For the first time in 25 years, the MSU baseball team has a chance at a Big Ten title.
The Spartans (30-22, 17-11 Big Ten) face Northwestern this weekend at Kobs field in the final four-game series of the Big Ten season.
MSU is third in the Big Ten race, two games behind conference-leading Minnesota and one game behind Ohio State. The Golden Gophers will host the Buckeyes to conclude each team's regular season.
"We'd really like to sweep Northwestern to give ourselves the possibility of winning a Big Ten title," junior rightfielder Travis Gulick said.
If the Spartans go 4-0 against the Wildcats (24-26, 12-16) and Minnesota splits its four-game series with Ohio State, MSU would share the title with the Golden Gophers. Sweeping the series is not an easy task, though, and head coach Ted Mahan knows that.
"Winning all four games is a difficult thing to do," Mahan said. "We've done it twice this season so the possibility is there."
MSU is the only team in the Big Ten to sweep two series this season. Penn State and Ohio State are the only other conference teams to record a sweep in Big Ten play. Before this season, the Spartans had not swept a series since 1990.
"We certainly would rather be in the position to know what we had to do to win," Mahan said. "It's not in our hands, but we've put ourselves in a position where there is that possibility."
Northwestern might not seem like the most formidable opponent for the Spartans, but MSU knows the Wildcats have strong pitching to rely on.
"They have two really good starting pitchers," senior right-handed pitcher Bryan Gale said. "Friday, their top guy is pitching, and he is one of the top pitchers in the Big Ten."
Northwestern southpaw J.A. Happ leads the conference in strikeouts (96) and is second in ERA (2.96). Mahan said the team hasn't beaten Happ since he's been in the Big Ten.
"He's an exceptional pitcher," Mahan said. "Facing someone like him, we just have to swing easy and stay within ourselves."
Friday's 4 p.m. game is key to the series. With Happ pitching for the Wildcats, the Spartans' top pitcher, Gale, will take the mound opposite. If Gale gets the win on Friday, he would become the winningest pitcher in school history.
"We're confident that Bryan will give us a chance to win offensively," Mahan said. "His pitching has been one of our strengths and allows our hitters to wear their pitcher down."
The confidence for MSU is brimming over. MSU has won eight of its last 10 games and has tied the record for the winningest Big Ten season in Spartan history. The team also will have a little extra incentive to sweep the series.
On Sunday, MSU will honor the 25th anniversary of the 1979 team that won a Big Ten title, as well as celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1954 team that won the Big Ten, and went to the College World Series.
"We're expecting almost all the guys from those teams to be here," Mahan said. "If Sunday's game meant something to the Big Ten title race, it would be very special."
Having former MSU players who have won a Big Ten title is special to the players, but winning one, of their own is on all the players minds.
"Everybody's excited," Gale said. "Since we have all been here, MSU has never had a chance to get a ring or a championship.
"Now is our chance."
