Sunday, April 27
Ann Arbor, Mich.
1:02 PM
Michigan State University
23-19, 9-12
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27-17, 11-10
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Michigan State
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Michigan
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Photo by: MSU Baseball Social Squad
MSU Comeback Falls Short Sunday In Series Finale At UM
4/27/2025 7:56:00 PM | Baseball
Spartans rally from early deficit before ninth-inning comeback is squelched.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan State baseball rallied from an early deficit and had the tying run at bat in the ninth inning when the rally and the game ended, falling at Michigan, 6-5, on Sunday afternoon in the series finale of the three-game Big Ten Conference series at UM's Ray Fisher Stadium.
After being down 6-0 after the first inning, the Spartans mounted a comeback with a run in the third, one in the fifth, and another in the seventh, coming on a solo home run by senior infielder Sam Busch to close to 6-3. The Spartans remained down by three going to the top of the ninth, when senior pinch-hitter Will Shannon and junior infielder Randy Seymour both belted solo home runs to pull MSU within 6-5.
That brought Busch to the plate, and his line drive was snagged by a diving UM second baseman playing the defensive shift in shallow right field, to squelch the Spartan rally and the game.
MSU finished with 10 hits, including five extra-base hits, as along with the trio of home runs, sophomore infielder Ryan McKay, graduate catcher Caleb Berry and senior outfielder JT Sokolove knocked doubles. UM had 11 hits, with only one extra-base hit, a double and both teams left eight runners on base.
After Michigan scored its six runs in the first inning, Michigan State's bullpen stymied UM's bats, allowing only seven hits, no runs and striking out seven the remaining 7.2 innings.
"I thought our bullpen was outstanding today," Boss said. "To be down 6-0 in the first with only one out basically, for our bullpen to come in and do what they did I thought was outstanding. That was a tough spot to come in with zero room for error in order for us to have a chance, and those guys were lights out, and threw up zeros for the rest of the ballgame."
Junior starter Nolan Higgins yielded four hits and was replaced with the score 5-0 with two runners on base with one out. Sophomore Garrett Brewer came on and rang up a strikeout against his first UM batter. He allowed an RBI single, but then induced a groundout to put an end to the Wolverines' rally and the first inning. Brewer went on to ring up a career-high five strikeouts in 2.2 IP, with two hits, no runs and no walks. He retired six in a row, including three-straight Ks, spanning the last two outs of the second stanza and the first out of the third inning.
"I thought Garrett was huge today," Boss said. "He came in with runners on base and that was a huge spot in the game, albeit in the bottom of the first inning, but for him to kind of shut the door on that rally and keep it where it was, and then go out and throw two more innings with five strikeouts, he was great today. He forced those guys to put the ball in play, he didn't walk anybody or give up any freebies or anything like that, obviously, that's what we needed him to do and he was huge in that spot."
Brewer and the other relievers that followed, sophomore Logan Pikur (3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K), sophomore Gannon Grundman (1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K) and junior Tommy Szczepanski (0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K) were able to hold the Wolverines in check, to allow the Spartan offense to get going, as the Green & White scratched and clawed to the very last out.
"Our offense has been scuffling for the last week, basically, and we got a couple barrels to the ball in the ninth, and gave ourselves a chance," Boss said. "It's a good group of guys and a high character group of guys that compete their tails off and I expect nothing less out of them. Unfortunately, we were able to kind of chip away and put ourselves in position to tie the game in the ninth, and unfortunately we couldn't get it done."
MSU had two big hits in the ninth, including Shannon leading off with a pinch-hit home run that was tagged at 430-feet going 109 mph off the bat, to straight away center field, high off the giant batter's eye at Ray Fisher Stadium. Two batters later, Seymour followed with a home run also to center off the batter's eye.Â
"The energy was great in the ninth inning," Boss said. "We talked about it after the game, I'm not quite sure why we didn't have that same energy on Friday and Saturday, but to our guys' credit, the energy was fantastic in the ninth, and the message was just to keep passing it to the next guy, and we got Sam up there with an opportunity, and he's obviously our best power guy and he just missed, and that's the way the game goes. I thought the energy was great, now the challenge is just to bring that in the first inning, as I don't think we did that on Tuesday, and I don't really feel like we did that on Friday or Saturday either. So I think each guy kind of needs to look into himself a little bit and make sure that we're able to keep that consistent kind of approach throughout the game."
For Busch, it was his team-leading 12th home run of the season and also his 26th of his career, moving up to tie for No. 7 on MSU's career HR list, joining a five-way tie for seventh that includes former teammate Jack Frank (2020-24), in addition to Sean Walker (2004-07), James Moreno (2001-04) and Scott Ayotte (1992-95).
McKay ended 3-for-5 with two runs scored, while Busch finished 1-for-3 with the homer and two walks. Seymour was 1-for-4 with his HR, while Dresslehouse was 1-for-3 and Berry was 1-for-5 with an RBI double in the third. Sokolove and freshman infielder Dayton Murphy were both 1-for-4, and both also added solid defensive plays in the game to keep MSU in the game.
Michigan bolted out of the gates with six runs in the Wolverines' opening at bat.
Michigan State got a run back in the top of the third as McKay led off by lacing a double down the left field line. Two batters later, Berry mirrored McKay and traded places with him to get MSU on board.
The Spartans scored another run in the fifth, as McKay reached on a 1-out bunt single, and two batters later, McKay scampered around to score on a Michigan fielding error on a Berry fly ball to left field, pulling MSU within, 6-2.
The Busch blast came in the seventh, smacking the ball down the right field line and just inside the foul pole to cut the gap to 6-3, setting up the ninth-inning comeback drama from Shannon and Seymour, before the rally and game came to a close.
With the loss, MSU is now 23-19 overall and 9-12 in Big Ten action. UM moves to 27-17 overall and 11-10 in B1G play. The home team in the Spartan-Wolverine series has now won the last three series.Â
Michigan State now has the week of April 28 off of games due to finals on campus, returning to action Friday-Sunday, May 2-4 vs. Oregon in a three-game Big Ten weekend series.
The series opens on Friday, May 2 at 6:02 p.m., before game two of the series on Saturday, May 3 at 3:32 p.m., and concludes on Sunday, May 4 at 11:32 a.m.
The Spartans' schedule is subject to further change, fans can stay tuned to MSUSpartans.com and @MSUBaseball on Twitter for schedule updates, along with follow action with "Watch Live," "Listen Live" and "Live Stats" links where available.
Michigan State baseball tickets are available online at msuspartans.evenue.net, by contacting the Spartan Ticket Office at 517-355-1610 or by email at tickets@msu.edu for questions or more information.
Â
After being down 6-0 after the first inning, the Spartans mounted a comeback with a run in the third, one in the fifth, and another in the seventh, coming on a solo home run by senior infielder Sam Busch to close to 6-3. The Spartans remained down by three going to the top of the ninth, when senior pinch-hitter Will Shannon and junior infielder Randy Seymour both belted solo home runs to pull MSU within 6-5.
That brought Busch to the plate, and his line drive was snagged by a diving UM second baseman playing the defensive shift in shallow right field, to squelch the Spartan rally and the game.
MSU finished with 10 hits, including five extra-base hits, as along with the trio of home runs, sophomore infielder Ryan McKay, graduate catcher Caleb Berry and senior outfielder JT Sokolove knocked doubles. UM had 11 hits, with only one extra-base hit, a double and both teams left eight runners on base.
After Michigan scored its six runs in the first inning, Michigan State's bullpen stymied UM's bats, allowing only seven hits, no runs and striking out seven the remaining 7.2 innings.
"I thought our bullpen was outstanding today," Boss said. "To be down 6-0 in the first with only one out basically, for our bullpen to come in and do what they did I thought was outstanding. That was a tough spot to come in with zero room for error in order for us to have a chance, and those guys were lights out, and threw up zeros for the rest of the ballgame."
Junior starter Nolan Higgins yielded four hits and was replaced with the score 5-0 with two runners on base with one out. Sophomore Garrett Brewer came on and rang up a strikeout against his first UM batter. He allowed an RBI single, but then induced a groundout to put an end to the Wolverines' rally and the first inning. Brewer went on to ring up a career-high five strikeouts in 2.2 IP, with two hits, no runs and no walks. He retired six in a row, including three-straight Ks, spanning the last two outs of the second stanza and the first out of the third inning.
"I thought Garrett was huge today," Boss said. "He came in with runners on base and that was a huge spot in the game, albeit in the bottom of the first inning, but for him to kind of shut the door on that rally and keep it where it was, and then go out and throw two more innings with five strikeouts, he was great today. He forced those guys to put the ball in play, he didn't walk anybody or give up any freebies or anything like that, obviously, that's what we needed him to do and he was huge in that spot."
Brewer and the other relievers that followed, sophomore Logan Pikur (3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K), sophomore Gannon Grundman (1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K) and junior Tommy Szczepanski (0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K) were able to hold the Wolverines in check, to allow the Spartan offense to get going, as the Green & White scratched and clawed to the very last out.
"Our offense has been scuffling for the last week, basically, and we got a couple barrels to the ball in the ninth, and gave ourselves a chance," Boss said. "It's a good group of guys and a high character group of guys that compete their tails off and I expect nothing less out of them. Unfortunately, we were able to kind of chip away and put ourselves in position to tie the game in the ninth, and unfortunately we couldn't get it done."
MSU had two big hits in the ninth, including Shannon leading off with a pinch-hit home run that was tagged at 430-feet going 109 mph off the bat, to straight away center field, high off the giant batter's eye at Ray Fisher Stadium. Two batters later, Seymour followed with a home run also to center off the batter's eye.Â
In a match of Wills, it's the Spartan Will Shannon that comes out ahead with a pinch-hit HR off UM reliever Will Rogers!
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) April 27, 2025
A pinch-hit homer halfway up the batter's eye!
MSU 4
UM 6#GoGreen | @wshannon21 pic.twitter.com/cBITSDWy9N
"The energy was great in the ninth inning," Boss said. "We talked about it after the game, I'm not quite sure why we didn't have that same energy on Friday and Saturday, but to our guys' credit, the energy was fantastic in the ninth, and the message was just to keep passing it to the next guy, and we got Sam up there with an opportunity, and he's obviously our best power guy and he just missed, and that's the way the game goes. I thought the energy was great, now the challenge is just to bring that in the first inning, as I don't think we did that on Tuesday, and I don't really feel like we did that on Friday or Saturday either. So I think each guy kind of needs to look into himself a little bit and make sure that we're able to keep that consistent kind of approach throughout the game."
SPARTAN Home Run!
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) April 27, 2025
Sam Busch w/ a solo #BuschBlast just inside RF foul pole for his 12th HR of season.
It's his 26th of career - moving up to tie for No. 7 on MSU career HR list!#GoGreen | @Samwbusch pic.twitter.com/PEyjF5SZeZ
For Busch, it was his team-leading 12th home run of the season and also his 26th of his career, moving up to tie for No. 7 on MSU's career HR list, joining a five-way tie for seventh that includes former teammate Jack Frank (2020-24), in addition to Sean Walker (2004-07), James Moreno (2001-04) and Scott Ayotte (1992-95).
McKay ended 3-for-5 with two runs scored, while Busch finished 1-for-3 with the homer and two walks. Seymour was 1-for-4 with his HR, while Dresslehouse was 1-for-3 and Berry was 1-for-5 with an RBI double in the third. Sokolove and freshman infielder Dayton Murphy were both 1-for-4, and both also added solid defensive plays in the game to keep MSU in the game.
What a play by Murphy!!
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) April 27, 2025
A diving stop, and throws to 2nd from his knees to get the runner!#GoGreen | @daytonmurph pic.twitter.com/7Wf5tOJr5d
Michigan bolted out of the gates with six runs in the Wolverines' opening at bat.
Michigan State got a run back in the top of the third as McKay led off by lacing a double down the left field line. Two batters later, Berry mirrored McKay and traded places with him to get MSU on board.
The Spartans scored another run in the fifth, as McKay reached on a 1-out bunt single, and two batters later, McKay scampered around to score on a Michigan fielding error on a Berry fly ball to left field, pulling MSU within, 6-2.
The Busch blast came in the seventh, smacking the ball down the right field line and just inside the foul pole to cut the gap to 6-3, setting up the ninth-inning comeback drama from Shannon and Seymour, before the rally and game came to a close.
See you later Seymour!!!
— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) April 27, 2025
Randy Seymour smacks a solo homer off the batter's eye in CF!!!
MSU 5
UM 6
1 out, T9th#GoGreen | @RandySeymour14 pic.twitter.com/qtT7OyvkBu
With the loss, MSU is now 23-19 overall and 9-12 in Big Ten action. UM moves to 27-17 overall and 11-10 in B1G play. The home team in the Spartan-Wolverine series has now won the last three series.Â
Michigan State now has the week of April 28 off of games due to finals on campus, returning to action Friday-Sunday, May 2-4 vs. Oregon in a three-game Big Ten weekend series.
The series opens on Friday, May 2 at 6:02 p.m., before game two of the series on Saturday, May 3 at 3:32 p.m., and concludes on Sunday, May 4 at 11:32 a.m.
The Spartans' schedule is subject to further change, fans can stay tuned to MSUSpartans.com and @MSUBaseball on Twitter for schedule updates, along with follow action with "Watch Live," "Listen Live" and "Live Stats" links where available.
Michigan State baseball tickets are available online at msuspartans.evenue.net, by contacting the Spartan Ticket Office at 517-355-1610 or by email at tickets@msu.edu for questions or more information.
Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Tate Carey (7-0)
L: Higgins, Nolan (3-4)
S: Will Rogers (7)
Batting:
2B: McKay, Ryan 1 ; Berry, Caleb 1 ; Sokolove, JT 1
HR: Seymour, Randy 1 ; Busch, Sam 1 ; Shannon, Will 1
RBI: Seymour, Randy 1 ; Berry, Caleb 1 ; Busch, Sam 1 ; Shannon, Will 1
SH: Seymour, Randy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: McKay, Ryan 2 ; Seymour, Randy 1 ; Busch, Sam 1 ; Shannon, Will 1
Batting:
2B: Keegan O'Hearn 1
RBI: Benjamin Casillas 1 ; Jeter Ybarra 2 ; Matt Spear 2 ; Keegan O'Hearn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Benjamin Casillas 1 ; Mitch Voit 1 ; Cole Caruso 1 ; Jeter Ybarra 1 ; Jonathan Kim 1 ; Matt Spear 1
CS: Brayden Jefferis 1 ; Cole Caruso 1
HBP: Mitch Voit 1 ; Jonathan Kim 1 ; Keegan O'Hearn 1
Game Leaders
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RBI
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AB
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RBI
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Players Mentioned
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/ BaseballINF
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/ 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