MSU has reached the postseason twice since 2018 and eight times under Jake Boss Jr., MSU baseball’s head coach. A season ago MSU missed out on the tournament by one game after losing their final series 2-1 to Nebraska. 

The Spartans draw a favorable opponent in last-place Minnesota (5-22 Big Ten), which has struggled all season. The Golden Gophers rank last in the conference in both batting average and runs scored, with just one player — junior Drew Berkland — batting above .300. Minnesota's top two starters, Kyle Berrington and Joe Sperry, hold ERAs of 5.03 and 5.19, respectively.

To make the tournament, the Spartans must win more games than Northwestern in their respective series to clinch a spot. 

Offensively, Minnesota is led by Junior Drew Berkland swinging .292 with a .542 slugging mark. On the mound, Kyle Berrington and Joe Sperry are consistent starters with 5.03 and 5.19 ERAs, respectively. 

MSU will have plenty of chances both on the mound and at the plate to dominate the Golden Gophers; however, consistency will be needed, something that has plagued the Spartans all season. 

Still, MSU showed its potential in last weekend’s series against USC, a team in NCAA Tournament contention. In game one, junior ace Joseph Dzierwa tossed a shutout with eight strikeouts in a 5-0 win. The next day, the Spartans exploded for a season-high 15 runs in a run-rule victory.

“They're really good, and to come out here and play the way we did last night and today I think is a testament to our guys," Boss said. “I thought (MSU hitting coach) Coach Stone put a great plan together for our hitters, and our hitters did a great job of executing the plan.”

Even with the impressive wins, MSU has faltered not only in Big Ten contests but in midweek games as well. This season, the Spartans have dropped games against Purdue Fort Wayne, Central Michigan and Western Michigan, all losses Boss said he wasn’t pleased with. 

Against a statistically worse opponent in their final weekend, MSU needs to find consistency. 

Ace Dzierwa is set to deliver another dominant performance on game one Thursday night. 

Dzierwa, who will take the mound Thursday night, continues to build one of the most decorated pitching careers in MSU history. His eight punchouts against USC pushed his season total to 94, tying him with Tony Bucciferro (2012) for sixth-most in a single season. With 258 career strikeouts, Dzierwa now ranks third all-time at MSU, just 19 behind record-holder Bryan Gale (2001–2004).

Whether he returns for a senior season remains to be seen. The NCAA transfer portal opens June 2 for baseball, and Dzierwa will have 30 days to decide his next move.

MSU will need him at his best Thursday night as the postseason hangs in the balance. First pitch is set for 6 p.m., with all three games streamed live on Big Ten Plus.