Saturday, April 15
McLane Stadium at Kobs Field | East Lansing, Mich.
11:35 a.m.
Michigan State University
22-10
12
vs
2
Western Illinois
4-25
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Western Illinois
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
2
6
2
Michigan State
0
0
1
4
3
0
4
12
12
0
Spartans Sweep Saturday Twinbill With Leathernecks In Pair Of Run-Rule Victories
4/15/2023 9:11:00 PM | Baseball
Box Score 1Box Score 2G1: MSU 12, WIU 2 (7 inn) Box Score (PDF)G2: MSU 11, WIU 1 (8 inn) Box Score (PDF)
MSU posts 12-2 and 11-1 triumphs to stretch win streak to six in a row after festive Military Appreciation Day.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State baseball posted a pair of run-rule victories over Western Illinois Saturday afternoon to sweep a doubleheader at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field, winning 12-2 in seven innings and 11-1 in eight innings, that included a weather delay.
Before the clouds rolled in, it was a sun-shining bright day for MSU's Military Appreciation Game in the second contest of the twinbwill, which included the dedication of the Military Honor Chair at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field, and a motorcycle ride-in by the Rolling Thunder group, and a special National Anthem singer and first-pitch ceremony. After wearing their traditional "throwback" uniforms for game one, the Spartans wore their new Military Appreciation Day jerseys for the Military Appreciation game.
Game two saw a 1-hour, 4-minute weather delay with two outs in the top of the eighth with MSU leading 10-1, resuming at 6:35 p.m., and Michigan State added a run in the bottom of the eighth to post its second run-rule win of the day, and third run-rule win in the last six games after a 16-3 seven-inning win over Ohio State on April 8.
MSU won game one Saturday with 12 runs on 12 hits, while winning the second game with 11 runs on 14 hits, along with getting solid pitching and defense all day.
"I thought we pitched it extremely well today, and I'm really pleased with the effort out of both starters," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "Defensively we were clean, we didn't make an error all day long, and we put up two big numbers and so that's a good recipe for a doubleheader sweep."
In game one, sophomore Harrison Cook went 6.2 IP, scattering six hits, with two runs, one walk and three Ks, earning the win to improve to 4-2 on the season. In game two, junior Nick Powers went 7.2 innings of efficient baseball, and only Mother Nature could slow him down, as he did not return after the weather delay, following his three-hit, one-run, one-walk and four-strikeout outing, moving to 3-0 with the win after the career-long tying outing of 7.2 IP, matching an outing on April 11, 2021 vs. Purdue.
After six errors in Friday night's wild, 10-9 win as MSU rallied from down 8-3 in the sixth, the Spartans had zero miscues in Saturday's twinbill.
"That's what these guys are capable of," Boss said about no errors on Saturday. "Part of it, almost makes yesterday a little bit more frustrating because we know what we're capable of. Sometimes that happens and you have a bad day, thankfully we were able to overcome it and win yesterday but again, the guys start to get into a rhythm a little bit, and maybe we needed a little wake up yesterday. I think that those first couple innings really kind of shook us yesterday and so I'm glad to see that they responded today."
The two wins Saturday run MSU's win streak to six in a row and improving to 23-10 on the season, having won 12 of the last 13, going 18-3 in the last 21 games.
The Spartans improved to 9-2 at home this season, boosted by 5-0 this week along, and were treated to another solid fan support, with 1,935 Green & White fans throughout the busy day on MSU's campus that included the Izzo Legacy Run/Walk/Roll, Spartan Football Kickoff, a softball doubleheader, women's tennis action and MSU Student Admitted Day.
Saturday's baseball doubleheader was MSU's sixth twinbill this season, including the fourth in the last five weekends and MSU is now 10-2 in double-dips. Last weekend's split with Ohio State snapped a six-game win streak in twinbills, as the Spartans had swept their previous three doubleheaders.
Western Illinois has now dropped five in a row with Saturday's two losses, losing 15 of its last 16, sliding to 4-26 on the season.
Junior outfielder Jack Frank was 6-for-8 on the day with five RBI and five runs scored, knocking a double and a home run in each game, finishing the day with four of his six hits going for extra bases. Sophomore catcher/infielder Bryan Broecker went back-to-back home runs with Frank in the second, with Broecker bashing a 412-foot home run into the treetops beyond left field with a homer that was 102-mph off the bat. Frank followed with a 385-foot rocket over the wall in right and into the Red Cedar River, coming off the bat at 99 mph.
Broecker finished game two going 4-for-4 with three runs and two RBI, with three HRs on the weekend after bashing two in Friday night's win.
Game 1 - MSU 12, WIU 2 (7 inn.)
Cook contained the Leatherneck bats, with three 1-2-3 frames, working the second, fourth and fifth frames in order. With two outs and two on in the top of the seventh, Cook turned the ball over to redshirt-sophomore Noah Matheny for the final out, after two free passes, and ringing up a strikeout.
Along with Frank's big numbers at the plate, junior infielder Brock Vradenburg was 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored, while senior outfielder Casey Mayes was 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored. Junior infielder Trent Farquhar (1-for-2, R), junior infielder Mitch Jebb (1-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI), junior outfielder Greg Ziegler (1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI) and senior catcher Sam Thompson (1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI) contributed to the hit total. Thompson knocked his second home run of the season with a solo blast to lead off the third.
Farquhar, Jebb and Vradenburg joined Frank with doubles, while Mayes, Ziegler and sophomore designated hitter Sam Busch swiped a base, with Ziegler notching a pair of stolen bases.
After a scoreless first three frames in the opening game, MSU broke through with a run in the bottom of the third when Thompson led off the inning with a solo homer into the trees beyond the left field wall, just inside the foul pole.
Vradenbug led off the fourth with one of his two infield singles and two batters later, Frank homered to right field, clearing the wall and into the Red Cedar River.
After Anderson walked and moved to second on a wild pitch, Mayes drove him in with a single. Mayes then moved up a base on a wild pitch, and Ziegler followed with an RBI single to knock in him to complete MSU's four-run, four-hit fourth frame for a 5-0 lead.
Cook worked another 1-2-3 frame in the top of the fifth, and MSU tacked on three runs in the bottom of the stanza, as Vradenburg led off the inning after the Spartans batted around in the fourth, and knocked his second-straight infield single. Broecker walk to bring up Frank, and he doubled down the right field line to drive in Vradenburg. Two batters later, Mayes laced a two-run single up the middle for the third run of the inning and an 8-0 Spartan advantage.
Western Illinois got on the board in the sixth on a sac fly by J.R. Heavilin, and added another run in the seventh on a bases loaded RBI walk by Derek Botaletto to pull within 8-2.
After stretching and singing, the Spartans put the game away, as Busch led off getting hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt and to third on a sac bunt by Ziegler, and Ziegler was safe on a throwing error on the play. With Spartans on the corners, they perfectly executed a double steal with Busch scoring. After Farquhar walk, Jebb doubled to right to score Ziegler and move Farquhar to third. Vradenburg followed with a "walk-off" double to right center, driving in Farquhar and Jebb for the fourth run of the inning and the 12th of the game for the 12-2 run-rule Victory for MSU.
Game 2 - MSU 11, WIU 1 (8 inn.)
Along with Broecker's four hits and Frank's three hits, Jebb was 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Vradenburg was 1-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored, with one walk. Freshman infielder Randy Seymour made his first start as a Spartan in Saturday's second game, and logged his first collegiate hit in the seventh with a double down the left field line, and scored the final run of the day. Ziegler and Mayes were both 1-for-4, with Ziegler driving in three, and Farquhar was 1-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Jebb, Vradenburg, Frank and Seymour collected doubles, while Broecker and Frank were the home run hitters.
The visiting Leathernecks scored first in the second game, with an RBI double, before Powers rang up a strikeout to end the frame.
MSU didn't trail for long, as Broecker and Frank went back-to-back jacks to quickly regain control for the Spartans with a 2-1 lead.
The home team's advantage stretched to 3-1 on a Vradenburg RBI groundout, driving in Farquhar, who reached on a fielder's choice after Seymour was erased from the basepaths following a leadoff walk. Farquhar scampered around to third on a Jebb single, before Vradenburg drove him in, leaving the score 3-1.
That remained the score until the sixth, when Vradenburg started the stanza off with a walk, and two batters later Broecker singled. Frank followed with a double to plate Vradenburg, and Broecker later scored on a balk. Ziegler was up next and he grounded out, but was deep enough to allow Frank to dart home with the third run of the inning and a 6-1 Spartan lead.
MSU extended its advantage to 10-1 in the seventh with four runs on five hits, with Jebb and Vradenburg both doubling, and Broecker, Frank and Ziegler lacing singles.
After play resumed following the lengthly weather delay, the Spartans got out of the inning as freshman reliever Nolan Higgins came on in relief and got a groundout to finish the frame.
Seymour knocked his inaugural Spartan hit with one out, and after the dugout retrieved the ball for souvenir purposes, he moved up to third on a wild pitch with Farquhar at bat. Two pitches later, Farquhar knocked a single to right field for the 11th run of the game, sparking anxiously-awaited Victory For MSU celebration with the second run-rule win of the day.
Michigan State concludes its six-game stretch against non-conference competition, hosting Purdue Fort Wayne on Wednesday, April 19 in a 6:05 p.m. start time. MSU then resumes B1G action for a three-game conference series at Michigan, Friday-Sunday, April 21-23. The Spartans and Wolverines open their series on Friday at 4 p.m., followed by Saturday's middle game at 2 p.m., and wrapping up on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Fans can follow the MSU baseball action with "Watch Live," "Listen Live" and "Live Stats" links at MSUSpartans.com.
Michigan State's schedule is subject to change, stay tuned to MSUSpartans.com and @MSUBaseball on Twitter for schedule updates.
Before the clouds rolled in, it was a sun-shining bright day for MSU's Military Appreciation Game in the second contest of the twinbwill, which included the dedication of the Military Honor Chair at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field, and a motorcycle ride-in by the Rolling Thunder group, and a special National Anthem singer and first-pitch ceremony. After wearing their traditional "throwback" uniforms for game one, the Spartans wore their new Military Appreciation Day jerseys for the Military Appreciation game.
Game two saw a 1-hour, 4-minute weather delay with two outs in the top of the eighth with MSU leading 10-1, resuming at 6:35 p.m., and Michigan State added a run in the bottom of the eighth to post its second run-rule win of the day, and third run-rule win in the last six games after a 16-3 seven-inning win over Ohio State on April 8.
MSU won game one Saturday with 12 runs on 12 hits, while winning the second game with 11 runs on 14 hits, along with getting solid pitching and defense all day.
"I thought we pitched it extremely well today, and I'm really pleased with the effort out of both starters," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "Defensively we were clean, we didn't make an error all day long, and we put up two big numbers and so that's a good recipe for a doubleheader sweep."
In game one, sophomore Harrison Cook went 6.2 IP, scattering six hits, with two runs, one walk and three Ks, earning the win to improve to 4-2 on the season. In game two, junior Nick Powers went 7.2 innings of efficient baseball, and only Mother Nature could slow him down, as he did not return after the weather delay, following his three-hit, one-run, one-walk and four-strikeout outing, moving to 3-0 with the win after the career-long tying outing of 7.2 IP, matching an outing on April 11, 2021 vs. Purdue.
After six errors in Friday night's wild, 10-9 win as MSU rallied from down 8-3 in the sixth, the Spartans had zero miscues in Saturday's twinbill.
"That's what these guys are capable of," Boss said about no errors on Saturday. "Part of it, almost makes yesterday a little bit more frustrating because we know what we're capable of. Sometimes that happens and you have a bad day, thankfully we were able to overcome it and win yesterday but again, the guys start to get into a rhythm a little bit, and maybe we needed a little wake up yesterday. I think that those first couple innings really kind of shook us yesterday and so I'm glad to see that they responded today."
The two wins Saturday run MSU's win streak to six in a row and improving to 23-10 on the season, having won 12 of the last 13, going 18-3 in the last 21 games.
The Spartans improved to 9-2 at home this season, boosted by 5-0 this week along, and were treated to another solid fan support, with 1,935 Green & White fans throughout the busy day on MSU's campus that included the Izzo Legacy Run/Walk/Roll, Spartan Football Kickoff, a softball doubleheader, women's tennis action and MSU Student Admitted Day.
Great to have Coach Izzo at G1 and some @MSU_Basketball players out here at G2!! #GoGreen | #SpartanFamily https://t.co/yuUFsjy7H7 pic.twitter.com/nH19jRlYzw
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) April 15, 2023
Saturday's baseball doubleheader was MSU's sixth twinbill this season, including the fourth in the last five weekends and MSU is now 10-2 in double-dips. Last weekend's split with Ohio State snapped a six-game win streak in twinbills, as the Spartans had swept their previous three doubleheaders.
Western Illinois has now dropped five in a row with Saturday's two losses, losing 15 of its last 16, sliding to 4-26 on the season.
Junior outfielder Jack Frank was 6-for-8 on the day with five RBI and five runs scored, knocking a double and a home run in each game, finishing the day with four of his six hits going for extra bases. Sophomore catcher/infielder Bryan Broecker went back-to-back home runs with Frank in the second, with Broecker bashing a 412-foot home run into the treetops beyond left field with a homer that was 102-mph off the bat. Frank followed with a 385-foot rocket over the wall in right and into the Red Cedar River, coming off the bat at 99 mph.
Back-2-back jacks!!
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) April 15, 2023
Broecker & Frank go back-to-back w/ HRs in the 2nd innining for 2-1 lead!!#BroeckerBlast: 102 mph off bat / 412' into treetops in LF!!#FrankJack: 99 mph off bat / 385' into the Red Cedar River!!#SpartanHRs | #SpartanStrong | @BryanBroecker | @JackF_22 pic.twitter.com/nbzV72GPcJ
Broecker finished game two going 4-for-4 with three runs and two RBI, with three HRs on the weekend after bashing two in Friday night's win.
Game 1 - MSU 12, WIU 2 (7 inn.)
Cook contained the Leatherneck bats, with three 1-2-3 frames, working the second, fourth and fifth frames in order. With two outs and two on in the top of the seventh, Cook turned the ball over to redshirt-sophomore Noah Matheny for the final out, after two free passes, and ringing up a strikeout.
Along with Frank's big numbers at the plate, junior infielder Brock Vradenburg was 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored, while senior outfielder Casey Mayes was 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored. Junior infielder Trent Farquhar (1-for-2, R), junior infielder Mitch Jebb (1-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI), junior outfielder Greg Ziegler (1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI) and senior catcher Sam Thompson (1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI) contributed to the hit total. Thompson knocked his second home run of the season with a solo blast to lead off the third.
Farquhar, Jebb and Vradenburg joined Frank with doubles, while Mayes, Ziegler and sophomore designated hitter Sam Busch swiped a base, with Ziegler notching a pair of stolen bases.
After a scoreless first three frames in the opening game, MSU broke through with a run in the bottom of the third when Thompson led off the inning with a solo homer into the trees beyond the left field wall, just inside the foul pole.
Vradenbug led off the fourth with one of his two infield singles and two batters later, Frank homered to right field, clearing the wall and into the Red Cedar River.
After Anderson walked and moved to second on a wild pitch, Mayes drove him in with a single. Mayes then moved up a base on a wild pitch, and Ziegler followed with an RBI single to knock in him to complete MSU's four-run, four-hit fourth frame for a 5-0 lead.
Cook worked another 1-2-3 frame in the top of the fifth, and MSU tacked on three runs in the bottom of the stanza, as Vradenburg led off the inning after the Spartans batted around in the fourth, and knocked his second-straight infield single. Broecker walk to bring up Frank, and he doubled down the right field line to drive in Vradenburg. Two batters later, Mayes laced a two-run single up the middle for the third run of the inning and an 8-0 Spartan advantage.
Hot Corner!!!
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) April 15, 2023
Broecker can flash the leather at catcher and third base as snared line drive at 3B to end the top of the 6th.
WIU 1
MSU 8
Farquhar to lead off B6th.#GoGreen | #SpartanStrong | @BryanBroecker pic.twitter.com/TAn5eeMNBG
Western Illinois got on the board in the sixth on a sac fly by J.R. Heavilin, and added another run in the seventh on a bases loaded RBI walk by Derek Botaletto to pull within 8-2.
After stretching and singing, the Spartans put the game away, as Busch led off getting hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt and to third on a sac bunt by Ziegler, and Ziegler was safe on a throwing error on the play. With Spartans on the corners, they perfectly executed a double steal with Busch scoring. After Farquhar walk, Jebb doubled to right to score Ziegler and move Farquhar to third. Vradenburg followed with a "walk-off" double to right center, driving in Farquhar and Jebb for the fourth run of the inning and the 12th of the game for the 12-2 run-rule Victory for MSU.
VICTORY FOR MSU!!!
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) April 15, 2023
Vradenburg's 2-run doubles gives the Spartans the 10-2 run-rule win over Western Illinois in G1 of today's DH!!
G2 coming up at 3:35 with #MilitaryAppreciationDay festivities starting at 3:10!!#VictoryForMSU | #SpartanStrong | @VradenburgBrock pic.twitter.com/A2mZigV51t
Game 2 - MSU 11, WIU 1 (8 inn.)
Along with Broecker's four hits and Frank's three hits, Jebb was 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Vradenburg was 1-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored, with one walk. Freshman infielder Randy Seymour made his first start as a Spartan in Saturday's second game, and logged his first collegiate hit in the seventh with a double down the left field line, and scored the final run of the day. Ziegler and Mayes were both 1-for-4, with Ziegler driving in three, and Farquhar was 1-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Jebb, Vradenburg, Frank and Seymour collected doubles, while Broecker and Frank were the home run hitters.
The visiting Leathernecks scored first in the second game, with an RBI double, before Powers rang up a strikeout to end the frame.
MSU didn't trail for long, as Broecker and Frank went back-to-back jacks to quickly regain control for the Spartans with a 2-1 lead.
The home team's advantage stretched to 3-1 on a Vradenburg RBI groundout, driving in Farquhar, who reached on a fielder's choice after Seymour was erased from the basepaths following a leadoff walk. Farquhar scampered around to third on a Jebb single, before Vradenburg drove him in, leaving the score 3-1.
That remained the score until the sixth, when Vradenburg started the stanza off with a walk, and two batters later Broecker singled. Frank followed with a double to plate Vradenburg, and Broecker later scored on a balk. Ziegler was up next and he grounded out, but was deep enough to allow Frank to dart home with the third run of the inning and a 6-1 Spartan lead.
MSU extended its advantage to 10-1 in the seventh with four runs on five hits, with Jebb and Vradenburg both doubling, and Broecker, Frank and Ziegler lacing singles.
After play resumed following the lengthly weather delay, the Spartans got out of the inning as freshman reliever Nolan Higgins came on in relief and got a groundout to finish the frame.
Seymour knocked his inaugural Spartan hit with one out, and after the dugout retrieved the ball for souvenir purposes, he moved up to third on a wild pitch with Farquhar at bat. Two pitches later, Farquhar knocked a single to right field for the 11th run of the game, sparking anxiously-awaited Victory For MSU celebration with the second run-rule win of the day.
The first one is always memorable!!
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) April 15, 2023
Randy Seymour with his first hit as a Spartan with a double down the LF line!!
And even got the souvenir ball!! #GoGreen | #SpartanStrong | @RandySeymour14 pic.twitter.com/KzYh1lnJ1N
VICTORY FOR MSU!!!
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) April 15, 2023
Final score of G2:
Michigan State 11, Western Illinois 1 - 8 inn.
Spartans with 2nd run-rule win of the day to complete the weekend sweep over the Leathernecks!!
MSU has won 6 in a row overall, including now 10-2 in DHs!!#VictoryForMSU | #SpartanStrong pic.twitter.com/LgJI8QnNhv
Michigan State concludes its six-game stretch against non-conference competition, hosting Purdue Fort Wayne on Wednesday, April 19 in a 6:05 p.m. start time. MSU then resumes B1G action for a three-game conference series at Michigan, Friday-Sunday, April 21-23. The Spartans and Wolverines open their series on Friday at 4 p.m., followed by Saturday's middle game at 2 p.m., and wrapping up on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Fans can follow the MSU baseball action with "Watch Live," "Listen Live" and "Live Stats" links at MSUSpartans.com.
Michigan State's schedule is subject to change, stay tuned to MSUSpartans.com and @MSUBaseball on Twitter for schedule updates.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Powers, Nick (3-0)
L: Caden Kratz (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Adam Juran 1 ; Ricky Pospisil 1
RBI: Ricky Pospisil 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Adam Juran 1
Batting:
2B: Jebb, Mitch 1 ; Vradenburg, Brock 1 ; Frank, Jack 1 ; Seymour, Randy 1
HR: Broecker, Bryan 1 ; Frank, Jack 1
RBI: Farquhar, Trent 1 ; Vradenburg, Brock 2 ; Broecker, Bryan 2 ; Frank, Jack 2 ; Ziegler, Greg 3
SH: Vradenburg, Brock 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Farquhar, Trent 1 ; Jebb, Mitch 1 ; Vradenburg, Brock 2 ; Broecker, Bryan 3 ; Frank, Jack 3 ; Seymour, Randy 1
CS: Ziegler, Greg 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
3
H
4
RBI
2
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
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RHP
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INF
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OF
/ Baseball
RHP
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INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballPursuit to Greatness | Spartans All-Access
Monday, May 19
Jake Boss | Baseball Press Conference | April 17, 2025
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Jake Boss | Baseball Press Conference | Mar. 25 2025
Tuesday, March 25
Jake Boss | Baseball Press Conference | Mar. 11 2025
Tuesday, March 11