Sunday, March 31
McLane Stadium at Kobs Field | East Lansing, Mich.
1:05 PM
Michigan State University
12-14, 3-3
3
vs
2
Rutgers
19-9, 1-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Rutgers
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
9
0
Michigan State
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
1
3
13
1
Photo by: MSU Baseball Social Squad
Spartans Walk-Off Scarlet Knights Sunday With 3-2 Victory For MSU
3/31/2024 6:11:00 PM | Baseball
Ryan McKay drives in Nick Williams with game-winning run as Green & White rally from 2-0 deficit.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Ryan McKay's game-winning RBI single drove in Nick Williams from second with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth as Michigan State baseball posted a 3-2 walk-off Victory for MSU over Rutgers Sunday afternoon at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field.
Sunday's walk-off win clinches the Big Ten Conference home-opening series, two games to one, as the Spartans have won the last three series with the Scarlet Knights. MSU and RU also met in the Spartans' 2016 B1G series opener, and also won that series. Michigan State has won five of the seven Big Ten series with Rutgers, leading the series, 14-8 as B1G foes, and 21-10 all-time. The Green & White have won three of the last four meetings dating to back the Spartans knocking off the Scarlet Knights in last season's B1G Tournament. MSU has also beaten RU in seven of the last 10 overall meetings.
With Sunday's win, MSU has won three of its last four games in moving to 12-14 overall and now have a 3-3 B1G record. Rutgers is 19-9 overall and 1-2 in B1G play after the Scarlet Knights' conference opening weekend.
MSU flipped the script from Friday's loss, when the Spartans had a 2-0 lead after the first ending, before the Scarlet Knights scored two in the eighth and two in the ninth for the win.Â
On Sunday, it was Rutgers that scored early, taking a 1-0 lead in the third, before adding another run in the seventh for a 2-0 advantage. Michigan State tied it up with two in the seventh, setting the stage for freshman infielder McKay's heroics in the ninth.
Junior outfielder N.Williams smacked a two-out double to left center, and after a pitching change, McKay battled, fighting off an 0-2 pitch by just getting a piece of it. Â
McKay laced the next pitch to the gap in right center and N.Williams scampered around third to score and spark the Victory for MSU celebrations, with the Spartan team mobbing McKay near second base.
"Honestly I was thinking about a few innings prior when it was bases loaded, there was one out, and I should've done the job and put a ball in play, so I was happy to be in that spot to maybe help out the team. He threw me two curve balls that I took some questionable swings on, so I scooched up in the box assuming I would get another one and then he hung one and I just put a good swing on it," McKay said. "Nick had a heck of an at bat before with that double and allowed that to be the winning run, so all props to Nick too."
McKay wasn't sure what all happened after his walk-off hit.
"I don't even remember anything, I think my necklace got ripped off, but it was fun for the first time," a jubilant McKay said about his first walk-off in a Spartan uniform. "I've never had a feeling like that honestly. I might have had walk-offs in the past, but nothing beats what just happened."Â
The walk-off and celebration will leave a lasting impression on the first-year Spartan.
"I am really blessed to be put in a spot as a freshman and Coach Boss thankfully trusts me, so just to be on the field living my ten-year-old self dream, it's… it's a blessing," McKay said.
McKay finished the day 2-for-5 with the GW RBI, and was one of four Spartans with multiple hits, joined by classmate, outfielder Landen Lozier who was 3-for-5. Senior outfielder Greg Ziegler and redshirt-sophomore infielder Jacob Anderson were both 2-for-4, with Anderson scoring a run in the seventh on an RBI double by Lozier. Senior outfielder Jack Frank was 1-for-2 with the RBI, and was walked three times. Senior infielder Dillon Kark and junior catcher Noah Bright added hits.
Frank also had one stolen base, giving him two for the weekend, 13 for the season and 46 stolen bases for his career. The 46 swipes moves Frank up to tie for No. 6 on MSU's career stolen base list, joining Steve Money (1991-94) and Steve Preston (1986-88).
On the mound, graduate starter Nick Ferazzi went 7.0 IP, scattering seven hits with two strikeouts, while allowing just two runs to the Scarlet Knights. Freshman Logan Pikur pitched the eighth and ninth, keeping RU's bats quiet with only one hit over the 2.0 IP, ringing up one K.
"I thought Nick did a really nice job today," Boss said. "He got us deep into the game and it was getting to a point the decision was not whether to run him back out and continue the game, I didn't want him to face the order one more time, at the top of the order so we had a little bit of a longer inning with him sitting so we went to Pikur. Logan did a great job too, he didn't give up a hard-hit ball, unlucky on the first one, we got an out on the bunt and just got in there and competed. "
Ferazzi's outing completed a solid weekend by the Spartan pitchers, behind sophomore starter Joseph Dzierwa on Friday, senior starter Nick Powers on Saturday and Ferazzi on Sunday.Â
"I mean Joseph, I know he wasn't feeling himself, he was pretty sick and the fact that he did that Friday was huge for us when he wasn't feeling good," McKay said. "Then Nick Powers was absolutely unreal yesterday and then Nick Ferazzi today was great. To have such little runs for the other team helps us as an offense so much more, we're really blessed with the starting pitchers we have."
The Spartan pitching and defense stymied the Scarlet Knight bats, who entered the weekend leading the B1G and ranking second in the nation in hits at 12.3 pg and leading the conference and ranking second in the conference in runs at 9.1 pg. The MSU pitchers and defense held RU to 9.3 hits and 2.7 runs per game for the weekend.
"Rutgers is really good. From one through nine there's not an easy out in that lineup, if you look at the numbers, they're gaudy numbers," Boss said. "Our guys locate them really, really well. Our pitching coach (Mark Van Ameyde) isn't here with us now either, he's recovering from a kidney transplant, but he's still working for us, and he put together a pretty good plan for these guys, as far as the scouting report is concerned, and those guys executed the plan."
Rutgers got on the board first with a run in the third on an RBI single for the early 1-0 lead.
The Spartans threatened to tie it up or even take the lead in the home half of the third, loading the bases with one out after leadoff singles by Lozier and Ziegler, followed by a sac bunt by Kark and an intentional walk to Frank. Two batters later, McKay smacked it back up the middle, but RU starting pitcher Zack Konstantinovsky got a glove on it to deflect it to third baseman Tony Santa Maria, who bare-handed and threw to first to nab McKay by half a step, turning what could have been an least one run if not two runs in, into and inning-ending and rally-snuffing out, leaving the score 1-0.
After the Scarlet Knights took a 2-0 lead in the top of the seventh, the Spartans rallied. Anderson led off with a double and two batters later, Lozier traded places with him on an RBI double. After an RU pitching change, Kark reached on an infield single, and Frank followed with an RBI single up the middle to plate Lozier and tie it up at 2-all.
Pikur took over in the eighth and worked around a leadoff single and later a two-out infield single to put two on, but got out of the jam by inducing a lineout to left.Â
After a busy top of the eighth, Pikur settled in for a quick 1-2-3 ninth, sandwiching a pair of groundouts around a strikeout.
Two Spartan strikeouts made for two quick outs in the bottom of the ninth, before N.Williams knocked his double and McKay followed with the walk-off for the Victory for MSU.
Michigan State is scheduled for its second-straight five-game week, opening Tuesday, April 2 at Notre Dame. First pitch from South Bend, Ind. is slated for 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 3 is the annual Crosstown Showdown when MSU meets the Lansing Lugnuts, the A-affiliate of the Oakland A's, in an exhibition contest. First pitch from Jackson Field is at 6:05 p.m.
The Spartans return home to host Niagara in a three-game non-conference series, Friday-Sunday, April 5-7. Friday's series opener is at 6:05 p.m., before Saturday's game two at 3:35 and Sunday's series finale at 1:05 p.m.
Fans can follow this week's action with "Tickets," "Watch Live," "Listen Live" and "Live Stats" links at MSUSpartans.com.Â
The schedule is subject to change based on weather.
---------
For the first time ever, Michigan State baseball fans have the ability to purchase season tickets.
Season tickets packages are on sale through the Spartan Ticket Office. The MSU baseball season ticket package, which includes 24 home games at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field, is available for $50.Â
All ticket levels for seniors, adults and children are the same price. Admission remains free for all Michigan State students by showing their MSU ID at the entry gate.
The 2024 Spartan baseball season includes Big Ten match-ups against Rutgers, Penn State and Nebraska, along with regional clashes with Central Michigan, Oakland and Notre Dame, in addition to giving fans admission to all three home games of baseball Rivalry Week against Michigan.
Individual game tickets will go on sale later this spring.
Fans can contact the Spartan Ticket Office at 517-355-1610 or by email at tickets@msu.edu for questions or more information. A direct link to purchase season tickets is here.
Â
Walk-off VICTORY FOR MSU!!
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) March 31, 2024
McKay with a single getting Nick Williams across home plate, securing the game for the Spartans!!!
Final Score:
Michigan State 3, Rutgers 2
The series ends with the Spartans 2-1#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/DO6rhdWFuQ
Sunday's walk-off win clinches the Big Ten Conference home-opening series, two games to one, as the Spartans have won the last three series with the Scarlet Knights. MSU and RU also met in the Spartans' 2016 B1G series opener, and also won that series. Michigan State has won five of the seven Big Ten series with Rutgers, leading the series, 14-8 as B1G foes, and 21-10 all-time. The Green & White have won three of the last four meetings dating to back the Spartans knocking off the Scarlet Knights in last season's B1G Tournament. MSU has also beaten RU in seven of the last 10 overall meetings.
With Sunday's win, MSU has won three of its last four games in moving to 12-14 overall and now have a 3-3 B1G record. Rutgers is 19-9 overall and 1-2 in B1G play after the Scarlet Knights' conference opening weekend.
MSU flipped the script from Friday's loss, when the Spartans had a 2-0 lead after the first ending, before the Scarlet Knights scored two in the eighth and two in the ninth for the win.Â
On Sunday, it was Rutgers that scored early, taking a 1-0 lead in the third, before adding another run in the seventh for a 2-0 advantage. Michigan State tied it up with two in the seventh, setting the stage for freshman infielder McKay's heroics in the ninth.
Junior outfielder N.Williams smacked a two-out double to left center, and after a pitching change, McKay battled, fighting off an 0-2 pitch by just getting a piece of it. Â
McKay laced the next pitch to the gap in right center and N.Williams scampered around third to score and spark the Victory for MSU celebrations, with the Spartan team mobbing McKay near second base.
"Honestly I was thinking about a few innings prior when it was bases loaded, there was one out, and I should've done the job and put a ball in play, so I was happy to be in that spot to maybe help out the team. He threw me two curve balls that I took some questionable swings on, so I scooched up in the box assuming I would get another one and then he hung one and I just put a good swing on it," McKay said. "Nick had a heck of an at bat before with that double and allowed that to be the winning run, so all props to Nick too."
McKay wasn't sure what all happened after his walk-off hit.
"I don't even remember anything, I think my necklace got ripped off, but it was fun for the first time," a jubilant McKay said about his first walk-off in a Spartan uniform. "I've never had a feeling like that honestly. I might have had walk-offs in the past, but nothing beats what just happened."Â
The walk-off and celebration will leave a lasting impression on the first-year Spartan.
"I am really blessed to be put in a spot as a freshman and Coach Boss thankfully trusts me, so just to be on the field living my ten-year-old self dream, it's… it's a blessing," McKay said.
McKay finished the day 2-for-5 with the GW RBI, and was one of four Spartans with multiple hits, joined by classmate, outfielder Landen Lozier who was 3-for-5. Senior outfielder Greg Ziegler and redshirt-sophomore infielder Jacob Anderson were both 2-for-4, with Anderson scoring a run in the seventh on an RBI double by Lozier. Senior outfielder Jack Frank was 1-for-2 with the RBI, and was walked three times. Senior infielder Dillon Kark and junior catcher Noah Bright added hits.
Frank also had one stolen base, giving him two for the weekend, 13 for the season and 46 stolen bases for his career. The 46 swipes moves Frank up to tie for No. 6 on MSU's career stolen base list, joining Steve Money (1991-94) and Steve Preston (1986-88).
On the mound, graduate starter Nick Ferazzi went 7.0 IP, scattering seven hits with two strikeouts, while allowing just two runs to the Scarlet Knights. Freshman Logan Pikur pitched the eighth and ninth, keeping RU's bats quiet with only one hit over the 2.0 IP, ringing up one K.
"I thought Nick did a really nice job today," Boss said. "He got us deep into the game and it was getting to a point the decision was not whether to run him back out and continue the game, I didn't want him to face the order one more time, at the top of the order so we had a little bit of a longer inning with him sitting so we went to Pikur. Logan did a great job too, he didn't give up a hard-hit ball, unlucky on the first one, we got an out on the bunt and just got in there and competed. "
Ferazzi's outing completed a solid weekend by the Spartan pitchers, behind sophomore starter Joseph Dzierwa on Friday, senior starter Nick Powers on Saturday and Ferazzi on Sunday.Â
"I mean Joseph, I know he wasn't feeling himself, he was pretty sick and the fact that he did that Friday was huge for us when he wasn't feeling good," McKay said. "Then Nick Powers was absolutely unreal yesterday and then Nick Ferazzi today was great. To have such little runs for the other team helps us as an offense so much more, we're really blessed with the starting pitchers we have."
The Spartan pitching and defense stymied the Scarlet Knight bats, who entered the weekend leading the B1G and ranking second in the nation in hits at 12.3 pg and leading the conference and ranking second in the conference in runs at 9.1 pg. The MSU pitchers and defense held RU to 9.3 hits and 2.7 runs per game for the weekend.
"Rutgers is really good. From one through nine there's not an easy out in that lineup, if you look at the numbers, they're gaudy numbers," Boss said. "Our guys locate them really, really well. Our pitching coach (Mark Van Ameyde) isn't here with us now either, he's recovering from a kidney transplant, but he's still working for us, and he put together a pretty good plan for these guys, as far as the scouting report is concerned, and those guys executed the plan."
Rutgers got on the board first with a run in the third on an RBI single for the early 1-0 lead.
The Spartans threatened to tie it up or even take the lead in the home half of the third, loading the bases with one out after leadoff singles by Lozier and Ziegler, followed by a sac bunt by Kark and an intentional walk to Frank. Two batters later, McKay smacked it back up the middle, but RU starting pitcher Zack Konstantinovsky got a glove on it to deflect it to third baseman Tony Santa Maria, who bare-handed and threw to first to nab McKay by half a step, turning what could have been an least one run if not two runs in, into and inning-ending and rally-snuffing out, leaving the score 1-0.
After the Scarlet Knights took a 2-0 lead in the top of the seventh, the Spartans rallied. Anderson led off with a double and two batters later, Lozier traded places with him on an RBI double. After an RU pitching change, Kark reached on an infield single, and Frank followed with an RBI single up the middle to plate Lozier and tie it up at 2-all.
Jack Frank with a single to get Lozier across home plate to tie the game!#GoGreen | @JackF_22 @LandenLozier pic.twitter.com/DzijVlbaDF
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) March 31, 2024
Pikur took over in the eighth and worked around a leadoff single and later a two-out infield single to put two on, but got out of the jam by inducing a lineout to left.Â
After a busy top of the eighth, Pikur settled in for a quick 1-2-3 ninth, sandwiching a pair of groundouts around a strikeout.
Two Spartan strikeouts made for two quick outs in the bottom of the ninth, before N.Williams knocked his double and McKay followed with the walk-off for the Victory for MSU.
Michigan State is scheduled for its second-straight five-game week, opening Tuesday, April 2 at Notre Dame. First pitch from South Bend, Ind. is slated for 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 3 is the annual Crosstown Showdown when MSU meets the Lansing Lugnuts, the A-affiliate of the Oakland A's, in an exhibition contest. First pitch from Jackson Field is at 6:05 p.m.
The Spartans return home to host Niagara in a three-game non-conference series, Friday-Sunday, April 5-7. Friday's series opener is at 6:05 p.m., before Saturday's game two at 3:35 and Sunday's series finale at 1:05 p.m.
Fans can follow this week's action with "Tickets," "Watch Live," "Listen Live" and "Live Stats" links at MSUSpartans.com.Â
The schedule is subject to change based on weather.
---------
For the first time ever, Michigan State baseball fans have the ability to purchase season tickets.
Season tickets packages are on sale through the Spartan Ticket Office. The MSU baseball season ticket package, which includes 24 home games at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field, is available for $50.Â
All ticket levels for seniors, adults and children are the same price. Admission remains free for all Michigan State students by showing their MSU ID at the entry gate.
The 2024 Spartan baseball season includes Big Ten match-ups against Rutgers, Penn State and Nebraska, along with regional clashes with Central Michigan, Oakland and Notre Dame, in addition to giving fans admission to all three home games of baseball Rivalry Week against Michigan.
Individual game tickets will go on sale later this spring.
Fans can contact the Spartan Ticket Office at 517-355-1610 or by email at tickets@msu.edu for questions or more information. A direct link to purchase season tickets is here.
Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Pikur, Logan (2-0)
L: Ben Gorski (3-2)
Batting:
2B: Trevor Cohen 1
RBI: Trevor Cohen 1 ; Josh Kuroda-Grauer 1
SH: Johnny Volpe 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Trevor Cohen 1 ; Jackson Natili 1
SB: Trevor Cohen 1 ; Josh Kuroda-Grauer 1
HBP: Jackson Natili 1
Batting:
2B: Lozier, Landen 1 ; Williams, Nick 1 ; Anderson, Jacob 1
RBI: Lozier, Landen 1 ; Frank, Jack 1 ; McKay, Ryan 1
SH: Kark, Dillon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lozier, Landen 1 ; Williams, Nick 1 ; Anderson, Jacob 1
SB: Frank, Jack 1
CS: Lozier, Landen 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
5
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballPursuit to Greatness | Spartans All-Access
Monday, May 19
Jake Boss | Baseball Press Conference | April 17, 2025
Thursday, April 17
Jake Boss | Baseball Press Conference | Mar. 25 2025
Tuesday, March 25
Jake Boss | Baseball Press Conference | Mar. 11 2025
Tuesday, March 11