tied to the ninth, with extra innings looming, which would have been MSU's second extra-inning game of the weekend after a 5-4, 10-inning loss to Illinois on Friday night in a non-conference contest against a fellow Big Ten Conference foe. However, JMU wiped that out with a two-run home run in the top of the ninth and MSU was unable to counter in the bottom of the frame to end the game.

"We're very disappointed in today's loss," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "But give James Madison credit, it was a big win for them and a well-deserved win for them. I thought we pitched it well enough to win today, but offensively, we continue to struggle, and we need to understand that there is a sense of urgency with regard to making adjustments that we don't really have right now. So we need to get that figured out quickly, as our schedule does not get any easier coming up. So, that's the challenge, and we will get to work tomorrow."

Junior infielder Jasen Oliver had MSU's lone extra-base hit of the day with an RBI triple in the seventh, with freshman infielder CJ Deckinga getting driven in after drawing a two-out walk. Senior infielder Randy Seymour was 1-for-4 with a single in the eighth. Senior outfielder Nick Williams matched Oliver in going 1-for-3, and Williams scored a run. Junior outfielder Parker Picot drove Williams in with a line-drive sacrifice fly to left field.

On the mound, junior Logan Pikur scattered five hits on two runs, chalking up four strikeouts and no walks in 6.0 IP. Junior Gannon Grundman took over in the seventh and went the final 3.0 IP, spraying two runs on four hits with one punchout and no walks in being dealt the tough-luck loss.

JMU took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third, knocking three hits in the frame, with three singles.

Williams led off the fourth by reaching on a JMU throwing error, advancing to second on a wild pitch and to third on a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt. Picot then followed with his sac fly to plate Williams and not only get the Spartans on the board, but split their deficit in half.

Deckinga drew a two-out in the seventh and Oliver stepped up to bat, and belted a triple off the wall in deep center field to drive in Deckinga and tie the game at 2-all, before the Dukes pulled away for the win.

Michigan State stays in Greenville and square off with Winthrop on Tuesday, March 3, at 6 p.m. before concluding the Greenville trip by tangling with the Tigers of Clemson on Wednesday, March 4, also at 6 p.m.

The Spartans' schedule is subject to change, fans can stay tuned to MSUSpartans.com and @MSUBaseball on Twitter for schedule updates, along with follow action with "Watch Live," "Listen Live" and "Live Stats" links where available.