With the season on the line for the MSU baseball team Friday afternoon against Ohio State, it was a pair of freshmen that came through and carried the Spartans to a 6-2 victory.
For the second consecutive day, the MSU baseball team looked like it would breeze its way to an easy victory early on in Big Ten Tournament play on Thursday.
For eight and two-thirds innings, it appeared that MSU would cruise to a blowout win in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. Leading 10-2 to begin the final frame, a comedy of errors led to a seven-run inning with two outs on the board as the Spartans narrowly escaped with a 10-9 win against No. 4-seed Nebraska.
Entering the weekend, the MSU baseball team had aspirations of earning the No. 2 seed and the accompanying first-round bye in this week’s Big Ten Tournament, as well as hopes of securing an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Behind the conference’s top pitching staff led by senior Tony Bucciferro and the consistent bats of juniors second baseman Ryan Jones and outfielder Jordan Keur, the Spartans find themselves just days away from the opening of the Big Ten Tournament. Despite missing out on a top seed and a first-round bye in the conference tournament, the No. 5-seeded Spartans (35-19 overall, 13-11 Big Ten) are set for a 12:05 p.m. matchup with No. 4-seed Nebraska on Wednesday at Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio.
After late game homers cost the MSU baseball team a pair of games Thursday and Friday, the Spartans reversed their fortunes on Senior Day at McLane Baseball Stadium at Old College Field on Saturday against Penn State. MSU (35-19 overall, 13-11 Big Ten) rode a nine strikeout performance by sophomore pitcher David Garner to a 9-2 victory in game three of the series with the Nittany Lions.
Another day, another late home run spells doom for the MSU baseball team. One day after losing a 3-2 decision to Penn State (29-24 overall, 15-8 Big Ten) after a jack in the eighth inning by Jordan Steranka, MSU (34-19, 12-11) saw its hopes crushed by a late homer in a 6-5 loss. Penn State third baseman Joey DeBernardis’ ninth inning homer was the difference Saturday, taking with it the hopes of a No.
Even after a career filled with memories and records etched in MSU baseball lore, Tony Bucciferro wanted to provide the fans and his teammates with something to remember him by in his final start at McLane Baseball Stadium at Old College Field. Unfortunately, Jordan Steranka and Penn State had other ideas.
Senior pitcher Tony Bucciferro will be on the mound in game one for the Spartans (34-17 overall, 12-9 Big Ten) to set the tone against Penn State (27-24, 13-8), which is tied for second place in the Big Ten with Indiana and holds a one-game lead over MSU in the standings.
On a picturesque night with the Detroit skyline dimming in the background, the MSU baseball team got a taste of the big leagues as they downed Central Michigan, 5-2, in the second annual Clash at Comerica — played in the home of the Detroit Tigers, Comerica Park.
Led by a strong seven-inning effort by sophomore starter David Garner and a pair of home runs by freshman designated hitter Blaise Salter and junior catcher John Martinez, the Spartans (33-17 overall, 12-9 Big Ten) overpowered the Hawkeyes (20-26, 8-13) and took the game, 7-3, Sunday at McLane Baseball Stadium at Old College Field.
Despite another strong pitching performance — this time by junior pitcher Andrew Waszak — the Spartans (32-17 overall, 11-9 Big Ten) let a lead evaporate late in the game and fell 2-1 to the Hawkeyes (20-25, 8-12) Saturday at McLane Baseball Stadium at Old College Field.
Despite hitting four batters in the game — including three in one inning — senior pitcher Tony Bucciferro scattered five hits and struck out nine batters in a complete game shutout effort to lead the Spartans (32-16 overall, 11-8 Big Ten) over Iowa (19-25, 7-12), 6-0, Friday at McLane Baseball Stadium at Old College Field.
The MSU baseball team continued to honor a season-long commitment made to itself of approaching midweek contests with the same intensity and focus of critical weekend games with Wednesday’s 7-2 victory against Toledo at McLane Baseball Stadium at Old College Field. The win came on the heels of another midweek matchup with a Mid-American Conference foe the day before when the Spartans (31-16 overall, 10-8 Big Ten) defeated Western Michigan on the road, 15-7. “We put a priority on that in the beginning of the year,“ head coach Jake Boss Jr.
David Garner would not let the MSU baseball team go down without a fight. After dropping the first two of the weekend series to No. 13 Purdue, the sophomore pitcher from Niles, Mich. rose to the occasion by striking out seven in a complete game shutout on Sunday to give the Spartans a 5-0 victory against the Boilermakers.
Looking to repeat as Big Ten champions this season, MSU baseball head coach Jake Boss Jr. knew he would be relying on a relatively youthful roster to do so. With four incoming freshman turning down opportunities to play professionally, many of the young Spartans have been expected to contribute since day one, and they have done just that all year. As the regular season enters its final month now, those freshmen and other young players will be called on and asked to do more and more.
On a blustery Sunday afternoon at McLane Baseball Stadium at Old College Field, the third time truly was a charm for the MSU baseball team. In a close game with Minnesota, the Spartans loaded the bases with no outs in both the seventh and eighth innings, only to come out of each situation with no runs to show for their efforts. When the game went into extra innings tied at four, freshman right fielder Jimmy Pickens tripled to left-center field, and two straight singles later, the bases were loaded with no outs again.
Coming into the series with Minnesota, the MSU baseball team turned the momentum of hot bats into a four-game winning streak.
In game one of a Saturday double-header at McLane Baseball Stadium, the MSU baseball team beat Minnesota 3-1 in 11 innings on a bases loaded, walk-off walk. With one out and the game tied at two in the bottom of the 11th, freshman right fielder Jimmy Pickens reached first on a fielder’s choice.
After a slow start on offense that carried up to the midway point in the season, it appears the MSU baseball team is starting to turn the corner. The Spartans (24-12 overall, 5-4 Big Ten) erupted for 44 runs within their last three games against Indiana, Western Michigan and Central Michigan, and they have gotten consistent offense at the top of the order for the first time this season.