Spartans Finish Big East Challenge with Loss but with Honors for Bucciferro

Photo from MSU Baseball Facebook Page

By Sean Gagnier

@SeanGagnier 

The Spartans dropped the final game of the Big Ten/Big East Challenge to No. 15 Louisville by a score of 7-6. The weekend wasn't a total loss for Michigan State, who took on the top three programs in the Big East and managed an 11-4 victory over No. 11 St. John's in the opening day of the tournament.

Michigan State scratched across an unearned run in the second before Louisville scored two off a home run but they quickly bounced back with a four run third to gain a 5-2 lead and chase Louisville starter Travis Tingle from the game. The Spartans had a big fourth, but it could have been much better for them as they had the bases loaded with no outs and failed to plate any more than four runners.

Louisville answered back in the bottom of the third scoring three times off starter David Garner who was replaced on the mound in the fourth by Trey Popp after the Cardinals scored again to give themselves a 6-5 advantage. Popp was unable to get a hold and the Cardinals singled home another run in the sixth to extend the lead to 7-5.

Garner's performance was vastly different than the previous two Spartan pitchers days - Garner lasted 3.2 innings, surrendering six runs on seven hits and fanning just four. Spartans starters Tony Bucciferro and Andrew Waszak posted impressive numbers in their outings going six innings with one hit and fanning six and seven innings with four hits and 3 K's respectively.

Michigan State was able to close the gap to 7-6 in the seventh after a bunt single and throwing error allowed Keur to reach second before advancing 90 feet on a flyout and scoring on a groundout to the right side of the infield. The Spartans were unable to get anything else going against the Cardinals closer, Derek Self who picked up his first save of the season.

The green and white don't have long to lick their wounds as they will be heading to Greenville, S.C. for the First Pitch Invitational from Feb. 24-26. The Spartans will face Miami-Ohio and Furman twice during the Invitational.

Bucciferro named Big Ten co-pitcher of the week

For his dominating performance in the Spartans opening game against St. John's senior Tony Bucciferro was named the Big Ten Co-Pitcher of the Week. In his start on Friday Bucciferro led the Spartans to an 11-4 win by retiring the first 13 batter he faced and allowing just one hit through his six innings of work.

Bucciferro managed to fan six Red Storm players while not surrendering a base-on-balls all day for his 21st career victory in the green and white. The win vaults him to sixth place in Spartan history, tied with Ron Perranoski.

This is Bucciferro's second time receiving this award, having earned the honor last April following his third complete game shutout for the Spartans in a game against Minnesota.

Spartan Baseball Opens Season in Big Ten/Big East Challenge

Photo from SpartanNation.com

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier 

Baseball season is already here for the Spartans who traveled down to Dunedin, Fla. to compete in the final year of the Big Ten-Big East Challenge. Michigan State drew a tough slate of opponents for the tournament facing off against No. 11 St. John's, South Florida, and No. 15 Louisville over the weekend.

RHP Tony Bucciferro becomes the Spartans ace this season and took the mound in the opener against St. John's, securing a victory on the power of his teammates bats. The team wasn't able to keep things rolling on Saturday when they fell late to South Flordia in a 2-1 loss.

Opening Day vs. No. 11 St. John's - Feb. 17

Michigan State never trailed on the day to St. John's and rode a six-run eight inning to claim an 11-4 victory. The Opening Day win is nothing new for Spartan Head Coach Jake Boss Jr. who extended his Opening Day record to 4-0 in green and white.

Bucciferro stepped up and showed why Coach Boss considers him the ace of the staff and why he was named co-captain by getting his 21st career victory and surrendering just one hit through six innings while sitting down his first 13 batters. On the day Bucciferro struck out six while walking just one.

The performance of his ace pitcher is exactly what Coach Boss wanted to see out of the gates as he is looking to fill the void left by Kurt Wunderlich. Wunderlich dominated the opposition and clearly established himself as the ace of the staff last season - something Coach Boss wanted to see from Bucciferro. If the senior can continue with the kind of stuff he displayed Friday, he will do Wunderlich justice.

Pre-season All American Torsten Boss played his first career game in center field on Friday, a move that didn't appear to phase him as he turned in a 3-for-5 performance with a home run in his first plate appearance and three RBI on the day. Boss had previously played third base the past two seasons but Coach Boss, no relation, said that he felt that Boss was too athletic for the hot corner and could do much more in center field.

The Spartans relief corps looked a bit shaky once Bucciferro left the game, allowing St. John's to creep back into the game, getting as close as 5-4 before closer Tony Wieber came in to shut down the rally. Following clutch RBI knocks in the eighth Wieber recorded his 10th career save, tied for fourth most in Michigan State history.

vs. South Florida - Feb. 18

The Spartans suffered their first loss of the season on a solo-home run by South Florida's Andrew Longely in the bottom of the ninth inning, handing MSU a 2-1 defeat. Longely's home run was just the coup-de-gras in the collapse - the Spartans led the Bulls 1-0 heading into the eighth but following an RBI double and Longely's homer the next inning green and white went home losers.

RHP Andrew Waszak dominated the Bulls through seven, holding them scoreless while surrendering just four hits, walking two and striking out three. The junior looks to solidify his spot in the rotation with a number of quality starts early in the season.

LHP Jeff Kinley relieved Waszak in the eighth and was hit around to some extent, allowing an RBI double with two outs in the eighth before surrendering the game-winning homer in the ninth. Kinley's performance wasn't all bad, the contact pitcher was able to strike out a batter and secure a ground-out before Longely's one-out walk-off homer in the ninth.

The only run the Spartans were able to plate came off the bat of junior Jordan Keur who singled in Joel Fisher in the 2nd. Keur's RBI wasn't the only scoring opportunity the Spartans had as they stranded seven runners, four of whom were in scoring position on the day.

Boss may have some competition this season as Keur is 5-for-7 over the Spartans first two games this season. The Spartans have RHP David Garner on the mound as they take on No. 15 Louisville on Feb. 19.