Thursday, May 19
Hawks Field at Haymarket Park | Lincoln, Neb.
6:35 PM ET
Michigan State University
24-28, 0
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Nebraska
21-30, 0
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Michigan State
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Nebraska
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Photo by: Rey Del Rio/MSU Athletic Communications
Spartans Take Down Huskers, 4-1 Thursday
5/19/2022 11:55:00 PM | Baseball
MSU takes game one in vital series with solid pitching, hitting, base-running and fielding.
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Michigan State baseball was boosted by solid pitching, hitting, base-running and fielding for an all-around, 4-1 team win over Nebraska Thursday night at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park in the opening game of a pivotal three-game Big Ten Conference series.
"It was a really good win by our guys tonight," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "Conner Tomasic was outstanding on the mound, he got us an incredible start tonight, and Kyle Bischoff has been our guy to close it out for us all year long and was again tonight. He got us some big outs in some big spots."
MSU kept its B1G Tournament hopes alive with the win, getting standout pitching outing from junior starter Conner Tomasic, going 6.1 IP without a run and scattering five hits, to earn the win, improving to 4-4. Tomasic turned the ball over to graduate senior closer Kyle Bischoff, who threw the final 2.2 IP to earn his B1G-leading 12th save of the season.Â
At the plate, the Spartans were boosted by a solo home run from sophomore infielder Brock Vradenburg to get the scoring started, before later getting RBI from junior outfielder Casey Mayes and redshirt-freshman catcher Bryan Broecker. Vradenburg's base-running also played a key role in the game, as he safely reached first after a strikeout with the ball in the dirt, scampering down the line and getting hit in the back by the throw, allowing Broecker to score from third on the throwing error.
The Green & White flashed the leather as well, with the defensive making several snazzy plays in the infield and outfield, as well as turning two key 6-4-3 double plays by the keystone corner connection of sophomore infielders Mitch Jebb and Trent Farquar to Vradenburg at first, including on the first pitch that Bischoff threw in the seventh to get out of a two-on, one-out Husker threat.
"I thought the offense did a really nice job of taking advantage of some opportunities, Casey Mayes had three hits and Bryan Brocker played really well tonight," Boss said. "We defended well tonight, with a couple double plays in big spots. Overall, it was a just a really, really good win tonight in a great atmosphere out here at Nebraska, and we'll be ready to play again tomorrow night."
Mayes finished with a game-high three hits, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Vradenburg and Broecker were both 1-for-4 Â and each with an RBI and run scored. Jebb was 2-for-5 with a run scored, while junior designated hitter Zaid Walker was 1-for-4.
The Spartans blasted their way onto the board on an opposite-field solo home run by Vradenburg with two outs in the second stanza for the early 1-0 lead.
In the third, MSU rallied with an RBI single by Mayes to drive in Jebb, who reached on a fielder's choice. Broecker followed by smacking a triple off the wall in the left center gap for a 3-0 Spartan advantage.
Nebraska threatened in the bottom of the seventh, as after the stretching and singing, the Huskers got two on with one out and MSU went to the pen and brought on Bischoff. It took one pitch for the Spartan closer to slam the door on the Husker rally, inducing a 6-4-3 double play that Jebb made the scoop and toss to Farquhar at second, who spun and fired to Vradenburg at first to snuff out the rally.
In the top of the eighth, the Spartans added an insurance run, as Broecker led off by belting a double off the top of the wall in left center, and later advanced to third on wild pitch. Three batters later, Vradenburg struck out swinging but the ball was in the dirt and Nebraska catcher bobbled, allowing Vradenburg to run it out to first, and the catcher's throw hit Vradenburg in the shoulder and Broecker scampered home for the run.
Nebraska didn't go quietly into the warm, humid Lincoln night, as the home team loaded the bases in their last at bat, and scored a run with two outs on a hit by pitch for their first run of the game. However, Bischoff righted the ship and shucked the Huskers' thoughts of a comeback, ringing up his second strikeout of the inning to end the rally, the inning and the game, sparking the Spartan celebration.
Michigan State and Nebraska continue the weekend series on Friday, with first pitch slated for 7:35 p.m. ET / 6:35 p.m. CT, before Saturday's finale at 1:05 p.m. Both Friday and Saturday's games will be streamed on B1G+, with Friday's game being regionally televised on Nebraska Public Media, formerly known as NET.
The weekend schedule is subject to change based on weather.
Along with any further schedule updates, fans can find "Watch Live," "Listen Live" and "Live Stats" links when available at MSUSpartans.com to follow along with the upcoming action.
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"It was a really good win by our guys tonight," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "Conner Tomasic was outstanding on the mound, he got us an incredible start tonight, and Kyle Bischoff has been our guy to close it out for us all year long and was again tonight. He got us some big outs in some big spots."
MSU kept its B1G Tournament hopes alive with the win, getting standout pitching outing from junior starter Conner Tomasic, going 6.1 IP without a run and scattering five hits, to earn the win, improving to 4-4. Tomasic turned the ball over to graduate senior closer Kyle Bischoff, who threw the final 2.2 IP to earn his B1G-leading 12th save of the season.Â
At the plate, the Spartans were boosted by a solo home run from sophomore infielder Brock Vradenburg to get the scoring started, before later getting RBI from junior outfielder Casey Mayes and redshirt-freshman catcher Bryan Broecker. Vradenburg's base-running also played a key role in the game, as he safely reached first after a strikeout with the ball in the dirt, scampering down the line and getting hit in the back by the throw, allowing Broecker to score from third on the throwing error.
The Green & White flashed the leather as well, with the defensive making several snazzy plays in the infield and outfield, as well as turning two key 6-4-3 double plays by the keystone corner connection of sophomore infielders Mitch Jebb and Trent Farquar to Vradenburg at first, including on the first pitch that Bischoff threw in the seventh to get out of a two-on, one-out Husker threat.
"I thought the offense did a really nice job of taking advantage of some opportunities, Casey Mayes had three hits and Bryan Brocker played really well tonight," Boss said. "We defended well tonight, with a couple double plays in big spots. Overall, it was a just a really, really good win tonight in a great atmosphere out here at Nebraska, and we'll be ready to play again tomorrow night."
Mayes finished with a game-high three hits, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Vradenburg and Broecker were both 1-for-4 Â and each with an RBI and run scored. Jebb was 2-for-5 with a run scored, while junior designated hitter Zaid Walker was 1-for-4.
The Spartans blasted their way onto the board on an opposite-field solo home run by Vradenburg with two outs in the second stanza for the early 1-0 lead.
In the third, MSU rallied with an RBI single by Mayes to drive in Jebb, who reached on a fielder's choice. Broecker followed by smacking a triple off the wall in the left center gap for a 3-0 Spartan advantage.
Nebraska threatened in the bottom of the seventh, as after the stretching and singing, the Huskers got two on with one out and MSU went to the pen and brought on Bischoff. It took one pitch for the Spartan closer to slam the door on the Husker rally, inducing a 6-4-3 double play that Jebb made the scoop and toss to Farquhar at second, who spun and fired to Vradenburg at first to snuff out the rally.
In the top of the eighth, the Spartans added an insurance run, as Broecker led off by belting a double off the top of the wall in left center, and later advanced to third on wild pitch. Three batters later, Vradenburg struck out swinging but the ball was in the dirt and Nebraska catcher bobbled, allowing Vradenburg to run it out to first, and the catcher's throw hit Vradenburg in the shoulder and Broecker scampered home for the run.
Nebraska didn't go quietly into the warm, humid Lincoln night, as the home team loaded the bases in their last at bat, and scored a run with two outs on a hit by pitch for their first run of the game. However, Bischoff righted the ship and shucked the Huskers' thoughts of a comeback, ringing up his second strikeout of the inning to end the rally, the inning and the game, sparking the Spartan celebration.
Michigan State and Nebraska continue the weekend series on Friday, with first pitch slated for 7:35 p.m. ET / 6:35 p.m. CT, before Saturday's finale at 1:05 p.m. Both Friday and Saturday's games will be streamed on B1G+, with Friday's game being regionally televised on Nebraska Public Media, formerly known as NET.
The weekend schedule is subject to change based on weather.
Along with any further schedule updates, fans can find "Watch Live," "Listen Live" and "Live Stats" links when available at MSUSpartans.com to follow along with the upcoming action.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Tomasic, Conner (4-4)
L: Brockett, Jackson (0-1)
S: Bischoff, Kyle (12)
Batting:
2B: Broecker, Bryan 1
3B: Broecker, Bryan 1
HR: Vradenburg, Brock 1
RBI: Mayes, Casey 1 ; Broecker, Bryan 1 ; Vradenburg, Brock 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jebb, Mitch 1 ; Mayes, Casey 1 ; Broecker, Bryan 1 ; Vradenburg, Brock 1
SB: Mayes, Casey 1
CS: Jebb, Mitch 1
Batting:
RBI: Jackson, Core 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gomes, Colby 1
HBP: Caron, Josh 1 ; Jackson, Core 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ BaseballC
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
RHP/INF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballPursuit to Greatness | Spartans All-Access
Monday, May 19
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