Michigan State baseball took on the Lansing Lugnuts in the 18th annual “Crosstown Showdown” exhibition game. MSU basketball alum Steven Izzo threw the first pitch, and the Spartans defeated the Lugnuts 16-10 at Jackson Field.
This match-up was a friendly game between the two sides, with many Spartans looking to play at this level when their college careers come to a close. Senior first baseman Randy Seymour shared his experience playing against the Lugnuts all four years at MSU.
“It’s always good to go talk to those guys too, and we played with a couple of them, played against them,” said Seymour. “It’s just fun to see all the fans, and just play a game and have fun with it, I mean that’s what it’s all about right?”
The Lansing Lugnuts will use this exhibition as their final test before kicking off their 30th season on April 2 for their opening weekend against Dayton. MSU baseball alternatively is underway in its 142nd season, with its first organized season in 1884.
The Lansing Lugnuts are the High-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. High-A is the third level of Minor League Baseball, below Triple-A and Double-A. Players at this level are typically in the early stages of their professional careers, often coming off their first full spring training and preparing for a 140-game season over five months.
This Crosstown Showdown differed from previous matchups, as it was played with a unique set of rules. No pitchers were used, as the game featured machine pitching. Bunting and base stealing were not allowed, and there were no balls or strikes; each batter received six pitches to put the ball in play. Under a “second-chance rally” rule, innings consisted of six outs, with the bases cleared after the first three.
“That was something else,” Seymour said. When asked if he had ever been part of a game like that, he responded, “Not even close.”
For traditional baseball fans, this exhibition was a frivolous, but if you’re a fan of big hits and a lot of offense, then this was a great watch. 26 total runs were scored in what was pretty much a home run derby with the new rules put into place for the exhibition.
Though the result and performance should be taken with a grain of salt, given the rules and the fact there were no pitchers, the Spartan bats looked perfect in this game as they put on a good all-around performance. Defensively, MSU looked a little sloppy at times with a couple errors but still made some good plays.
Head coach Jake Boss Jr. emphasized his team's strong performance in the Crosstown Showdown.
