“The original objective of the event was to bond the two cities together and to do something for the community and I definitely think we’ve done that,” Lugnuts General Manager Pat Day said.

The support on the MSU side — which included honorary first base coaches in Athletics Director Mark Hollis, men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo, women’s basketball coach Suzy Merchant and softball coach Jacquie Joseph, as well the attendance of President Lou Anna K. Simon — made head coach David Grewe proud to be part of the Spartans family.

“That’s Team MSU, starting with President Simon and then right on down (to Hollis),” Grewe said. “It’s really just an awesome night for Michigan State and I’m just so proud to be a part of it and for our kids that’s what it’s about.”

East Lansing Mayor Vic Loomis and Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero were also honorary coaches and met at home plate to exchange lineup cards before the game.

The game started out with MSU sophomore pitcher Scott Heitshusen striking out three Lugnuts in the first inning, but still allowing a run. Adam Calderone struck out to open the game, but reached first after the pitch slipped behind senior catcher Kyle Kunkel. Calderone then stole second, advanced to third on a fly ball to right field and came home on a wild pitch to give the Lugnuts a 1-0 advantage.

The Spartans answered back with two runs in the top of the third after senior third baseman Steve Gerstenberger hit a double off the centerfield wall to score senior second baseman Brandon Doherty from first. Gerstenberger scored on a single through the right side of the infield by freshman catcher Andy Johnson.

The Lugnuts quickly tied it up in the bottom half of the inning with a solo home run to right field by Moises Sierra to make the score 2-2.

The score remained tied until the bottom of the sixth inning when Raul Barron came home to score on an error and Wes Stone later scored on a wild pitch to make the score 4-2. The Spartans went down in order in the top of the seventh to end the game.

“(This was) twice as good,” Grewe said of this year’s even compared to last season’s, which drew 6,223 fans. “This is unbelievable – 12,000 people out here for a baseball game at Michigan State, are you kidding me?”

While the Spartans played all of their position players, the Lugnuts — who left after the game for Iowa to begin a three-game series with the Clinton Lumberkings — stuck with their starting lineup throughout the game, and Lugnuts manager Clayton McCullough said it was nice to give his regulars a break during the season.

Like his coach and teammates, junior catcher Kyle Day, who went 1-for-1 in his two innings of play, was also impressed by the crowd turnout.

Day said the timing of this year’s game coinciding with the end of the spring semester was a great way for the fans and players to end the school year.

“It was awesome, this is really fun playing with all these people here enjoying themselves,” Day said. “It was a great night for baseball — it feels like baseball season and I hope everyone out here felt the same way. It was a great, great crowd.”

The Spartans return to action at Oldsmobile Park with a four-game series against Iowa. The first game is at 6:05 p.m. today.