Friday, April 12
Piscataway, NJ
1 PM ET
Michigan State University
at
Rutgers
Photo by: Dale G. Young
Spartans Return To B1G Action, Head To Piscataway To Tangle With Scarlet Knights
4/11/2019 3:01:00 PM | Baseball
MSU continues four-game road stretch; Michigan State has won four of last six.
| MICHIGAN STATE (8-22, 0-5 B1G) at RUTGERS (10-19, 2-4 B1G)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â |Â Â | |
| Location | Bainton Field  ||  Piscataway, N.J.   //  Parking Registration Information |
| Weather | Fri - Hi / Low: 72°/ 58° || Sat - Hi / Low: 78°/ 54° || Fri - Hi / Low: 65°/ 57° |
| Game Notes | Michigan State | Rutgers |
| Social Media |   @statebaseball |    MichiganStateBaseball |    @statebaseballgogreen  |
| Game 1Â Â | Friday, April 12 - 1 p.m. ET |
| Probable Pitching Matchup | MSU: #30 RHP Mason Erla (SO) (1-5, 5.40 ERA) vs. RU: #41 LHP Harry Rutkowski (SO) (0-3, 3.26 ERA) |
| Coverage | Live Stats | Listen Live | Watch Live |
| Game 2 | Saturday, April 13 - 1 p.m. ET |
| Probable Pitching Matchup | MSU: #36 LHP Mitchell Tyranski (JR) (0-6, 6.15 ERA) vs. RU: #27 RHP Tommy Genuario (JR) (1-2, 3.26 ERA) |
| Coverage | Live Stats | Listen Live | Watch Live |
| Game 3 | Sunday, April 14 - 12 p.m. ET |
| Probable Pitching Matchup | MSU: #38 RHP Caleb Sleeman (JR) (2-1, 3.54 ERA) vs. RU: #16 LHP Tevin Murray (JR) (1-3, 4.32 ERA) |
| Coverage | Live Stats | Listen Live | Watch Live |
• Michigan State will continue its four-game road stretch and resume Big Ten Conference action by traveling to Piscataway, N.J. to tangle with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in a three-game weekend series Friday-Sunday, April 12-14 ... Friday's series opener is now a 1 p.m. ET start (moved up from a 2 p.m. original start time), followed by Saturday also with a 1 p.m. first pitch ... Sunday's series finale is slated for 12 p.m. ... Note: any schedule updates will be posted on MSUSpartans.com and on twitter @statebaseball.
• Fans can follow this weekend's MSU action through "Live Stats," "Listen Live" and "Watch Live" links found at MSUSpartans.com ... The three games against the Scarlet Knights will be video streamed on BTN2Go, and also carried on the Spartan Sports Network live audio stream, available exclusively at SpartanSportsNetwork.com and on the network's 24/7 app for mobile devices ... Broadcast veteran Scott Moore calls the action alongside former MSU manager/bullpen catcher David Greenberg in select games.
• This weekend are MSU's first games against a team from somewhere other than Michigan or Indiana in the last 10 games ... Since playing at Nebraska on March 24, the Spartans played five in a row against teams from Michigan, playing Western Michigan on March 27, then Michigan on March 29-30, then Western Michigan again on April 2 and Central Michigan on April 3, before playing four-straight against Indiana teams with a three-game series against Indiana State on April 5-7 and at Notre Dame on April 9.
• Michigan State has won three of its last four and four of its last six games ... Three of MSU's last four games have been decided by 1-run, winning 1-0 in 10 innings vs. Indiana State on April 5, losing 2-1 to ISU the next day, before winning, 3-2, at Notre Dame on April 10 ... MSU has three 1-run wins this season, playing in a total of four games decided by a run ... Last season the Spartans led the nation in percentage of 1-run games with a total of 30 in their 52-game season (57.7 percent).
• Michigan State baseball celebrated the first-ever night baseball game at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field in grand fashion with a suicide squeeze bunt 1-0 walk-off win over Indiana State in 10 innings ... Senior catcher Nic Lacayo perfectly executed a suicide squeeze bunt to drive in fellow senior, infielder Royce Ando with the winning run, sparking off a jubilant celebration as the Spartans stormed the field and dogpiled on the infield, and the newly installed lights flickered in celebration ... The MSU lights project was completed in early March and Friday was the Spartans' first game played under the lights in 135 years of Michigan State baseball, and MSU made it a memorable one with the thrilling victory.
• MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. has now been involved in all three Division I schools in the state of Michigan first night games, as he was an assistant at Eastern Michigan for their first night game in 2000 and an assistant at Michigan for their first night game in 2005, and now Friday night as head coach of Michigan State. With Friday's victory for MSU, Boss is now 3-0 in those first night games at a Michigan school.
• Michigan State leads the all-time series with Rutgers, 14-4, in a fairly short series history ... The Spartans have won eight of the last 10 in the series ... This weekend is MSU's first trip to Piscataway since 2015, when the Spartans swept the three games ... Last year's 6-0 victory for MSU in the series finale was the only shutout in the history of the series ... The win last season in the series finale on April 1, 2018, was MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr.'s 300th victory for MSU.
• Michigan State has 19 players on its 2019 roster from the state of Michigan, while Rutgers has 26 players from the state of New Jersey on its roster ... The Spartans do not have any players from New Jersey on their roster, nor do the Scarlet Knights have any players from Michigan.
• MSU's pitching staff limited Indiana State to just 11 hits in the three games, stymieing the Sycamore bats to the tune of a .122 batting average (11-of-90), only yielding two runs for a 0.64 ERA, while ringing up 21 strikeouts.
• In the last 12 games, the Spartan bullpen has 47 Ks (3.9 pg) in 46.0 IP, with a paltry .194 batting average against and a 2.35 ERA ... The MSU relievers have combined to not allow an earned run in the last four games, including all three of the ISU series and the Notre Dame game, as part of seven times during that 12-game spurt, while only yielding one earned run in two other games.
• Michigan State has a No. 23 overall strength of schedule ranking (No. 21 non-conference SOS), now tops in the Big Ten, overtaking Minnesota who is now at No. 26 ... MSU is the only team in the country to play the last two unbeaten teams in the country in NC State (29-4) and Arizona State (26-5).
Friday Night LightsÂ
Thanks in large part to an anonymous contribution of near $1.4 million from a Spartan alum, Michigan State University announced in January that lights were to be installed at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field and Secchia Stadium in preparation for the upcoming 2019 season. The lights project was completed in early March and last Friday was the Spartans' first game played under the lights in 135 years of MSU baseball.
The LED lights are identical to the lighting system currently at Spartan Stadium, home of Spartan football, and DeMartin Stadium, home of Spartan men and women's soccer, as well the Breslin Center, home of MSU men and women's basketball, Munn Ice Arena, home of Spartan hockey, and the Duffy Daugherty Indoor Practice Facility, utilized by MSU football and a majority of MSU athletics teams. Michigan State will be the first baseball and softball teams in the Big Ten Conference with this type of lighting system by Musco Lighting.
MSU baseball is slated to host a total of host nine games starting at 5 p.m. or later in 2019.
Home Staters
Michigan State has 19 players on its 2019 roster from the state of Michigan. Rutgers has 26 players from the state of New Jersey on its roster. The Spartans do not have any players from New Jersey on their roster, nor do the Scarlet Knights have any players from the state of Michigan.
Michigan State vs. Rutgers Series Breakdown
Overall: 14-4 / Home: 4-2 / Away: 3-0 / Neutral: 7-2 / Series Streak: MSU W1, 8-of-10
First Met: March 30, 1966 - Tallahasse, Fla. - MSU W, 7-6
Last Met: April 1, 2018 - East Lansing, Mich. - MSU W, 6-0
Last Met In Piscataway: April 19, 2015 - Piscataway, N.J. - MSU W, 6-2
Series Notes: MSU and Rutgers have a fairly short series history, with the Spartans leading the all-time series by a 14-4 margin ... The Spartans have won eight of the last 10 match-ups, as RU won last year's series, two games to one, snapping MSU's seven-game win streak in the series Rutgers joined the Big Ten in 2014 and this is just the fourth B1G series with the Spartans ... Michigan State is making its first trip to Piscataway since 2015, when the Spartans swept the three games by scores of 10-4, 15-7 and 6-2 ... MSU swept the series in 2016 in East Lansing with all three games being decided by three runs or fewer, including the last two being one-run ballgames, including the Spartans winning the series finale, 6-5, rallying after being down 5-0 ... Last season also in East Lansing, Rutgers won the first two games, 8-4 and 6-4, before the Spartans bounced back to win the finale, 6-0, in the lone shutout of the series.
Last Meeting - MSU 6, RU 0 - East Lansing, Mich. - April 1, 2018
Michigan State baseball head coach Jake Boss Jr. earned his 300th victory for MSU with the Spartans' 6-0 win over Rutgers on April 1, 2018. The Spartan head coach picked up his 300th win at the helm of the MSU program a year after earning his 300th career win in 2017. After the game, Boss was presented the game ball by his team, after becoming the fifth head coach in MSU baseball's storied history to reach the 300-win plateau. Redshirt-freshman pitcher Mason Erla was dealing on the mound, firing six strikeouts in going 7.0 IP, scattering four hits and walking three. Sophomore reliever Mitchell Tyranski and senior reliever Jake Lowery each pitched one inning without a run, as the Spartans posted their second shutout of the season.
Quick Look At RutgersÂ
The Scarlet Knights are 10-19 overall and 2-4 in B1G action. Last time out, Rutgers was down 3-2 at Lafayette after six innings, before erupting for a 6-run seventh inning and added one in the ninth to win, 9-3. RU has won two in a row and four of six, alternating a win-two, lose-two, win-two pattern. Last weekend, Rutgers dropped the first two games at Iowa, falling 6-1 on Friday and 9-5 in Saturday's first game before bouncing back to win Saturday's nightcap, 15-3.Â
Rutgers is hitting .239 as a team, ranking ninth in the B1G. The Scarlet Knights have 10 team home runs.
Redshirt-freshman infielder Tim Dezzi leads RU with a .327 average, adding 12 RBI, and scored a team-leading 16 runs. Sophomore infielder/outfielder Mike Nyisztor is hitting .283 and has a team-best seven stolen bases. Senior infielder Carmen Sclafani tops the team with four HR and 17 RBI. Sclafani was named the Big Ten Player of the Week for his performance last week, posting 12 RBI on eight hits, going 8-for-14, and scored four runs. He also hit two home runs and two doubles as he registered a .600 on-base percentage and 1.143 slugging percentage.
On the mound, the RU pitching staff has a team ERA of 5.03 with 227 strikeouts (7.8 pg), and the opposition in hitting .279 against them.
Friday's probable starter is sophomore southpaw Harry Rutkowski, who has an 0-3 record and a 3.26 ERA. Rutkowski leads the RU staff with 47 strikeouts, which ranks 10th in the B1G, as well as sixth in the league with 49.2 IP, yielding 15 walks, while opponents are hitting .262 against him, in eight starts. Saturday's probable starter is junior right-hander Tommy Genuario, who is 1-2 with a 3.26 ERA. Genuario has two starts in 14 appearances, with 19 Ks and eight BB in 30.1 IP, and the opposition in hitting .248 against him. Junior lefty Tevin Murray is slated to get the start for the series finale. Murray has a 1-3 record with a 4.32 ERA, firing 44 strikeotus with 19 walks in 33.1 IP, with 11 appearances and six starts, and opponents are hitting .225 against him. Murray is tied for 13th in the B1G in strikeouts overall and tied for 10th in strikeouts looking. Senior righty reliever Serafino Brito has all four of RU's saves, with a 4.45 ERA and a 3-3 record. Brito has 27 Ks and 15 BB in 28.1 IP, with a .243 opposing batting average.
Scarlet Knights head coach Joe Litterio is in his sixth year at RU, posting a 130-162-1 ledger. Overall, Litterio is in his 18th season as a collegiate head coach, amassing a 370-533-3 record.
Common Opponents
The Spartans and Scarlet Knights have three common opponents, with MSU going 4-3 against those same foes, while RU is 1-6.
Michigan State and Rutgers both have played New Orleans, with MSU playing a three-game series there to open the season Feb. 15-17, winning the opener, 8-4, before losing the second, 4-1, and the third, 6-4. RU played at New Orleans on Feb. 23 as part of the Sugar Bowl Baseball Classic, losing 7-2.
Michigan State just played Indiana State in a three-game home series this past weekend, winning 1-0 in 10 innings Friday night, before falling, 2-1, in Saturday's second game of the series, but then bouncing back to win the series with a 6-0 shutout on Sunday. Rutgers played Indiana State in a three-game neutral site series at Fort Myers, Fla., March 22-24, getting swept, 3-1, 7-5 and 4-3.Â
MSU played Ohio State in a non-conference contest on March 9 in Greenville, S.C., with the Spartans beating the Buckeyes, 7-1. RU took on Ohio State in a three-game B1G series March 29-30, falling 5-3 in 11 innings and 2-0, before rebounding to win 3-2 in a 15-inning marathon.
About Michigan State
The Spartans are 8-22 overall, winning two of the last three and four of the last six games. Last week MSU beat Western Michigan, 5-2, Tuesday night at Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers, before getting clipped by Central Michigan, 8-6, Wednesday afternoon at home. The Spartans then hosted Indiana State in a three-game weekend series, winning 1-0 (10 inn.) on Friday night in the inaugural MSU home night game in school history. Michigan State was edged by Indiana State, 2-1 on Saturday, before bouncing back to blank ISU, 6-0, Sunday. The Green & White continued their winning ways with a 3-2 victory for MSU at Notre Dame Tuesday night.
Junior outfielder Bryce Kelley leads the Spartan regulars with a .298 average, and also leads the Spartans with 13 stolen bases, including seven in the last six games. Kelley shares the B1G lead with the 13 swipes.
Junior infielder/outfielder Justin Antoncic is hitting .269, including six hits in his last eight at-bats. Senior infielder Marty Bechina is hitting .262 and tops the team with 19 RBI and 10 doubles. Sophomore catcher Adam Proctor has belted five home runs, while Bechina has three round-trippers and freshman outfielder Casey Mayes has a pair of homers to go with a .300 average in only 20 at bats.Â
On the mound, MSU's bullpen has been stellar of late. In the last 12 games, the Spartan bullpen has 47 Ks (3.9 pg) in 46.0 IP, with a paltry .194 batting average against and a 2.35 ERA. The MSU relievers have combined to not allow an earned run in the last four games, including all three of the ISU series and the Notre Dame game, as part of seven times during that 12-game spurt, while only yielding one earned run in two other games.
Sophomore right-hander Mason Erla is the probable starter for Friday's series opener. Erla has a 1-5 record with a 5.40 ERA, but was dealing in his last start against Indiana State. Erla went 9.0 innings and stymied the Sycamore bats to just two hits, as ISU entered Friday hitting .282 as a team and had four players hitting over .300. Erla limited the Sycamores to just two hits while striking out six and walking just three, in firing a career-long outing as well as his second-fewest hits in his career. Overall, Erla has 36 strikeouts with 20 walks in a team-leading 46.2 IP.
Junior lefty Mitchell Tyranski is slated to get the nod for Saturday's contest. Tyranski has a deceiving 0-6 mark with a 6.15 ERA, but was solid last time out, a career-long 7.0 IP on Saturday vs. Indiana State. He chalked up six strikeouts, one shy of his season-high, while scattering just three hits, including none after the third inning. At one stretch, Tyranski had a streak of 15 batters set down in conventional and non-conventional order, working around a single in the third with a double play. The Sycamores scored their two runs in the first inning, before Tyranski settled in and was rolling. Tyranski has a team-leading 38 strikeouts to just 11 walks in 33.2 IP.
Junior right-hander Caleb Sleeman is the Spartans' probable starter for the series finale, bringing a 2-1 record and a 3.54 ERA into the weekend. Sleeman earned two wins on the week in both a reliever role and a starter role, ending the week with 9.2 IP with 0 ER and nine strikeouts and just four hits. He threw 3.0 IP of relief Tuesday night vs. Western Michigan at Comerica Park in Detroit, leading MSU to a 5-2 victory, limiting WMU to just one hit while striking out four. On Sunday against Indiana State, Sleeman made his first start of the season and his first since freshman season of 2017 and went a career-long 6.2 IP, tying career-high with five Ks and stymieing Indiana State to just three hits in a combined shutout. For the season, Sleeman has 24 Ks and 16 BB.
Out of the bullpen, senior southpaw Evan Flohr has a team-high 16 appearances, ranking tied for fourth in the B1G, and has a 2-0 record with 24 strikeouts and 17 walks. Flohr earned his first win for the Green & White against Western Michigan on March 27Junior righty Indigo Diaz has 36 Ks in 26.2 IP, earning his first save of his MSU career against Western Michigan on March 27, after recently shifting from the starting rotation to the bullpen. Diaz also picked up the save in the win over WMU on April 2 at Comerica and at Notre Dame on Tuesday, ending both contests with strikeouts. Diaz is tied for seventh in the B1G with 14 strikeouts looking.
Weather With The Win
MSU has now had five games so far either postponed or cancelled, as well as adjusting the start time on several others due to Mother Nature.
Carolina In My Mind And Travel Itinerary
Michigan State has had the James Taylor tune on repeat, as the Spartans' trip to Greenville on March 15-17 was the third and final of three trips to the Palmetto State for the Spartans this season ... MSU was in Conway, S.C. Feb. 22-24 playing in the Coastal Carolina-hosted Brittain Resorts Baseball at the Beach ... The Spartans were in Greenville March 8-10 on the second half of Spring Break trip, hosting the First Pitch Invitational at Fluor Field, which was originally scheduled for Friday-Sunday, but inclement weather condensed the schedule to Saturday-Sunday ... MSU traveled home to East Lansing on the night of March 10 for class and practice Monday-Wednesday, returning to Greenville on the evening of Thursday, March 14, then playing UConn in a four-game series at Fluor Field Friday-Sunday, March 15-17.
Road WarriorsÂ
Michigan State is one of 19 teams in the nation who have played 18 or more consecutive games away from home to open the season, and MSU's 21 games is tied for the sixth-most ... After the Spartans' original home opener was postponed due to inclement weather, MSU had played 21 games away from home before Wednesday's home opener vs. Western Michigan ... Ironically, WMU leads the nation currently with 31 games away from home until their first home game on April 12, as the Broncos also had their original home game on March 12 postponed due to weather ... The Spartans are the only Big Ten team on the list, as MSU is the northernmost team in the B1G.
Team   No. of Games
Western Michigan   31
North Dakota State   26
Oakland   24
Eastern Michigan   23
Dartmouth   23Â
Central Michigan   22
Lafayette   22
Toledo   22
Hofstra   21
Michigan State   21
Milwaukee   21
South Dakota State   21
UConn   21
UMass   21
Canisius   20
Gonzaga   20
Niagara   20
Fairfield   19
Bradley   18
Hit Parade
MSU rapped out a season-high 14 hits in Sunday's win over Indiana State, bettering their previous season-high of 12 hits, done twice, on March 9 vs. Ohio State and March 15 vs. UConn, both games at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C. Sunday was MSU's eighth game this season with double-digit hits.
Shutout Spurt
Michigan State had a pair of shutouts in winning the weekend series with Indiana State, with a 1-0 win in 10 innings on Friday and a 6-0 blanking on Sunday over Indiana, for the Spartans' first two shutouts of the season. MSU's last shutout was a 6-0 win over Rutgers on April 1, 2018, one of two shutouts last season. The Spartans also had two blankings in 2017. The last time that Michigan State had a pair of shutouts so close together was in 2016 when MSU had three-straight shutouts, March 5-8.
Antoncic Four-ce At PlateÂ
Junior infielder/outfielder Justin Antoncic was 4-for-4 on Sunday vs. Indiana State, the first Spartan to go 4-for-4 at the plate since Danny Gleaves on April 1, 2018. Antoncic now has six hits in his last eight at bats after going 2-for-4 at Notre Dame
Hey Oh Lacayo
Senior catcher Nic Lacayo hit .500 (6-for-12) in the five games last week, including driving in the game-winning run on a walk-off suicide squeeze bunt in the bottom of the 10th inning for a 1-0 win over Indiana State in MSU's inaugural game under the lights, ending game with career-high three hits on 3-for-4 with the one RBI. Lacayo followed that with a 1-for-3 outing in Saturday's 2-1 loss, then capped the week with a 2-for-4 game Sunday in the 6-0 win to clinch series, with a double and a run scored. He added seven putouts playing catcher in both Friday and Saturday's games, before being MSU's designated hitter on Sunday.
Hurlin' Erla
Sophomore right-hander Mason Erla was dealing against Indiana State on Friday, going 9.0 innings and stymieing the Sycamore bats to just two hits, as ISU entered Friday hitting .282 as a team and had four players hitting over .300. Erla limited the Sycamores to just two hits while striking out six and walking just three, in firing a career-long outing as well as his second-fewest hits in his career. Erla is also the Spartans' second 9.0 inning outing of the season, joining junior Mike Mokma's complete game vs. Ohio State in Greenville, S.C. on March 9. Erla's previous career-long outing was 7.0 IP done twice in his career, most recently April 1, 2018 vs. Rutgers.
Tough Tyranski
Junior lefty Mitchell Tyranski went a career-long 7.0 IP on Saturday vs. Indiana State. He chalked up six strikeouts, one shy of his season-high, while scattering just three hits, including none after the third inning. At one stretch, Tyranski had a streak of 15 batters set down in conventional and non-conventional order, working around a single in the third with a double play. The Sycamores scored their two runs in the first inning, before Tyranski settled in and was rolling.
Slingin' Sleeman
Junior right-hander Caleb Sleeman earned two wins on the week in both a reliever role and a starter role, ending the week with 9.2 IP with 0 ER and nine strikeouts and just four hits. He threw 3.0 IP of relief Tuesday night vs. Western Michigan at Comerica Park in Detroit, leading MSU to a 5-2 victory, limiting WMU to just one hit while striking out four.Â
On Sunday against Indiana State, Sleeman made his first start of the season and his first since freshman season of 2017 and went a career-long 6.2 IP, tying career-high with five Ks and stymieing Indiana State to just three hits in a combined shutout, for MSU's second shutout win of the weekend, and second in three days after not having a shutout since April 1, 2018, which was also a 6-0 victory. The Sycamores came into the weekend hitting .282 as a team and had four players hitting over .300, but Sleeman kept them quiet on the way to a 6-0 split shutout win. In the top of the sixth inning, Sleeman got a strikeout for the first out, then worked around a walk and hit by pitch by fielding his position on a come-backer, spinning and firing to second to start the Spartans' third double play of the game, their season-high third of the day.
Dealing Diaz
In his last eight appearances, junior reliever Indigo Diaz has 11 strikeouts, including three that ended games, including the third of striking out the side in the ninth on Tuesday at Notre Dame. Diaz has yielded juts four hits without a run in 7.2 IP, while limiting the opposition to a .154 average. In that span, Diaz has earned three saves and one win.Â
Silence Of The Sycamores
MSU's pitching staff limited Indiana State to just 11 hits in the three games, stymieing the Sycamore bats to the tune of a .122 batting average (11-of-90), only yielding two runs for a 0.64 ERA, while ringing up 21 strikeouts. Indiana State entered the weekend with a .282 average as a team and had four players hitting north of .300.
Bull-ish Pen
MSU's bullpen had a standout outing in the win over Western Michigan on March 27, as freshman Colten Panaranto, junior Caleb Sleeman, Flohr and Diaz collectively kept the Broncos at bay. Sleeman registered four strikeouts, while Panaranto posted a pair of punchouts and Flohr rang up one K, while limiting the hot WMU bats to just six hits in the final eight innings, as the Broncos entered the game ranking 24th in the NCAA with a .298 team batting average.
The first WMU match-up was the Spartan pen's season-long outing of the season at 7.1 IP, and was the group's second outing without yielding a run, both coming in the last three games joining March 22 at Nebraska in game two of the twinbill. The second strikeouts was the second-most behind eight Ks in 4.0 IP vs. UConn on March 17.
In the last 12 games, the Spartan bullpen has 47 Ks (3.9 pg) in 46.0 IP, with a paltry .194 batting average against and a 2.35 ERA. The MSU relievers have combined to not allow an earned run in the last four games, including all three of the ISU series and the Notre Dame game, as part of seven times during that 12-game spurt, while only yielding one earned run in two other games.
Mokma's Gem
Junior right-hander Mike Mokma fired a career-high 11 Ks in his complete game gem vs. Ohio State in Greenville on March 9 ... The 11 strikeouts topped his previous career-best of six punchouts in two games this season, vs. No. 21 NC State (Feb. 23) and at No. 24 Arizona State (March 2), as he now has five or more Ks in all four outings this season ... Mokma struck out the side in the first inning, adding two more in the second stanza as well as the third for seven Ks through three frames, as part of not facing more than four OSU batters in eight of the nine innings, facing five batters in the sixth, but got a double play and a ground out to thwart the threat ... He retired the Buckeyes in three-up, three-down order in four total innings, including the eighth and ninth.
More Mokma Gem Notes
Mokma's complete game was the first complete game by an MSU pitcher since Alex Troop at South Carolina on March 10, 2017, when Troop went 8.0 IP ... Mokma was the first nine-inning complete game outing since Cam Vieaux vs. Purdue on April 15, 2016.Â
Mokma's 11 Ks was the first double-digit strikeout outing by a Spartan hurler since Riley McCauley has 12 Ks in last year's season-opener at Fresno State (Feb. 16, 2018).
The Complete Mokma
Mokma's complete game is one of just two in the Big Ten so far this season, joining Tommy Henry of Michigan vs. The Citadel (Feb. 22) ... Mokma is currently in an 82-way tie for eighth in the NCAA in complete games, as in one of 82 pitchers in the nation with one complete game, while there are seven pitchers in the country with two complete games.
King Kelley
MSU junior outfielder Bryce Kelley has swiped 13 bases so far this season, including a spurt of seven in the last six games. The 13 swipes ranks Kelley tied for leading the B1G.
Last season, Kelley became MSU's single-season stolen base record holder last season with 33 swipes, topping former teammate's Brandon Hughes' record that lasted all of one season, with 30 stolen bases in 2017.
In 2018, Kelley led the Big Ten and ranked third in the NCAA with 0.66 stolen bases per game in 2018, as well as leading the conference and ranking 10th in the country with the 33 stolen bases. Kelley nearly doubled his season output in the Niagara series, swiping six in the four games, including two each on March 15 and 16 before swiping five in the three games vs. Michigan.
Kelley stole at least one base in 24 total games last season. He had multi stolen bases in seven games, led by a career-high three at Michigan on March 23.Â
The three stolen bases in one game is one of three times in 2018 that a Spartan swiped three in a game, joining Danny Gleaves, who accomplished it twice, with three base swipes vs. Illinois on March 9 in Greenville and at Penn State on May 5.
With Kelley's 33 swipes last season combined with 13 from his freshman season of 2017, along with his 11 swipes this season, he now has 57 career stolen bases, taking over sole possession of No. 4 after passing former teammate Brandon Hughes (2015-17) at the No. 4 spot with 50 stolen bags ... If Kelley is able to match or top the 33 stolen bases he had in 2018, he would tie Anthony Cheky (2012-15) for the career school record with 79 stolen bases.
Fellow junior outfielder Danny Gleaves was close behind with 25 stolen bases last season, good for No. 5 spot on the single-season list ... Gleaves is also No. 9 on the career stolen base list, now with 34 base swipes after two stolen bases in the early going of this season.
INDIVIDUAL SINGLE SEASON STOLEN BASES
1.   Bryce Kelley   33   2018
2.   Brandon Hughes   30   2017
3.   Anthony Cheky   29   2014
4.   Steve Preston   27   1988
5.   Danny Gleaves   25   2018
6.   Anthony Cheky   23   2013
   Jeff Holm   23   2010
   Steve Money   23   1994
9.   Jimmy Pickens   22   2014
   Brandon Eckerle   22   2011
   Brandon Eckerle   22   2010
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STOLEN BASES
1.   Anthony Cheky   79   2012-15
2.   Jeff Holm   63   2008-11
3.   Brandon Eckerle   61   2008-11
4.   Bryce Kelley   59   2017-pres.
5.   Brandon Hughes   50   2015-17
6.   Steve Money   46   1991-94
   Steve Preston   46   1986-88
8.   Cam Gibson   45   2013-15
9.   Danny Gleaves   34   2017-pres.
10.   Jimmy Pickens   30   2012-15
   Joe Gavel   30   1968-69
--   Dan Chmielewski   25   2016-pres.
--    Marty Bechina   24   2016-pres.
Solo ShotsÂ
Of the Spartans' 13 home runs so far this season, eight have been solo shots ... Michigan State hit three home runs in the opening weekend at New Orleans and all three were solo homers ... Senior infielder Royce Ando got things started with his home run in the second inning of the opener, in his smashing return to action after missing most of last season with an injury, belting a HR in his first at bat of 2019 ... Freshman outfielder Zaid Walker smacked the first home run of Spartan career with a solo shot off the scoreboard in left field in the second inning of the game on Feb. 17 ... Sophomore catcher Adam Proctor blasted a solo round-tripper in the ninth inning of that same game on Feb. 17 that concluded the scoring for the Spartans ... Proctor added a solo homer in the second inning against Western Carolina on March 9, while sophomore infielder Zach Iverson hit his first home run as a Spartan with a solo shot to lead off the fourth inning vs. Appalachian State on March 10 ... Bechina struck again with a solo shot in the sixth inning vs. UConn at March 16 ... Proctor added a leadoff solo shot in the third inning of Friday's game one at Nebraska on March 22 ... Freshman outfielder Casey Mayes has the last two round-trippers, with a pinch-hit two-run shot at Nebraska March 24 and a two-run blast on April 7 vs. Indiana State ... Proctor blasted a towering solo home run at Notre Dame on April 9.
Adam Bombs Â
Sophomore catcher Adam Proctor leads MSU with five home runs, ranking tied for 10th in the B1G. Proctor his most recent home run Tuesday at Notre Dame, a pinch-hit towering solo shot to right field in the sixth. Over half of Proctor's hits have been extra bases, as along with his five home runs, he has one double for six extra-base hits of his 11 total hits.
Bechina Blasts
After their first three home runs of the season were solo shots, the Spartans' next two home runs were of the two-run variety, and both by senior infielder Marty Bechina, with a two-run shot in the eighth inning at No. 19 Coastal Carolina on Feb. 22 and a two-run shot in the first inning at No. 24 Arizona State on March 2 ... Bechina now leads MSU with two run runs ... For his career, Bechina has now blasted four two-run home runs as part of 18 total career round-trippers, with 13 solo shots.
Casey At The Bat For Sunday Slams
Freshman outfielder Casey Mayes now has two home runs and they've both come on a Sunday.
Mayes mashed his first home run as a Spartan with a two-run pinch hit blast in the eighth inning of the game at Nebraska on Sunday, March 24.
He blasted his first home run at home on Sunday, April 7 against Indiana State for MSU's first two runs in a 6-0 victory.Â
Second Inning SlamsÂ
A total of four of MSU's 12 home runs have come in the second inning, while two have come in the eight ... Of the three home runs that the Spartans hit in New Orleans, two of them were in the second inning, as senior infielder Royce Ando had a smashing return to action with a solo shot in the season-opener, in his first game back after missing all but 13 games of last season ... Freshman outfielder Zaid Walker cracked his first home run as a Spartan on Feb. 17 in the second inning ... Sophomore catcher Adam Proctor hit a solo home run in the second inning vs. Western Carolina on March 9 ... Freshman outfielder Casey Mayes mashed a two-run home run in the second inning on the 6-0 victory for MSU over Indiana State on April 7 ... Last season, MSU had three home runs in the second inning, tied for the most in a single inning, as the Spartans only had 20 round-trippers last season, spreading them out with three in five different innings: 1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th & 8th.
Big Inning Boosts Spartans To Win At Arizona
In the Spartans' 9-5 win at Arizona on March 5, MSU overcame an early 4-0 deficit after two innings, getting on the board with one run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by senior infielder Marty Bechina, before hanging eight on the board in the seventh. Michigan State plated eight runs in sending 13 batters to the plate with five hits and capitalizing on four Arizona errors, leaving two runners on base.
The eight-run inning was the first big inning of four or more runs this season, and the most runs scored in a frame since April 7 of last season vs. Nebraska in a nine-run inning, also the seventh frame and also sending 13 batters to the plate, winning 17-5.
Back From '18
The Spartans return eight position players and three returning starting pitchers from last season, as MSU led the country in percentage of 1-2 run games (57.8 percent), finishing 20-32 overall and 11-12 in Big Ten play, good for eighth in the league. Michigan State made its fourth appearance in the last five seasons in the Big Ten Tournament and its seventh in the 10 years under head coach Jake Boss Jr. MSU won four of its last seven B1G games of the regular-season to claim the No. 8 seed. The Spartans also had a stretch of winning seven-straight conference contests for the first time since 2009, including sweeping back-to-back B1G series for the first time since 2011.
Big Returning Numbers In The Field
Michigan State returns eight position players, as part of a total of 11 players who have starting experience from 2018 ... Those 11 players combine for 76.9 percent (360 of 468 possible starts), including seven with over 30 starts ... Junior outfielder Bryce Kelley leads the way with 49 starts last season, followed by junior infielder/outfielder Justin Antoncic (48 start), senior infielder Marty Bechina (47), sophomore infielder Zach Iverson (42), sophomore infielder Ryan King (37), senior outfielder Dan Chmielewski (32) and junior outfielder Danny Gleaves (31).
Numbers Returning On The Mound
MSU returns three pitchers with regular starting experience, as part of five total pitchers who started at least one game last season ... Sophomore Mason Erla tops the staff with 15 starts, followed by junior Mike Mokma with seven, junior Sam Benschoter (2), sophomore Jesse Heikkinen (2) and junior Mitchell Tyranski (1).
Scarce In the Senior Department
MSU has only five seniors on its 2019 roster: infielder Marty Bechina, infielder Royce Ando, outfielder Dan Chmielewski, catcher Nic Lacayo and pitcher Evan Flohr. The Spartans' five seniors is currently tied for the second-fewest in the country {research by Western Kentucky SID Bryan Fyalkowski):
Tennessee: 2
Michigan State: 5
Norfolk State: 5 (1 redshirting)
Presbyterian: 5
Stetson: 5
West Virginia: 5 (1 redshirting)
Navy: 6
Western Kentucky: 6Â
Let There Be Lights
Thanks in large part to an anonymous contribution of near $1.4 million from a Spartan alum, Michigan State University announced that lights will be installed at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field, the home of MSU baseball and Secchia Stadium, the home of MSU softball, in preparation for the upcoming 2019 season.
The LED lights will be identical to the lighting system currently at Spartan Stadium, home of Spartan football, and DeMartin Stadium, home of Spartan men and women's soccer, as well the Breslin Center, home of MSU men and women's basketball, Munn Ice Arena, home of Spartan hockey, and the Duffy Daugherty Indoor Practice Facility, utilized by MSU football and a majority of MSU athletics teams. Michigan State will be the first baseball and softball teams in the Big Ten Conference with this type of lighting system by Musco Lighting.
MSU baseball will host nine games starting at 5 p.m. or later in 2019.
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