Redshirt junior outfielder Peter Ahn (16) prepares for an inning against Illinois on Kobs Field at McLane Stadium on March 25, 2022. The Spartans lost to the Fighting Illini with a score of 11 to 3.
From start to finish, Bowling Green dominated Michigan State in their 12-3 win. The Spartans finished with just five hits, while the Falcons collected 16. Four different pitchers made an appearance for Michigan State.
The nine-run losing margin is tied for the worst of the season. The results were even more shocking, considering the Spartans were coming off of a 5-3 win on the road against Illinois.
"It's unacceptable," Michigan State Head Coach Jake Boss said. "It's hard to explain how we can play so well one day and so poorly the next. It's happened several times this year."
Freshman RHP Ryan Szczepaniak's sixth start of the season didn't last long. He pitched for 1.1 innings, giving up a four hits and six runs. Junior LHP Jack Brockhaus replaced Szczepaniak on the mound early in the second, but the change didn't cool off the Falcon's hot bats. He gave up seven hits and four runs through 3.2 innings.
Redshirt sophomore RHP Brian Martin and sophomore DHP Dominic Hann finished out on the night for Michigan State. After silencing the Falcon batters for three innings, Martin finally gave up a pair of runs in the top of the ninth and was replaced by Hann. Hann finished the inning with a strikeout and no hits.
"We have to have someone come in and stop the bleeding, and Brian did that today," Boss said of Martin. "He was ready to go when he was called upon today. We need more effort like that out of more guys."
None of MSU's batters collected more than a single hit. Sophomore infielder Trent Farquhar was the Spartans best hitter of the night, finishing with a home run and a pair of walks.
Two of Michigan State's three runs were scored in the first two innings. Sophomore infielder Mitch Jebb cracked a lead off double in the bottom of the first, eventually finding home plate with the help of an RBI single from sophomore outfielder Jack Frank. Thanks to a walk, a groundout single and a pair of wild pitches, redshirt junior Peter Ahn tacked on the Spartans second run of the evening in the bottom of the second.
MSU's day was brutal from the get-go. Bowling Green scored six runs through the first two innings with the help of a couple errors and some stellar hitting. 10 of Bowling Green's 12 runs were scored in the first five innings. The Falcons found the final two runs in the ninth.
Michigan State is back in action Wednesday evening at McLane Stadium. The Spartans host Youngstown Stat, with the first pitch set for 4:05 p.m..
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