Spartans Tangle With Wildcats This Weekend

MICHIGAN STATE (12-27, 1-10 B1G) vs. NORTHWESTERN (17-20, 5-7 B1G) \| TICKETS
Location	McLANE STADIUM at KOBS FIELD \|\| East Lansing, Mich.
Weather	Fri - Hi / Low: 62^°/ 35^° \|\| Sat - Hi / Low: 51^°/ 33^° \|\| Sun - Hi / Low: 51^°/ 34^°
Game Notes	Michigan State \| Northwestern
Social Media	@statebaseball \| MichiganStateBaseball \| @statebaseballgogreen
Game 1	Friday, April 26 - 6:35 p.m. ET
Probable Pitching Matchup	MSU: #30 RHP Mason Erla (SO) (1-7, 5.84 ERA) vs. NU: #8 LHP Quinn Lavelle (SO) (3-5, 5.11 ERA)
Coverage	Live Stats \| Listen Live \| Watch Live
Game 2	Saturday, April 27 - 12:05 p.m. ET \| MSU Alumni Day NOTE UPDATED TIME
Probable Pitching Matchup	MSU: #36 LHP Mitchell Tyranski (JR) (0-7, 5.32 ERA) vs. NU: #15 RHP Mike Doherty (FR) (2-0, 4.81 ERA)
Coverage	Live Stats \| Listen Live \| Watch Live
Game 3	Saturday, April 27 - Approx. 4:05 p.m. ET \| MSU Alumni Day NOTE UPDATED TIME
Probable Pitching Matchup	MSU: MSU: #38 RHP Caleb Sleeman (2-3, 4.58 ERA) vs. NU: TBA (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Coverage	Big Ten Network \| Live Stats \| Listen Live \| Watch Live

***NOTE: MSU and Northwestern will now play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 12:05 p.m., with game two to follow approximately 30-45 minutes after the conclusion of game one. MSU Alumni Day festivities will remain as planned, with the tailgate starting at 2 p.m. and introductions and recognition will be during game two. Members of the 1954 College World Series team will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the second game. ***

Leading Off...
• To wrap up its season-long nine-game homestand, Michigan State baseball hosts Northwestern in a three-game Big Ten Conference weekend series ... The Spartans are hosting the Wildcats for the first time since 2015 ... First pitch for Friday's series opener is slated for 6:35 p.m. under the lights at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field ... The Spartans and Wildcats will now be playing a doubleheader starting at 12:05 p.m. (**UPDATED Saturday morning**) ... Note: any schedule updates will be posted on MSUSpartans.com and on twitter @statebaseball.

• Saturday is MSU Baseball Alumni Day, with the Spartans welcoming back over 50 alumni, including celebrating the 65th anniversary of the 1954 College World Series team and the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Big Ten Champion and NCAA Regional team ... Members of the 1954 team will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch ... The alumni will have a pre-game gathering on Saturday and will be introduced throughout Saturday's game.

• Fans can follow this weekend's MSU action through "Live Stats," "Listen Live" and "Watch Live" links found at MSUSpartans.com ... The games 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.

• The Spartans have won two games in a row and three of the last four, after Wednesday's 4-2 Victory for MSU over Toledo, which came on the heels of a 12-2 rout of Oakland Tuesday night ... This weekend wraps up a nine-game homestand for MSU at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field ... The Spartans are 4-2 so far on the homestand.

• MSU has won the last four meetings with Northwestern as part of seven of the last eight and 12 of the last 14 match-ups ... Overall, the Spartans lead the all-time series 96-49-1, including 49-21 in East Lansing.

• MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. earned his 350th career victory on April 24 with the 4-2 Victory for MSU over Toledo ... Boss has a career ledger of 350-296 as a collegiate head coach.

• The Wildcats are the first of two opponents the Spartans will face this season from the state of Illinois ... MSU has now played teams from 11 different states, as Illinois joins in Michigan, Louisiana, South Carolina, North Carolina, Ohio, Arizona, Connecticut, Nebraska, Indiana and New Jersey.

• Michigan State has 19 players on its 2019 roster from the state of Michigan, while Northwestern has 10 Illinois natives on its roster ... The Spartans have six players from Illinois, while the Wildcats do not have any Michigan natives on their roster.

• Friday is MSU's sixth home night game this season, Michigan State's first with lights at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field, after their installation project was completed in March ... The Spartans are 4-1 in the previous five home night games, part of 9-5 in night games this season.

• 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 the April 5 victory for MSU over Indiana State, Boss is now 3-0 in those first night games at a Michigan school.

Friday Night Lights
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, the respective homes of Spartan baseball and softball, in preparation for the upcoming 2019 season. The lights project was completed in early March and the Spartans played their first game played under the lights in 135 years of MSU baseball on Friday, April 5.

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.

Under The Lights
The Spartans' success at night would make Dolly Parton, Lilly Tomlin and Jane Fonda proud as MSU is 9-5 this season in night games ... MSU is 4-1 under the lights at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field, winning the inaugural night game in the program's 135 years of baseball.

Alumni Day
Saturday is MSU Baseball Alumni Day, with the Spartans welcoming back over 50 alumni, including celebrating the 65th anniversary of the 1954 College World Series team and the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Big Ten Champion and NCAA Regional team ... Under head coach John Kobs, the 1954 Spartans posting a 25-10-1 overall record, finishing third at the College Wold Series after winning the Big Ten title and the NCAA District VI crown, on the march to Omaha for the College World Series ... The 1979 Green & White won the Big Ten championship under head coach Danny Litwhiler and advanced to the NCAA Regionals, posting a 28-27 record ... Members of the 1954 team will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch ... The alumni will have a pre-game gathering on Saturday and will be introduced throughout Saturday's game.

350 For 23
MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr., who wears jersey No. 23, earned his 350th career victory on April 24 with the 4-2 Victory for MSU over Toledo ... Boss has a career ledger of 350-296 as a collegiate head coach ... Last season Boss earned his 300th victory at the helm of the Spartans with MSU's 6-0 blanking of Rutgers on April 30, 2018 ... In 2017, Boss won his 300th career game as a collegiate head coach with the Spartans' 13-4 route at Richmond on March 18, 2017 .... Now in his 11th season as the MSU head coach, Boss has 325-262 mark with the Green & White.

Home Staters
Michigan State has 19 players on its 2019 roster from the state of Michigan, while Northwestern has 10 Illinois natives on its roster. The Spartans have six players from Illinois, while the Wildcats do not have any Michigan natives on their roster.

Spartans From The Land Of Lincoln
Michigan State has six players from Illinois and all from in or within an hour-and-a-half of the Chicago area in junior outfielder Danny Gleaves (Homer Glen/St. Rita HS), senior infielder Marty Bechina (Chicago/St. Rita HS), freshman outfielder Zaid Walker (Homewood/Homewood-Flossmoor HS), sophomore infielder Ryan King (Munster/Brother Rice HS), junior pitcher Jarret Olson (La Salle/Galesburg HS/Parkland CC) and sophomore pitcher Zac Bianucci (Naperville/Naperville Central HS).

Michigan State vs. Northwestern Series Breakdown
Overall: 96-49-1 / Home: 49-22 / Away: 43-23-1 / Neutral: 4-5 / Series Streak: MSU W4, W14-of-17
First Met: May 27, 1931 - Evanston, Ill. - NU W, 5-4
Last Met: April 22, 2018 - Evanston, Ill. - MSU W, 6-5
Last Meeting In East Lansing: April 12, 2015 - East Lansing, Mich. - MSU W, 14-3

Series Notes: The Spartans are hosting the Wildcats for the first time since 2015 ... Michigan State holds a 96-49-1 all-time record against Northwestern, first meeting in 1931 and last meeting in 2018, in Evanston, with the Spartans sweeping the Wildcats in a three-game weekend series ... The Spartans have won the last four meetings, as part of seven of the last eight and 14 of the last 17 match-ups ... Michigan State has won the last five series overall between the Spartans and Wildcats, as well as part of winning or splitting the last nine series when MSU was home in either Lansing or East Lansing, as Northwestern's last series win in Lansing or East Lansing was 1996, winning three of the four games, as series used to four games before switching to three-game series in 2009 ... MSU is 49-21 against NU in East Lansing, winning 10 of the last 12 meetings at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field, as the Wildcats were the Spartans' opponent for the inaugural game at MSU's home field, with Nolan Moody throwing a no-hitter, 2-0 shutout Victory for MSU on April 4, 2009.

Last Meeting - MSU 6, NU 5 - Evanston, Ill - April 22, 2018
Michigan State battled back-and-forth with Northwestern, before getting a two-run home run from Zack McGuire in the eighth inning to take the lead for good, while Jake Lowery and Riley McCauley shut down the Wildcats bats in a thrilling 6-5 victory for MSU at NU's Miller Park on April 22, 2018.

Senior first baseman McGuire smashed his second home run of the weekend and fifth of the season with a two-run home run to left center field in the top of the eighth inning. All five of McGuire's home runs this season have been of the two-run variety. McGuire ended the game 2-for-3 with three RBI, adding a one-run single in the first inning, and scoring two runs.

Senior reliever Lowery came in to pitch in a jam in the seventh with one out and two on after the Wildcats had taken a 5-4 lead with two runs, and got a line drive out and a strikeout the halt the jam, and earn the win. McCauley pitched the final two innings, getting a strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play in the eighth, then another strikeout to end the frame. In the ninth, McCauley worked around a one-out single with a fly out then a big strikeout looking to end the game and spark the Spartans' celebration. Lowery earned his second win of the season, while McCauley picked up his second save in as many days and his second of the season and 11th of his career.

Sophomore starting pitcher Mike Mokma went a then-career-high 6.0 innings, firing a then-career-high five strikeouts.

Along with McGuire, freshman third baseman Zach Iverson was 2-for-4 with two RBI, while junior right fielder Marty Bechina was 1-for-3 with an RBI and sophomore center fielder Danny Gleaves was 1-for-4 with a run scored. Senior designated hitter Chad Roskelly was also 1-for-3 with a run scored.

McCauley's strikeout to end the game, sparked a celebration of the Spartan team and their fans, as nearly half of the over 700 in attendance were clad in Green & White.

Quick Look At Northwestern
The Wildcats bring a 17-20 overall and 5-7 Big Ten ledger into East Lansing for this weekend's series. Northwestern beat in-city foe Illinois-Chicago, 6-1, Tuesday, snapping a five-game losing skein. NU is making its second-straight weekend trip to the state of Michigan, after playing at Michigan last weekend, falling 4-1 in the adjusted opener on Saturday, then 3-2 and 10-1 in Sunday's doubleheader.

Northwestern is hitting .266 as a team, led by senior infielder Jack Dunn's .368 average. Dunn ranks second in the B1G in average, along with third in the league in on-base percentage at .476 and tied for third in runs scored (36) and fourth in hits (50). Junior infielder Alex Erro is hitting .325, ranking tied for 12th in the conference, as well as 15th in slugging percentage (.483), tied for fifth in hits (49) and 10th in total bases (73), including 14 extra base hits on eight doubles, two triples and four home runs.

On the mound, the Wildcats have a team ERA of 5.56 with 264 strikeouts (7.1 pg) and 154 walks (4.2 pg). Friday's probable starter is sophomore southpaw Quinn Lavelle, who has a 3-5 record with a 5.11 ERA in 10 starts. Lavelle has 42 strikeouts to just 12 walks in 56.1 IP, with an opposition batting average against of .279. Lavelle leads the league and ranks 42nd in the nation in complete games with five, along with topping the conference and 29th in the country in games started with the 10.

Saturday's probable starter is freshman righty Mike Doherty, who is 2-0 with a 4.81 ERA, posting 20 Ks and 18 BB in 24.1 IP, making five starts with nine appearances, yielding a .260 average against. Sunday's Northwestern probable starter is TBA. Out of the bullpen, junior right-hander Nick Paciorek and sophomore righty Anthony Alepra share the team lead with 14 appearances. Paciorek tops the staff with three saves, recording a team-best 2.65 ERA and a 2-1 record, logging 29 Ks and 15 BB in 17.0 IP, while limiting the opposition to a .169 average. Alepra has an 0-2 mark with a 4.64 ERA, notching 17 Ks and 13 BB in 21.1 IP and opponents have a .256 average against.

Spencer Allen is in his fourth season at the leash of the Wildcats, logging a 75-118 ledger.

Common Opponents
The Spartans and Wildcats have two non-conference common opponents in Kent State and Notre Dame, while both have played conference foes Ohio State and Michigan.

Northwestern played Kent State in a three-game series March 15-16 that got shortened to two games, and NU dropped the doubleheader, 11-5 and 12-1, before the third game was cancelled due to weather. The Wildcats lost, 6-2, at Notre Dame on April 16. Northwestern played Ohio State in a three-game series April 5-7 in Columbus, sweeping the series, 13-5, 7-2 and 10-4. NU just played a three-game series at Michigan last weekend, getting swept after losing 4-1 on Saturday in the adjusted opener after Friday's game was postponed due to inclement weather. The Wildcats were swept after losing Sunday's twinbill, 3-2 and 10-1.

Michigan State faced Kent State in Conway, S.C., on Feb. 24 at the Coastal Carolina Tournament, falling 12-2. MSU won at Notre Dame, 3-2, on April 9. The Spartans played Ohio State on March 9 in Greenville, S.C., winning 7-1 behind junior pitcher Mike Mokma's gem, in a non-conference contest as the Spartans don't play the Buckeyes in league action this season. MSU lost to Michigan, 6-3, on March 29 in East Lansing, and 16-2 at Ann Arbor on March 30, before the March 31 game in East Lansing was cancelled due to weather.

About Michigan State
The Spartans are 12-27 overall and 1-10 in B1G action, having won their last two games and three of the last four, after Wednesday's 4-2 Victory for MSU over Toledo, which came on the heels of a 12-2 rout of Oakland Tuesday night. This weekend wraps up a nine-game homestand for MSU at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field. The Spartans are 4-2 so far on the homestand. Last weekend, MSU played a three-game weekend series with B1G leading Indiana. After falling 14-5 in Friday's opener, Saturday's game was rained out, setting up a doubleheader on Sunday, with the Spartans winning the opener, 5-3, rallying from a 3-0 deficit with a five-run seventh frame, capped by a two-run suicide squeeze sac bunt play. Indiana bounced back to win game two, 11-2.

Junior outfielder Bryce Kelley leads the Spartans with a .301 average, and also leads the Spartans with 15 stolen bases, including nine in the last 15 games. Kelley leads the B1G with the 15 swipes.

Senior infielder Royce Ando is hitting .271 with 14 RBI, while freshman outfielder Casey Mayes has a .268 average with three HRs. Senior infielder Marty Bechina leads the Spartans with 20 RBI and 12 doubles, which ranks tied for fifth in the B1G. Bechina is second on the team with eight stolen bases, including two in each of the last two games.

Sophomore catcher Adam Proctor has smacked seven home runs, ranking tied for 10th in the B1G. Bechina and Mayes are tied for second on the team with three HRs each.

On the mound, MSU's bullpen has been stellar of late. In the last 21 games, the Spartan bullpen has 91 Ks (4.3 pg) in 83.2 IP, with a paltry .199 batting average against and a 2.69 ERA. The pen has a 7-0 record with five saves over that span as well. The MSU relievers have combined to not allow an earned run in eight of the last 13 games, including four-straight with all three of the Indiana State series and the Notre Dame game, as part of 11 times during that 21-game spurt, while only yielding one earned run in four other games. Over that 21-game span, MSU's bullpen has allowed just a total of 20 runs after the sixth inning.

Sophomore right-hander Mason Erla is the probable starter for Friday's series opener. Erla has a 1-7 record with a 5.84 ERA. One of Erla's best starts was 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 46 strikeouts with 22 walks in a team-leading 57.0 IP.

Junior lefty Mitchell Tyranski is slated to get the nod for Saturday's contest. Tyranski has a deceiving 0-7 mark with a 5.32 ERA, but was solid his last thre times out, setting a career-long with 7.0 IP against Indiana State on April 6 and then matching it at Rutgers to go with a career-high 10 strikeouts. He followed that up with nine strikeouts in 6.2 IP against Indiana.

In the match-up with the Sycamores, Tyranski 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. On April 13 at Rutgers, Tyranski struck out a career-high 10 in throwing a career-high 7.0 IP, while scattering nine hits and yielding two earned runs. Tyranski's 10 Ks is the second double-digit strikeout total this season for a Spartan pitcher, joining junior Mike Mokma's 11 Ks vs. Ohio State on March 9 in Greenville, S.C. On April 21 against Indiana, Tyranski chalked up nine Ks in 6.2 IP, yielding three runs. Tyranski has a team-leading 57 strikeouts, which is 12th in the B1G, to just 15 walks in 47.1 IP.

Junior right-hander Caleb Sleeman is the Spartans' probable starter for Sunday's series finale, bringing a 2-3 record and a 4.58 ERA into the weekend. After a short outing at Rutgers, going less than two innings, before bouncing back with 2.0 IP of work vs. Eastern Michigan, striking out two. Sleeman went 4.0 IP against Indiana on April 21, chalking up four Ks but allowing four runs, then went 2.0 IP against Toledo on Wednesday, tallying three punchouts.

Sleeman earned two wins on the week of April 2-7 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 on April 2 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. Against Indiana State on April 7, 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 28 Ks and 20 BB.

Out of the bullpen, senior southpaw Evan Flohr has a team-high and B1G-best tying 22 appearances, and has a 2-0 record with a 4.55 ERA, logging 31 strikeouts and 23 walks. Flohr earned his first win for the Green & White against Western Michigan on March 27. Junior righty Indigo Diaz has 44 Ks in 33.0 IP, now with a 2-3 record and five saves on the season. Diaz is tied for eighth in the B1G with 17 strikeouts looking, as well as tied for eighth with the five saves, and also ranked tied for eighth with 19 appearances. Diaz earned 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 April 9, ending both contests with strikeouts. He also collected the save against Toledo on April 24, also ringing up a strikeout to end it.

Weather With The Win
MSU has now had six games so far either postponed or cancelled, as well as adjusting the start time on several others due to Mother Nature.

Comeback Spartans
Michigan State's last three wins have all been of the come from behind variety, as MSU rallied from a 3-0 deficit in last Sunday's game one vs. Indiana to win 5-3. The Spartans were down 2-0 early against Oakland on Tuesday, before storming back with 12 unanswered runs to win 12-2. In Wednesday's game against Toledo, the Spartans were down 1-0 before they had even come to the plate as the visiting Rockets scored a run in the top of the first, before MSU rallied to win 4-2.

The Spartans have five wins this season when trailing by at least 2-0 before rallying to win. The 3-0 deficit in the seventh vs. Indiana was MSU's latest rally of the season, as they trailed 4-0 in the second at Arizona on March 5 and won 9-5; trailed 2-0 in the second vs. Western Michigan and won, 3-2, on April 27; were down 2-0 in the fifth at Notre Dame on April 9 and won, 3-2; trailed the Hoosiers, 3-0, in the seventh to win 5-3, last Sunday.

Big Sevenths
MSU has plated four or more runs in an inning three times this season and two of the three occasions have come in the seventh inning. The Spartans hung eight runs on the board in the eighth inning at Arizona on March 5 to rally and win 9-5. On Saturday vs. Indiana, the Spartans plated five runs in the seventh, to overcome an early 3-0 deficit.

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.

Striking 'Em Out
Michigan State's pitching staff has rung up 343 strikeouts so far this season, breaking into the top 10 of the single season team strikeouts list, now at No. 10. The Spartans hurlers need 57 more to reach the 400 K plateau, which would mark the fifth-straight season with 400 or more Ks.

TEAM STRIKEOUTS
   1.   2016   466
   2.   2017   420
   3.   2015   409
   4.   2018   407
   5.   2002    390
   6.   2012   389
   7.   1998   380
   8.   2004   378
   9.   2014   355
   10.   2019   343
   11.   2010   335
   12.   2011   332

Road Warriors
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   23
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 the April 7 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.

After posting 12 hits at Rutgers on April 13, the Spartans now have nine games 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 Plate
Junior infielder/outfielder Justin Antoncic was 4-for-4 vs. Indiana State April 7, 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 during the week of April 2-7, 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 the game with career-high three hits on 3-for-4 with the one RBI. Lacayo followed that with a 1-for-3 outing in the 2-1 loss on April 6, 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 April 5, going 9.0 innings and stymieing the Sycamore bats to just two hits, as ISU entered the game 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 April 6 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 continued his solid pitching in his next outing, at Rutgers, as he struck out a career-high 10 in throwing a career-high tying 7.0 IP, while scattering nine hits and yielding two earned runs. Tyranski's 10 Ks is the second double-digit strikeout total this season for a Spartan pitcher, joining junior Mike Mokma's 11 Ks vs. Ohio State on March 9 in Greenville, S.C.

The southpaw kept his hot streak rolling against Indiana last Sunday, going 6.2 IP, ringing up nine strikeouts, scattering six hits and yielding three runs around two walks. Tyranksi's nine Ks gives him 42 strikeouts in his last six games, as part of a staff-best 57 this season, ranking 12th in the B1G.

Slingin' Sleeman
Junior right-hander Caleb Sleeman earned two wins on the week during April 2-7, 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 on the night of April 2 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, April 7 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 13 appearances, junior reliever Indigo Diaz has 22 strikeouts, including four that ended games and sealed victories for MSU, highlighted by the third of striking out the side in the ninth on April 9 at Notre Dame. Diaz has yielded just seven hits without a run in 15.0 IP, while limiting the opposition to a .128 average. In that span, Diaz has earned five saves and two wins, along with being part of two shutouts.

Diaz has not allowed a run of any kind in 14 of his 15 relief appearances, including the last 13 in a row, as the only outing with a run scored against him was March 16 vs. UConn in Greenville.

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 21 games, the Spartan bullpen has 91 Ks (4.3 pg) in 83.2 IP, with a paltry .199 batting average against and a 2.69 ERA. The pen has a 7-0 record with five saves over that span as well. The MSU relievers have combined to not allow an earned run in eight of the last 13 games, including four-straight with all three of the Indiana State series and the Notre Dame game, as part of 11 times during that 21-game spurt, while only yielding one earned run in four other games. Over that 21-game span, MSU's bullpen has allowed just a total of 20 runs after the sixth inning.

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.

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 15 bases so far this season, including a spurt of nine in the last 12 games. The 15 swipes ranks Kelley leading the B1G.

Kelley became the fourth player in MSU baseball history to reach the 60 career stolen bases plateau with his 60th career swipe, that came at Rutgers on April 12. He now has 61 stolen bases, tying Brandon Eckerle (2008-11) for No. 3 on MSU's career stolen base list.

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.

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 15 swipes this season, he now has 61 career stolen bases 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.

Senior infielder Marty Bechina has four swipes in the last two games and now has eight stolen bases this season and 30 for his career, moving up to a three-way logjam at No. 10 on MSU's career stolen base list, tying Jimmy Pickens (2012-15) and Joe Gavel (1968-69).

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
   Bryce Kelley   61   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
    Marty Bechina   30   2016-pres.
--   Dan Chmielewski   25   2016-pres.

Solo Shots
Of the Spartans' 16 home runs so far this season, nine 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, as well as a solo shot vs. Indiana on April 21, sending the ball into the Red Cedar River beyond the wall in right field.

Adam Bombs
Sophomore catcher Adam Proctor leads MSU with seven home runs, ranking tied for 10th in the B1G.

On Tuesday vs. Oakland, Proctor smashed a three-run home run deep into the Red Cedar River beyond the right field wall as part of a six-run sixth inning for the Green & White. It was Proctor's team-leading seventh HR of the season, including belting three of the Spartans' last four round-trippers. It was his second-straight game with a home run into the Red Cedar, also sending one into the river Sunday vs. Indiana.

The round-tripper against the Hoosiers was a solo shot in the sixth inning of game two. Proctor blasted the first pitch he saw into the Red Cedar River with a shot high into the trees and just inside the right field foul line.

Proctor's previous HR was April 9 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 seven home runs, he has one double for eight extra-base hits of his 14 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 ... 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 three home runs after his three-run round tripper on Friday vs. Indiana, marking the first that didn't 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.

Against Indiana on April 19, Mayes, a left-handed batter, blasted an opposite field shot down the left field line, into the wind, and sending the ball into the trees beyond the left field fence for a three-run round tripper.

Second Inning Slams
A total of five of MSU's 16 home runs have come in the second inning, while three have come in the sixth and three in the eighth ... 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.

{CONT'D IN PDF OF GAME NOTES}

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Players Mentioned

Royce Ando

Justin Antoncic

Marty Bechina

Zac Bianucci

Dan Chmielewski

Indigo Diaz

Mason Erla

Evan Flohr

Danny Gleaves

Brandon Hughes

Zach Iverson

Bryce Kelley

Ryan King

Nic Lacayo

Jake Lowery

Casey Mayes

Riley McCauley

Zack McGuire

Mike Mokma

Jarret Olson

Colten Panaranto

Adam Proctor

Chad Roskelly

Caleb Sleeman

Alex Troop

Mitchell Tyranski

Zaid Walker