Spartans Top Wolverines 10-8 in 13 Innings

MSU Athletics

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier

It took 13 innings on Sunday but the Spartans topped the Wolverines in the final game of the season series by a score of 10-8. With the win Michigan State remained perfect in games that extended into extra innings, improving their record to 4-0 in games longer than nine innings.

The winning run came around in the top of the 13th when Jimmy Pickens hit an RBI double to right-center to bring home Justin Scanlon. Pickens then himself scored off an RBI single by John Martinez to center to give the Spartans the 10-8 advantage.

Michigan State headed to Ann Arbor on Sunday trying to avoid being swept by their rivals after having dropped games the previous two days in Ann Arbor and East Lansing.

With Michigan State down 8-7 and one out Justin Scanlon singled and advanced to second when Pickens was hit by a pitch. Jared Hook walked to load the bases with two outs and Jordan Keur came to the plate. He too was struck by a pitch that forced in Scanlon to tie the game. The Spartans were unable to capitalize any further on the loaded bases in the inning.

Tony Wieber was once again the story for the Spartans, giving his team 3.2 innings of scoreless ball leading to his first win of the season. He was handed the ball in the 10th and stranded a Wolverine runner at second base. Wieber did not allow a run during his time on the mound, but did allow Michigan to get at least one baserunner on in each of the innings he threw.

Wind played a major factor in the game on Sunday, with gusts effecting play all day. Michigan State benefited from the environmental factors in the 13th when a pop fly to second base by Scanlon, but the gusts pushed the ball out of the reach of Michigan 2B Kevin Krantz and allowed Scanlon to reach second base.

Pickens then put a charge into the first pitch he saw and scored Scanlon with a double. Martinez then singled Pickens in to give the Spartans an insurance run, extending the lead to 10-8 heading into the bottom of the 13th.

The four and a half hour game finally ended when Wieber got the Wolverines out in the bottom of the 13th. Michigan State's next game is Tuesday against Notre Dame at McLane Baseball Stadium in East Lansing at 3:05 p.m.

Spartans Fall 4-3 To Michigan In Front of Record Crowd

MSU Athletics

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier 

Michigan State continued to struggle with runners on base for the second straight day, falling 4-3 to Michigan, in front of a McLane Baseball Stadium record 2,734 crowd, despite amassing 13 hits and leaving 10 runners on base. The loss dropped the Spartans record to 18-10, 2-3 in the Big Ten.

Five Spartans collected two hits apiece, but despite the efforts of Jordan Keur, Torsten Boss, Justin Scanlon, Blaise Salter and Anthony Cheky the Spartans couldn't hold onto an early lead.

Salter used his two hits to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead after four innings with his RBI singles in the second and fourth. The lead was short lived as Michigan tied things up in the fifth off a Dylan Delaney two-run single to center.

With things knotted at two, the Spartans regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth by capitalizing on two errors by the Wolverines. Keur singled to left to lead off the inning. Then on a wild pitch by Michigan starter Trent Szkutnik he advanced to second base, but the Wolverines catcher, Cole Martin, overthrew the bag and the ball landed in center field. Keur took advantage of this to advance 90 more feet to third base. Center fielder Patrick Biondi grabbed the overthrown ball and attempted to cut down Keur at third, he however, missed the bag which allowed Keur to cover the last 90 feet to give the Spartans a 3-2 lead.

The lead was not to be however, as the Wolverines tied and then passed the Spartans in the top of the sixth inning. Martin redeemed himself with an RBI groundout that tied the game at three. Then a John DiLaura single chased Spartan starter Andrew Waszak from the game leaving runners on first and third with two outs.

Spartans coach Jake Boss, Jr. turned to his beast in the bullpen, Jeff Kinley, who had not allowed a run in his previous four outings. Kinley was unable to keep that streak alive as he allowed a hit to pinch hitter Kevin Krantz that put the Wolverines ahead 4-3.

Despite giving up the run in the sixth Kinley gave Michigan State 3.1 innings of solid work, allowing just two more hits and striking out three batters. Waszak was charged with all four runs and the loss on Saturday. He was only able to stay on the mound for 5.2 innings while surrendering eight hits, walking one and striking out four.

Michigan State threatened but did not score in the bottom of the sixth after a leadoff single by Scanlon chased Szkutnik from the mound. The Wolverines handed the ball to Alex Lakatos who was able to wipe the runner from the diamond with a double play. However, he got himself into another jam when he walked Ryan Krill and then giving up a frozen rope to Cheky which reached the right field gap, but a late jump by Krill allowed him to be cut down at home to end the inning.

Like their game on Friday, the Spartans struggled with men on base, managing to get runners on base in the final three innings but failing to get any of them around to score. Michigan State left runners on base in seven innings on Saturday.

The Spartans once again threatened in the eighth when Jimmy Pickens singled and was able to advance to second off a wild pick off toss. A groundout moved him to third base but a popout to second base ended the threat by Michigan State.

Michigan State was able to get Boss on base with two outs in the ninth, but pinch hitter Jared Hook struck out to end the Spartans threat and the game. 

Wolverines Drop Spartans 4-0 in Ann Arbor

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By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier 

Michigan's Brandon Sinnery proved to be too much for the Spartans as he tossed 8.1 scoreless innings in the Wolverines 4-0 victory of the series opener with Michigan State in Ann Arbor on Friday night.

Michigan State has ace Tony Bucciferro on the mound and, as always, he gave them a good outing, throwing 7.2 innings while striking out seven. The loss was reminiscent of Bucciferro's first Big Ten outing this season against Ohio State. During his two starts against the Buckeyes and Wolverines Bucciferro has allowed just four runs but has not received any run support of his own.

The Wolverines had their own ace on the mound in Sinnery, who turned in a stellar performance. He was eventually relieved from the mound, but only after throwing 127 pitches in 8.1 innings of scoreless ball while fanning five, walking just one and scattering nine hits.

UM shortstop Dylan Delaney gave the Wolverines all the runs they would need in the first inning when he connected with a Bucciferro pitch in the bottom of the first and drove it over the left field wall for a solo home run.

Bucciferro held the score at 1-0 until Patrick Biondi launched a pitch over the right field wall for a home run and John Lorenz plated a runner with a single to left. Coley Crank drove a Bucciferro pitch down the left field line in the eighth for an RBI double, giving the Wolverines a 4-0 advantage.

Michigan State outhit Michigan nine to eight, but struggled with runners in scoring position, stranding nine men on base in the game and four in the eighth and ninth innings.

The Spartans threatened in the sixth inning when the top of the order clicked and combined for three straight singles to load the bases with two out. Michigan stymied the rally when Sinnery was able to get Tony Wieber to pop out to end the inning.

In the eighth the Spartans threatened once again, getting Jordan Keur and Torsten Boss on base on back to back singles. But with the runners on and two out the Spartans were unable to cash in on the scoring opportunity.

Michigan State gave one last effort with one out in the ninth when they loaded the bases. But a Jared Hook grounder that was turned for a double play ended the rally and the game for the Spartans.

The Michigan victory is their first in their last four opportunities, with the losing skid dating back to the 2010 season. The series shifts to McLane Baseball Stadium in East Lansing on Saturday before closing out back in Ann Arbor on Sunday.