Spartans Drop Chippewas, 5-2, in Clash at Comerica

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier 

The Spartans beat the Central Michigan Chippewas in the second annual "Clash at Comerica," 5-2, completing the series sweep for the season. With the win the Spartans have won all three meetings with Central Michigan this season and extend their streak against the Chippewas to five. The loss also snapped Central Michigan's 10-game win streak.

It was Michigan State's second win in the "Clash at Comerica," having beat the Chippewas 3-1 last season in the inaugural game of the series in Detroit.

Freshman pitcher Mick VanVossen improved to 4-0 on the season, allowing just two runs on five hits in his seven innings pitched. Central Michigan struck early, getting a run in the first inning off VanVossen who then shut them down, recording 10 straight batters and 13 of 14 following the early run.

Michigan State pulled ahead in the second inning when sophomore catcher Joel Fisher launched his first collegiate home run over the left field fence for a two run shot. The homer cleared the bullpens in left and landed in the seats beyond.

In the third Justin Scanlon lead off the inning with a triple and was able to scamper home after an attempted pick-off throw by Chippewa pitcher Rick Dodridge sailed on the third baseman. John Martinez tacked on another run for the Spartans later in the inning when he singled home Torsten Boss.

To lead off the fourth inning Anthony Cheky drew a walk before stealing second base. When the Chippewas catcher Tyler Huntley overthrew second base attempting to catch Cheky stealing and the ball sailed into center field, Cheky was able to advance to third base. Scanlon then singled home Cheky to make the score 5-1.

Things got interesting in the sixth when Central Michigan's Nate Theunissen tried to score from first base on a double to left field by Sam Russell. As Theunissen rounded third and headed for the plate, the Spartans were executing a perfect relay play. Left fielder Jordan Keur grabbed the ball in the outfield and fired it into the cutoff man, shortstop Scanlon, who then was able to gun Theunissen out with a perfect throw to catcher Fisher. 

Central Michigan was able to get to VanVossen for the second time in the game in the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run to right field. VanVossen would finish out the seventh before turning the ball over to the bullpen to close out the game.

Jeff Kinley was called on in the eighth inning to continue his hot streak - and he did, throwing a scoreless eighth. Head Coach Jake Boss, Jr. then turned to his closer Tony Wieber in the ninth. Wieber, the Spartans all-time saves leader, earned his eighth save of the season, tying a career high for a season.

Spartans Score 8 In First En Route to 10-5 Victory over Buckeyes

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier
 
The Spartans took the rubber game of their series with Ohio State on Monday with an eight-run first inning en route to a 10-5 victory. Michigan State's victory was their 13th in their last 15 and seventh of eight at McLane Baseball Stadium this season.

Monday's game was the opposite of the first two of the series which were pitchers duels, on Monday the two teams racked up 11 runs and eight hits. Ohio State got out in front of the Spartans early with a three run first inning before Michigan State answered with eight of their own in the bottom of the first.

During their eight-run first the Spartans sent 12 men to the plate, racked up five hits and knocked Buckeye starter Brett McKinney out of the game. Tony Wieber lead the rally in the first when he sent a single up the middle that scored two.

With two runners in and Wieber on base Joel Fisher hit a frozen rope down the left field line that scored Wieber to tie the game at three. Ryan Krill then hit a sacrifice fly to center field that plated Fisher before Ryan Jones got his second hit of the inning that scored another two runs.With the hit Jones knocked McKinney out of the game.

Ohio State turned to John Kuchno in relief - his first batter was Jordan Keur, who promptly sent a double down the left field line to bring home another two runs to increase the Spartans lead to 8-3.

On the mound for the Spartans was Mike Theodore, who despite being knocked around in the first, bounced back allowing one run in the second before retiring nine consecutive batters. However, he was unable to get out of the fifth inning. Coach Jake Boss, Jr. took the ball from Theodore after 4.2 innings and handed it off to Jeff Kinley with the bases loaded and two outs.

Kinley proved the trust his coach had in him was well placed by getting out of the bases loaded jam with a flyout and providing the Spartans with 4.1 innings of scoreless, two hit work. During his time on the mound Kinley recorded a career-high six strikeouts and earned his fourth win of the season. Kinley has been on high of late, not allowing an earned run in his last four appearances.

In the bottom of the eighth Torsten Boss launched a one-out triple before being plated on a Wieber double to extend the Spartans lead to 10-5. The victory gives the Spartans their first series win over Ohio State since 2007. 

Tony Wieber Drives Home Winner and Sets Record as Spartans Top Buckeyes, 2-1

Sean Gagnier / Gang Green

By Sean Gagnier
@SeanGagnier 

The Spartans topped the Buckeyes 2-1 in a pitchers duel at McLane Baseball Stadium on Sunday with Tony Wieber delivering the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh and then setting the Michigan State all-time saves record in the ninth.

Andrew Waszak took the mound for the Spartans against the Buckeyes and tossed eight innings of two hit ball. He allowed just one run and was credited with his third win of the season to push his record to 3-1.

The only run that Waszak allowed in the game came in the second when Ohio State's David Corna drove a ball to right field for a double before being sacrificed to third and coming home on a groundout tying the game at one. Not only was the second the only time the Buckeyes would score it was the only inning in which they would get a hit. Despite Waszak allowing three more baserunners to reach, on walks, they failed to come home and one was even picked off first.

Michigan State took the lead early with Ryan Jones leading off the first with a single before stealing second and moving to third on a groundout. Joel Fisher brought him home with a two-out single to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead at the time.

The Spartans racked up nine hits on Buckeye pitching, even getting runners on first and third in the sixth before an attempted squeeze play cut Fisher down at the plate.

In the seventh the Spartans got to Ohio State starter Brian King for their second run of the game when Jones hit a leadoff single to left. King then attempted to pick Jones off first but short armed the ball which sailed over the first baseman and into the open bullpen. By the time the Buckeyes got the ball back to the infield Jones had advanced to third.

The next two Spartans grounded out leaving Jones on third with two outs, then Wieber came to the plate and laced a hit through the shortstop-third base hole to score Jones and give Michigan State the 2-1 lead.

Starter Waszak threw another inning before handing the ball over to Spartan closer Wieber for a chance to break the all-time Michigan State saves record. Wieber did just that, his first batter flew out to left. Then he got the next to pop up to the catcher, Fisher, who was unable to hold onto the ball. He then hit the batter but erased his mistake with a 1-6-3 double play to close the game.

The save was Wieber's 15th of his career and sixth of the 2012 season. He passed Brad Lamont's previous school record of 14 saves set from 1987-90.  

Spartans Win Seventh Straight, Beat Bowling Green

From MSU Baseball Facebook Page

By Sean Gagnier

@SeanGagnier

The Spartans racked up their seventh consecutive victory on Tuesday afternoon when they beat up on the Bowling Green Falcons 13-3. Michigan State piled up 16 hits off Falcons pitching including four from Jordan Keur.

David Garner took the mound for the Spartans but only lasted three innings despite fanning a season high seven batters. In his three innings Garner surrendered just four hits and gave up one unearned run to Bowling Green.

The Falcons jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the 1st before the Spartans went on to score nine unanswered through six innings. Blaise Salter earned his first collegiate RBI in the 2nd that scored Joel Fisher.

Junior Trey Popp came in as relief of Garner in the fourth inning and gave the Spartans three more innings. Popp fanned three and gave up just one hit in his three scoreless innings of work.

The Falcons cut into the lead by scoring two in the seventh to make the score 9-3 but the Spartans tacked on four additional runs in the bottom of the seventh to extend their lead to 13-3. With the win the Spartans have won 10 of their last 11 games.

Michigan State takes on Central Michigan today at 3:05 p.m. with Mick VanVossen making his first collegiate start for the Spartans.

Spartans Score Four In the 15th To Beat Seton Hall

The Spartans took on the Seton Hall Pirates on Saturday in the second game of the Snowbird Classic. In a game that went 15 innings and lasted six hours the only action in the game came in the 15th - when all seven runs of the game were scored.

Andrew Waszak started the game for the Spartans and threw 105 pitches in nine innings of work while refusing the Pirates any runs on the seven hits they got off him. Waszak dueled Pirates pitcher, Rick Mangione, who threw 6.1 innings and struck out eight while not allowing a run.

It was the Spartans relief pitching that lead to the necessity of a four-run 15th, when Seton Hall was able to plate three runs to take the lead going into the bottom of the inning.

Jeff Kinley pitched 2.2 innings for the Spartans and gave up three runs on five hits while failing to strike out a batter. Seton Hall got to Kinley in the 15th when they manufactured three runs utilizing sacrifice bunts and capitalized on a pair of Kinley wild pitches.

In the bottom of the 15th the Spartans knew they had to score at least three to keep the game going, but they did better than that. On the back of several walks by Pirates pitching and a few clutch hits the Spartans were able to tie the game at three before an Anthony Cheky single to right drove in the winning run.

Ryan Jones lead off the 15th with a single before a Jimmy Pickens walk pushed him to second base. Justin Scanlon then drew a walk off Josh Prevost who Seton Hall brought in to stymy to rally. With the bases loaded and no outs John Martinez drew another walk from the Pirates pitching which forced home Jones. After an Andy Johnson strike out, Andrew Carpenter singled to right field which scored Pickens and Scanlon. On the Carpenter single Martinez advanced to third where he was driven home on a Cheky single to right. 

Joel Fisher, the Spartans catcher, tweeted after the game, "If we are going to be there for a 6 hour game might as well win."

The win is the third straight for Michigan State who will play Pittsburgh to close out the Snowbird Classic at 11 a.m. on Sunday. The Spartans have gone 3-3 in their Spring Break road trip as of Sunday.