Spartans Take Weekend Series Against Illinois

Sean Gagnier / Gang Green

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier 

The Spartans traveled to Illinois to take on the Fighting Illini this weekend and took two of three games from them; winning the first two contests before dropping the final game on Sunday. During the weekend, freshman Jimmy Pickens had a career series and earned himself conference honors.

Friday

Illinois pitching didn't stand a chance as the Spartans blasted 17 hits for 15 runs, recording eight of those runs against Illini starter Kevin Johnson in his 4.2 innings. Johnson, who had been tied for second in the Big Ten with seven wins, turned in a line that included eight allowed runs, seven earned runs on eight hits.

Spartan starter Tony Bucciferro stayed on the mound for 6.1 innings while giving up four runs on five hits and fanning five. He was tagged with the victory on the day, his fourth of the season and 24th of his career.

Pickens had a career day, going 3-for-5 with 6 RBI, a team and personal high. Highlights of Pickens' day were his two run double in the fifth and his bases-clearing triple in the sixth. Pickens' other RBI came on a single in the fourth that plated a runner.

After scoring four times in the fifth and five times in the sixth the Spartans held a ten-run, 13-3, lead over the Illini. Jared Hook would add another run on a solo home run in the seventh and Ryan Krill singled in the 15th run in the ninth inning.

Saturday

Yet another game went into extras and yet another time the Spartans came out on top - Michigan State improved its record to 7-1 in extra innings by beating the Illini 6-5 on Saturday. The victory secured the Spartans their first series win at Illinois since 2003.

Andrew Waszak tied a season high five strikeouts during his six innings of work; while on the mound he allowed eight hits and five runs, including a three-run home run in the first inning. Waszak calmed down after his shaky first inning and didn't allow another run until the fifth when the Illini scored two more to tie the game at five.

Jeff Kinley entered the game in the seventh in relief of Waszak and continued his dominance of late. Kinley threw 3.2 innings of shutout ball, adding to his scoreless streak that now sits at 26 innings. He was credited with the win, giving him a team-leading six victories on the season.

With the teams tied at five in the 10th, Jordan Keur drew a walk with one out. He then was able to get himself in scoring position by stealing second. Krill then hit a grounder to first base, but due to a bobble Keur was able to come around and score.

With Michigan State up 6-5, Kinley returned to the mound but didn't quite have it any more. An Illinois base-runner was able to get to second base on a two-base error by Pickens with one out. After fanning the next batter and walking the following one, Head Coach Jake Boss, Jr. turned to his closer Tony Wieber.

Runners on first and third and two outs, Wieber recorded his seventh save by getting the batter to pop out and close out the win for the Spartans.

Sunday

Michigan State wasn't able to complete the sweep over Illinois on Sunday, losing to the Illini, 8-6. The Spartans never led in the contest, but were able to tie things up three different times.

The see-saw match began when Illinois plated a run in the bottom of the second ahead of a Ryan Jones solo home run in the top of the third to tie the game at one. Illinois regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning by scoring an unearned run, but Pickens homered in the top of the fourth to tie the game at two all.

In the bottom of the fourth the Illini scored three more and racked up two more hits in the fifth before Spartan starter David Garner was pulled. Bryce Jenney came in as relief for Garner but allowed a sac-fly to extend the Illini lead to 6-2.

But three runs in the sixth and one in the seventh by the Spartans tied things at six. It was a three-run shot by John Martinez in the sixth that allowed the Spartans to get back into the game. Torsten Boss was able to cross the plate in the seventh after drawing a walk and eventually scoring on a wild pitch.

Jenney allowed a lead off single in the seventh before being relieved by Trey Popp. Popp allowed a sac-bunt, walked a batter and then gave up a single, loading the bases before being given the hook. Wieber was brought in to stop the Illinois rally but hit the first batter he faced. A sac-fly would tack on another run, giving the Illini their final 8-6 lead.

Big Ten Honors for Pickens

Pickens was named Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week on Monday for his performance in the weekend series against Illinois. He went .500 in the series (6-for-12), racked up seven RBI, scored four times and hit his sixth homer of the season.

Comedy in the locker room

The Spartans aren't all business, take this picture from catcher Joel Fisher. It shows him and fellow backstop Blaise Salter engaged in what Fisher referred to as "locker room chicken."

@J_Fish32 / Twitter

Spartans Baseball Take Two of Three Against Minnesota

MSU Baseball

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier
 
After a rain soaked Friday forced a double header on Saturday the Spartans and Golden Gophers of Minnesota split the twin billing with Michigan State winning on a walk-off in game one before having their five game winning streak snapped in game two. On Sunday, the Spartans shook off their loss and beat the Gophers in the 10th inning on a Torsten Boss walk-off allowing the Spartans to win two out of three games on the weekend.

Saturday - Double Header

The first game of the double header featured some of the best pitchers, starting and relievers, in the Big Ten. Michigan State had Tony Bucciferro on the mound going against Minnesota's TJ Oakes. Oakes entered the game ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten in ERA, IP and wins.

Minnesota struck first in the game when they strung together three hits in the first inning and were able to plate a runner, but the Spartans Jordan Keur tied things up in the bottom of the third inning with an RBI single.

Michigan State got to Oakes in the fifth with two outs when Ryan Jones singled to center field and was able to scamper around the bases and score on a Boss double to left field. After a shaky first inning, Bucciferro was able to toss four scoreless innings for the Spartans, allowing them to get out to a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning.

The Gophers tied the game at two in the sixth when catcher Matt Halloran singled in a run. Minnesota was able to chase Bucciferro from the game in the seventh when they loaded the bases with two outs. Spartans coach Jake Boss, Jr. gave the ball to Jeff Kinley to get his team out of the jam. Kinley did his job and got the next batter to ground out to end the inning.

Oakes also left after throwing 6.2 innings; he left runners on first and second with two outs for his reliever who was able to get Boss to pop out to end the threat.

Kinley and Gophers reliever Tom Windle both continued the pitchers duel into the 11th inning when Joel Fisher singled with two outs to put Spartans on first and third. Minnesota turned to their closer Kevin Kray to stop the rally but he walked Jones, loading the bases. Then Boss was able to draw a five pitch walk that forced in the game winning run.

The win was the Spartans third walk-off of the season, the fifth win of the season for Kinley and expanded Michigan State's extra innings record to 5-0.

Game two did not go the Spartans way. Michigan State, looking for their sixth win in a row, jumped out to a early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Ryan Krill, continued to shine in his freshman season when he drove in an RBI in the first with a ground out. The Spartans struggled to bring runners home in the early innings, leaving four runners on in the first two innings.

Krill's RBI would be the only run the Spartans would get until in the late game as they struggled to get anything going against Minnesota's DJ Snelton. The Gophers would bounce back in the second inning and plate two runners before adding two more in the fifth to take a 4-1 lead.

After a shaky first two innings Snelton settled in and faced the minimum through the next four innings. In the seventh the Spartans were able to scratch across another run when Jimmy Pickens was able to ground out to the right side of the infield.

Snelton completed the game, his first of the season, while throwing 121 pitches, allowing seven hits and fanning three. His counterpart, Andrew Waszak allowed just four runs through 5.2 innings, but his offense wasn't able to bail him out and he suffered his third loss of the season, making his record 4-3.

Sunday

In another extra innings game, the Spartans counted on Torsten Boss once again as he drove in the winning run on an RBI single to lift Michigan State over Minnesota in the rubber match of the series by a score of 5-4.

Extra innings have been good to the Spartans this year, with Sunday's victory being the fourth walk-off win of the season and second of the series for the Spartans. Michigan State's bats were hot on Sunday, racking up 15 hits, lead by Jordan Keur who matched a career high four hits on the day.

Minnesota scored twice in the eighth to tie the game at four, then Michigan State loaded the bases with no outs for the second straight inning, but came up short in both instances. Jimmy Pickens attempted to break the tie with two outs in the eighth when he made a break for the plate on a fly ball to center, but Gopher's center fielder Jake Bergren cut him down at the plate to end the inning.

In the 10th inning the Spartans once again filled the bases with no one out when Pickens launched a deep hit to right-center field, but as he was rounding first base he ran into Gophers first baseman Dan Olinger. The collision with Olinger sent Pickens stumbling but he was able to round second base and dig for third where he was thrown out. The umpires called Olinger for interference however, and awarded Pickens third base on the play.

Joel Fisher hit a hard liner between the shortstop and third baseman, but Gophers SS Matt Puhl was able to knock it down before it got out of the infield and held Pickens at third while Fisher reached first on the infield hit. In the next at bat, Ryan Jones was able to hit a pop up that dropped just in front of the Minnesota left fielder; it allowed Fisher to advance to second and Jones to reach first but was not deep enough to score Pickens.

With the bases loaded and no outs Boss stepped to the plate. He had worked a five pitch walk to score the game-winning run in the first game of the double header on Saturday and now he looked to do the same. On the first pitch Boss saw he connected with it and drove it to left-center field to score Pickens and give Michigan State the 5-4 win.

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.

Bucciferro Shines as Spartans Down Bearcats 4-3

Photo from Michigan State Baseball Facebook Page

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier
 
It may have taken a career game by Tony Bucciferro but the Spartans went into Cincinnati and beat the Bearcats 4-3 on Friday. Bucciferro, the Spartans right-handed ace, fanned a career-high 10 batters while pitching his way to his 23rd career victory.

With the win, Bucciferro (3-1) moves into a tie for fourth in all-time wins for Michigan State with Larry Ike and Brian Wolcott. His 10 strikeouts also pushes Bucciferro over 200 for his career, becoming only the third Spartan to accomplish such a feat.

The Spartans scored first off a Torsten Boss sacrifice fly in the first to score Andrew Cheky. Bucciferro then surrendered two runs in the bottom of the inning giving Cincinnati a 2-1 lead going into the 2nd inning.

The two runs would be the only the Bearcats would get off Bucciferro who had a highlight reel game, retiring 10 consecutive Cincinnati batters at one point.

Michigan State would knot the game at two in the fourth when a Ryan Krill single allowed Jimmy Pickens to reach the plate. The Spartans would then jump out the the lead in the sixth when Pickens again reached the plate, this time off the bat of John Martinez.

Boss then added one more to the Spartans tally in the seventh when he knocked home Jordan Keur on a double. Bucciferro would give up the ball in the eighth and was relieved by Trey Popp who then promptly gave up three hits to his first four batters, including a leadoff home run in the inning that cut into the Spartans lead, 4-3.

Head Coach Jake Boss Jr. called on Saturday's starter, David Garner, who came into the eighth with his team up one and runners on second and third with just one out. Garner then fanned his first batter before walking the bases loaded and getting the final out of the inning on a looking strikeout.

Coach Boss then gave the ball to his closer, Tony Wieber, in the ninth and he made short work of the Bearcats. Wieber fanned all three batters in the ninth and picked up his fourth save of the season and 13th of his career.

His 13 saves puts Wieber one save away from a tie with Brad Lamont for the Michigan State record. Including Wieber's three and Bucciferro's 10, Spartan pitchers recorded 15 strikeouts on Friday.
 

Spartans Rally Pushes Them Past Xavier

Photo from MSU Baseball Facebook Page

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier

The Spartans headed to Port Charlotte, Fla. to compete in the Snowbird Classic and their first opponent was Xavier. Michigan State rallied for the lead in the bottom of the seventh to claim a 6-5 lead after scoring three runs in the inning. They would go on to add two more runs in the eighth to bring the final to 8-5.

In the seventh the Spartans did their damage with two outs, striking for three straight hits to rally for three runs. Anthony Cheky made his second collegiate start in center field and started the seventh inning rally with a single before stealing second, his second swipe of the game. Torsten Boss then drove home Cheky on an RBI double before Ryan Jones singled in Boss, tying the game at five.

A Jimmy Pickens double down the right field line scored Jones before he was caught in a run-down to end the inning. Ryan Krill started the Spartans off in the eighth when he drove a double to the right center field wall that scored Justin Scanlon before he himself came to the plate on a balk and an error in the field.

Spartans starter Tony Bucciferro had an uncharacteristically poor outing, being charged with all five Xavier runs while surrendering seven hits, walking two and fanning four during his 6.2 innings on the mound. Bryce Jenney came on in relief of Bucciferro and although he allowed one of the runners he inherited from Bucciferro to score he threw a scoreless eighth and picked up his first win as a Spartan. 

Tony Wieber came on to throw his usual ninth inning and sat Xavier down in order to record his third save of the season. His 12 career saves now places his second all time for the Spartans with Mike Ericson and Domanick Squires.

The key to the Spartans recent wins and their ability to hang with the top teams in the country is that Coach Jake Boss Jr. has them running the base paths - the Spartans have stolen eight bases in the last two games, three from Cheky who is making a name for himself in his first two collegiate starts.

Spartans Drop Final Game to Aggies

Photo from MSU Baseball Facebook Page

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier

They jumped out to an early lead but the Spartans were unable to hold off the hard charging Aggies who came back and beat them 9-8 on Sunday. Michigan State was able to strike for 10 hits and left six runners on base but couldn't get over the hump and allowed Texas A&M to get back into the game and ultimately win.

Things started out going the Spartans way in the first inning, with Jordan Keur reaching on a fielding error and Justin Scanlon reaching right after him after a catcher interference call. With two runners on Torsten Boss singled to right which scored an unearned run in Keur. Ryan Jones hit a fly ball to left that allowed Scanlon to score from 3B. With one out and in a 2-1 count Jimmy Pickens hit one over the fence bringing Boss with him on his home run trot. Michigan State then grounded into two straight outs to end the inning.

It was just what Coach Jake Boss Jr. had wanted his team to do, take advantage of the miscues that the Aggies gave them and get runners home. In the first the Spartans were able to plate four runners on two hits and three errors.

TAMU was able to claw back into the game in the second off two throwing errors by 3B Andrew Carpenter. With two runners on base due to throwing errors and a walk the Aggies had the bases loaded and were able to get a run across after Spartans starter Mike Theodore hit an Aggies batter.

Texas A&M was able to cut the lead in half in the fourth inning when a throwing error by 1B Ryan Krill allowed the Aggies to make the score 4-2. TAMU was able to take a 5-4 lead in the sixth when a pair of singles by Jacob House and Brandon Wood scored three.

The Spartans imploded in the seventh, allowing four more runs when a walk, stolen base and a balk moved runners to second and third base. After a two RBI triple chased Bryce Jenney, Trey Popp took the ball and promptly surrendered another RBI triple and an RBI single to drive the score to 9-4 in favor of the Aggies.

In the eighth Michigan State mounted a rally driven by Jared Hook RBI double and a Krill 2 RBI home run. With the score now at 9-7 the Spartans turned to their closer Tony Wieber in the bottom of the eighth and struck out two of the four batters that inning. In the ninth Keur singled to left before being moved up by a Boss single and was able to score on a Jones single. Pickens then flew out to center field.

Spartans starter Mike Theodore performed well during his 4.1 innings of work, surrendering just three hits while giving up two runs, neither of which were earned. While he did strike out two of the 23 batters he faced, he struggled with command and hit two batters with a pitch. His replacement Jeff Kinley did not fare well in his 1.1 innings as he surrendered three earned runs on three hits while hitting one batter.

The bullpen is where Michigan State lost on Sunday as Jenney, who was brought in as relief for Kinley, gave up three earned runs on two hits in just 0.2 innings of work. Popp then relinquished another run on two hits in his 0.2 innings before Wieber was able to shut down the Aggies in his one inning of work, giving up just one hit.

Michigan State was able to take early advantage of some Aggies miscues but could not keep it up against the No. 5 Aggies who were just too much for them to handle. The Spartans (4-6) head to Waco, Tex. on March 7 to take on the Baylor Bears.

Errors Cost Spartans Series Opener Against Aggies

From MSU Athletics Department

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier

Michigan State headed down to College Station, Tex. to take on the No. 5 Texas A&M Aggies in the biggest series of the young baseball season but errors cost the Spartans the game as they lost 7-3 in front of 5,236 onlookers.

The Spartans were able to get to Aggies starter Michael Wacha, who had surrendered just three hits in his previous two starts. Jordan Keur, Torsten Boss, Ryan Jones and Ryan Krill each struck for two hits as the Spartans combined for 12 hits Friday night. Michigan State, now 4-4, left 10 runners on base, seven of whom were in scoring position against the Aggies, something that Coach Jake Boss Jr. called "frustrating."

Wacha gave up the first run, giving up a lead-of home run to Boss, his second of the season. But A&M came right back and plated two runs in the third inning and three in the fourth to gain a 5-1 lead - they never looked back. Spartans starter Tony Bucciferro didn't have the benefit of solid defense behind him during the third and fourth as his defenders committed three errors.

In Wacha's seven innings of work he fanned seven Spartans while surrendering a season-high eight hits and two runs. His counterpart, Bucciferro, didn't fair as well as he was on the mound for six innings, surrendering five runs, all earned, on 10 hits while striking out five Aggies.

Jimmy Pickens singled in the Spartans second run in the eighth inning to bring the score to 6-2 after the Aggies plated their sixth the half-inning before. A&M reliever Estevan Uriegas pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the eighth by striking out Andy Johnson on three straight pitches.

Texas A&M would go on to add another run in the bottom of the eighth to extend the lead to 7-2. In the ninth the Spartans recorded three straight singles from Krill, pinch-hitter Blaise Slater and Keur loading the bases before Boss hit into a double play bringing the score to 7-3. Pickens then grounded out to end the game.