In front of an enthusiastic Mother’s Day crowd of 1,682, the Spartans improved their chances to make a run at the Big Ten championship with each team in the conference having six conference games to play.

“We knew Purdue wasn’t going to go quietly,” MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said, “They’re well-coached, they play hard and they’ve got guys from the top to the bottom of the order that are all threats. … At the same time, we made a big play when we needed it.”

Sophomore second baseman Ryan Jones extended his hitting streak to 33 games in the bottom of the first inning. After senior first baseman Jeff Holm was hit by a pitch, sophomore third baseman Torsten Boss homered to clear the bases and give MSU the early 3-0 lead.

Purdue clawed back in the top of the fourth inning, starting with an error to Jones which allowed first baseman Cameron Perkins to reach base. The next batter, catcher Kevin Plawecki, doubled off the wall and sent Perkins to third.

Sophomore pitcher Andrew Waszak would load the bases in the top of the fourth and the Boilermakers took advantage of a single and a wild pitch to knot the game at three.

The Spartans pulled ahead once again in the bottom of the fifth inning after Jones doubled off the left field wall. The next batter, Holm, turned on a pitch and clanged a two-run home run off the right field foul pole to give MSU the 5-3 lead.

Holm came up big for MSU in the weekend series against Purdue, collecting seven hits, including three home runs and nine RBIs to lead the Spartan offense.

“I hit one of those at Michigan that hit the pole and it was actually called foul,” Holm said. “It’s good to get one back here.”

MSU would strike again in the bottom of the sixth when junior shortstop Justin Scanlon led off the inning with a single. Scanlon would come around to score on a single from senior outfielder Brandon Eckerle to give the Spartans a 6-3 lead.

Waszak again would get in trouble in the top of the seventh inning after giving up several hits and loading the bases before he was replaced by freshman pitcher David Garner. Two runs scored before the Spartans turned a double play to end the inning with the score at 6-5. The win in today’s game improves Waszak’s record on the season to 4-2.

Plawecki doubled for the Boilermakers in the top of the ninth with one out trying to even the game. As designated hitter Payton Bieker laced a line drive to center field, Plawecki made the aggressive turn towards home before he was gunned down at the plate on a relay throw from Eckerle to Holm and the tag by freshman catcher Joel Fisher to seal the Spartan win, 6-5.

“That’s an intense win coming down to the ninth inning like that,” Holm said. “We’ve proven time and time again that we’re willing to handle those situations with pitching and defense and closing out those close games.”

After striking out three times at the plate himself, sophomore outfielder and pitcher Tony Wieber came in the game in the ninth inning and struck out two Boilermakers to preserve the Spartan victory. The save marks Wieber’s sixth on the season and the second one on the weekend.

Jones said the series win against Purdue was a good accomplishment for the team, but they will continue to remain focused headed down the stretch.

“We have to focus on our games and win the games that we should win,” Jones said. “If we get a Big Ten title in the next couple weekends, it happens. But, I mean, we have to worry about ourselves right now.”