“It was about time I was able to do something like that and carry the team a little bit,” Bucciferrro said. “But you know, I couldn’t do it without — you saw the defense today. My defense was making plays like no other … We’re playing well, we’re hitting well, we’re fielding well, you know. We just need to continue this and keep trying to make it to the regional and get ready for the Big Ten tourney.”

Bucciferro now has four complete game shutouts in his career with the Spartans. In addition, Bucciferro’s nine innings tossed in the game moved him past Bryan Gale (2001-04) for MSU’s all-time innings pitched record, with 352.1 for his career.

But even more than that, the effort allows MSU’s bullpen — which was heavily taxed in midweek games against Western Michigan and Toledo, respectively — to rest with two remaining games against the Hawkeyes this weekend.

“Tony was great today,” Boss said. “He struggled a little bit kind of on and off but he was the Tony of a year ago, today. It was really good to see and much needed.”

The Spartans got the scoring going in the first inning following a leadoff double off the right field fence by junior second baseman Ryan Jones. After a walk to junior left fielder Jordan Keur, freshman first baseman Ryan Krill knocked Jones in with a two out single to give MSU the first run of the game.

Jones scored again in the third inning, this time by way of a sacrifice fly by junior third baseman Torsten Boss to increase the Spartan lead to 2-0.

In the fourth inning, the Spartans tacked on another coming on a leadoff home run to left centerfield by freshman designated hitter Blaise Salter. The home run — the first of Salter’s career at MSU — built the lead to 3-0.

The middle innings presented the only major blemish of the game for the otherwise superb performance by Bucciferro.

Coming off three consecutive innings that saw Iowa’s lineup retired in order, Bucciferro loaded the bases with two outs by way of three hit batters. Despite the tense moment — which presented the Hawkeyes with their best opportunity to score all afternoon — Bucciferro induced a pop fly to left field to get out of the inning and end the threat.

“There’s not one person who doesn’t have all the faith in the world in Bucciferro,” senior shortstop Justin Scanlon said. “He’s our guy, he’s our ace, he’s our horse, you know. We trust him and we’ll go to battle with him any day.”

The Spartans took advantage of walks in the bottom of the seventh and added three more runs on to balloon the lead to 6-0. After freshman center fielder Anthony Cheky scored on a bases loaded walk, junior right fielder John Martinez knocked in Scanlon and Keur, who reached base on a single and a walk, respectively.

With the win, Bucciferro’s season record improves to 5-3 and his earned run average now sits at 3.05 for the year. Junior Andrew Waszak (4-3, 2.55 ERA) certainly will look to do much of the same, as he takes the hill at 1:05 p.m. Saturday for the Spartans.

The Spartans play both Saturday and Sunday at 1:05 p.m. at McLane Baseball Stadium at Old College Field before hitting the road Tuesday for a 7:00 p.m. matchup with Central Michigan in the second annual Clash at Comerica at Comerica Park in Detroit.