After spending the entire year chasing MSU’s 7-year-old single-season record for hits, sophomore outfielder Bob Malek finally got over the hump Saturday during the second-to-last game of the season.

After tying the record Friday, Malek’s 85th and record-breaking hit came during the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader against Penn State, when he hit a single up the middle in MSU’s 8-7 loss.

“He’s a team player all the way,” MSU head baseball coach Ted Mahan said. “He would not get a hit all weekend if it meant us making the (conference) playoffs. That’s just the player he is, he gives himself up for the team all the time.”

Malek, who entered the weekend series with 83 hits, one shy of Steve Money’s record, said it was hard not to think about breaking the record during the trip to Penn State, but once the Spartans arrived in State College, Pa., he knew he had to focus on helping the team by getting on base and scoring runs.

“I was thinking about the record, but once we got to Penn State I knew it was a conference weekend, so I was only thinking about getting into the playoffs. But it did not work out that way,” he said.

But breaking the record was bittersweet for Malek, because the team needed to take three of four games against the Nittany Lions this weekend to clinch a berth in the Big Ten Tournament, yet failed to win a single game. The losses also prevented the team from reaching its goal of 30 wins in the season.

Mahan said Malek’s stellar sophomore season, along with solid play from other underclassmen, gives the team something to look forward to next season despite this year’s disappointment.

“(Malek’s) very talented with the bat,” Mahan said. “He’s definitely the highlight of our season - he had just a fantastic year. He’s gonna be a junior, and knowing Bobby he could break his own record (next year).”