Michigan State University Athletics
Saturday, March 14
Bainton Field | Piscataway, N.J.
2 PM
Michigan State University
5-12, 1-4
9
at
3
Rutgers
10-8, 1-1
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
8th innning8
9th innning9
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
Michigan State
0
1
4
3
0
0
1
0
0
9
16
1
Rutgers
0
0
0
0
1
0
2
0
0
3
11
1
Photo by: Jeremy Fleming
Spartans Spear Scarlet Knights Saturday, 9-3
3/14/2026 7:13:00 PM | Baseball
MSU belts season-high four home runs and 16 hits.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- A season-high four home runs and 16 hits sparked Michigan State baseball to a 9-3 Victory for MSU over Rutgers Saturday afternoon in game two of the three-game Big Ten Conference weekend series at RU's Bainton Field.
The Spartans scored a combined eight runs in the second, third and fourth frames to open an 8-0 lead, knocking 16 hits as eight of the nine players in the MSU lineup had at least one hit. Four different Spartans hit a home run, including freshman infielder CJ Deckinga decking his collegiate first home run with a solo shot to lead off the fourth inning, as part of his two extra-base hits on the day with a double in the second. He finished the day 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Michigan State not only won its first B1G game of the season, but has won two of its last three games on the season, moving to 5-12 overall and 1-4 in B1G action. Rutgers is now 10-8 overall and 1-1 in B1G play.
After the Spartans had their two-game win streak over the Scarlet Knights snapped with Friday night's loss, MSU has won six of the last nine and eight of the last 12 meetings with RU, moving to 22-11 overall, including 8-6 in Piscataway.
Deckinga was one of seven Spartans with multiple hits, led by sophomore infielder Dayton Murphy, who wears jersey number three, knocking three hits going 3-for-5, including a two-run triple in the third inning.
Along with Murphy and Deckinga, sophomore outfielder Khamaree Thomas going 2-for-4 with a double, adding a run. Sophomore outfielder Isaac Sturgess was 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, sophomore catcher Adam Broski was 2-for-4 with a home run, senior infielder Randy Seymour was 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI, and junior outfielder Trent Rice was 2-for-3 with two doubles and scoring two runs.
Graduate starting pitcher Carter Monke had a masterful outing on the mound, going a season-long 7.0 IP, in tying a season-high with four strikeouts for the third-straight outing, scattering eight hits, while only allowing three runs and no walks, firing just 83 pitches with 64 strikes.
"It was a very good day for us, and Carter Monke led the way. We needed our older guys to set the example and Carter did just that. He filled up the strike zone, and he was in command right from the first pitch. He was just outstanding today," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "Offensively, we're going to keep working and keep grinding and today was a good day, and certainly something to build off heading into tomorrow. It was good to put up crooked numbers in the third innings, and get the barrel to the ball a lot of different times up and down the batting order. Our guys have been working hard offensively, and it's nice for them to see some of the results of that today."
Redshirt-freshman reliever Brady Chambers went the final 2.0 IP with just three hits and no runs, walks or strikeouts.
Seymour started the Spartans' scoring spree in the second stanza with a one-out home run, swinging at the first pitch from RU starter Zack Konstantinovsky, snapping Konstantinovsky's streak of 13-straight innings without a run allowed after two scoreless outings.
Rice sparked the rally in the third with a leadoff walk. Two batters later, Thomas singled and Rice rolled around to third. Murphy followed with his triple off the wall in left field to drive in Rice and Thomas. Sturgess singled next to plate Murphy, then Broski followed with a single to right and Sturgess scampered to third. That chased Konstantinovsky, with Jacob Pedersen coming on. Seymour welcomed Pedersen to the game with a deep fly to center for a sacrifice fly scoring Sturgess and putting MSU ahead, 5-0.
The Spartans touched up Konstantinovsky with seven hits and five runs, three earned, in just 2.1 IP, his shortest outing of the season in allowing his most hits and runs of the season in dealing him his first loss of the year, now 3-1. Konstantinovsky entered Saturday with a 1.69 ERA, having allowed a combined 10 hits and four earned runs in his four previous outings.
Deckinga led off the fourth with his home run, swinging on the first pitch for his first collegiate homer, belting it to left center.
Rice then knocked a double down the right field line, and Williams followed with a two-run home run that was sent 411-feet to left center, nearly to the same spot at Deckinga's, to increase the Spartan advantage to 8-0.
Rutgers got on the board with a run in the fifth.
Broski joined in on the home run to left center party with a solo homer to boost MSU's lead to 9-1.
RU got two runs in the bottom of the seventh to close to 9-3, before Monke ended the rally, and Chambers kept Rutgers scoreless in the final two innings to secure the Victory for MSU.
The Spartans and Scarlet Knights square off in the rubber match of the series on Sunday, with a 1 p.m. start time.
Next week, MSU makes the short trip to Ann Arbor on Wednesday, March 18 to play at Michigan in a non-conference midweek contest. First pitch from UM's Fisher Stadium is slated for 4 p.m.
The Spartans' home opener at Jeff Ishbia Field at McLane Stadium is also their Big Ten Conference home opener, hosting Iowa on Friday, March 20 at 3:35 p.m., in the first of the three-game weekend series. Game two is on Saturday, March 21, with the series finale slated for Sunday, March 22, both with 3:35 p.m. start times.
MSU's schedule is subject to 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.
The Michigan State baseball season ticket package, which includes 24 home games at Jeff Ishbia Field at McLane Stadium, and also single game 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, or fans can visit the MSU Ticket Office in person, located in 1855 Place.
The Spartans scored a combined eight runs in the second, third and fourth frames to open an 8-0 lead, knocking 16 hits as eight of the nine players in the MSU lineup had at least one hit. Four different Spartans hit a home run, including freshman infielder CJ Deckinga decking his collegiate first home run with a solo shot to lead off the fourth inning, as part of his two extra-base hits on the day with a double in the second. He finished the day 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Michigan State not only won its first B1G game of the season, but has won two of its last three games on the season, moving to 5-12 overall and 1-4 in B1G action. Rutgers is now 10-8 overall and 1-1 in B1G play.
After the Spartans had their two-game win streak over the Scarlet Knights snapped with Friday night's loss, MSU has won six of the last nine and eight of the last 12 meetings with RU, moving to 22-11 overall, including 8-6 in Piscataway.
Deckinga was one of seven Spartans with multiple hits, led by sophomore infielder Dayton Murphy, who wears jersey number three, knocking three hits going 3-for-5, including a two-run triple in the third inning.
Along with Murphy and Deckinga, sophomore outfielder Khamaree Thomas going 2-for-4 with a double, adding a run. Sophomore outfielder Isaac Sturgess was 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, sophomore catcher Adam Broski was 2-for-4 with a home run, senior infielder Randy Seymour was 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI, and junior outfielder Trent Rice was 2-for-3 with two doubles and scoring two runs.
Graduate starting pitcher Carter Monke had a masterful outing on the mound, going a season-long 7.0 IP, in tying a season-high with four strikeouts for the third-straight outing, scattering eight hits, while only allowing three runs and no walks, firing just 83 pitches with 64 strikes.
"It was a very good day for us, and Carter Monke led the way. We needed our older guys to set the example and Carter did just that. He filled up the strike zone, and he was in command right from the first pitch. He was just outstanding today," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "Offensively, we're going to keep working and keep grinding and today was a good day, and certainly something to build off heading into tomorrow. It was good to put up crooked numbers in the third innings, and get the barrel to the ball a lot of different times up and down the batting order. Our guys have been working hard offensively, and it's nice for them to see some of the results of that today."
Redshirt-freshman reliever Brady Chambers went the final 2.0 IP with just three hits and no runs, walks or strikeouts.
Seymour started the Spartans' scoring spree in the second stanza with a one-out home run, swinging at the first pitch from RU starter Zack Konstantinovsky, snapping Konstantinovsky's streak of 13-straight innings without a run allowed after two scoreless outings.
Rice sparked the rally in the third with a leadoff walk. Two batters later, Thomas singled and Rice rolled around to third. Murphy followed with his triple off the wall in left field to drive in Rice and Thomas. Sturgess singled next to plate Murphy, then Broski followed with a single to right and Sturgess scampered to third. That chased Konstantinovsky, with Jacob Pedersen coming on. Seymour welcomed Pedersen to the game with a deep fly to center for a sacrifice fly scoring Sturgess and putting MSU ahead, 5-0.
The Spartans touched up Konstantinovsky with seven hits and five runs, three earned, in just 2.1 IP, his shortest outing of the season in allowing his most hits and runs of the season in dealing him his first loss of the year, now 3-1. Konstantinovsky entered Saturday with a 1.69 ERA, having allowed a combined 10 hits and four earned runs in his four previous outings.
Deckinga led off the fourth with his home run, swinging on the first pitch for his first collegiate homer, belting it to left center.
Rice then knocked a double down the right field line, and Williams followed with a two-run home run that was sent 411-feet to left center, nearly to the same spot at Deckinga's, to increase the Spartan advantage to 8-0.
Rutgers got on the board with a run in the fifth.
Broski joined in on the home run to left center party with a solo homer to boost MSU's lead to 9-1.
RU got two runs in the bottom of the seventh to close to 9-3, before Monke ended the rally, and Chambers kept Rutgers scoreless in the final two innings to secure the Victory for MSU.
The Spartans and Scarlet Knights square off in the rubber match of the series on Sunday, with a 1 p.m. start time.
Next week, MSU makes the short trip to Ann Arbor on Wednesday, March 18 to play at Michigan in a non-conference midweek contest. First pitch from UM's Fisher Stadium is slated for 4 p.m.
The Spartans' home opener at Jeff Ishbia Field at McLane Stadium is also their Big Ten Conference home opener, hosting Iowa on Friday, March 20 at 3:35 p.m., in the first of the three-game weekend series. Game two is on Saturday, March 21, with the series finale slated for Sunday, March 22, both with 3:35 p.m. start times.
MSU's schedule is subject to 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.
The Michigan State baseball season ticket package, which includes 24 home games at Jeff Ishbia Field at McLane Stadium, and also single game 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, or fans can visit the MSU Ticket Office in person, located in 1855 Place.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Monke, Carter (2-2)
L: Zack Konstantinovsk (3-1)
Batting:
2B: Thomas, Khamaree 1 ; Deckinga, CJ 1 ; Rice, Trent 2
3B: Murphy, Dayton 1
HR: Williams, Nick 1 ; Broski, Adam 1 ; Seymour, Randy 1 ; Deckinga, CJ 1
RBI: Williams, Nick 2 ; Murphy, Dayton 2 ; Sturgess, Isaac 1 ; Broski, Adam 1 ; Seymour, Randy 2 ; Deckinga, CJ 1
SF: Seymour, Randy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Williams, Nick 1 ; Thomas, Khamaree 1 ; Murphy, Dayton 1 ; Sturgess, Isaac 1 ; Broski, Adam 1 ; Seymour, Randy 1 ; Deckinga, CJ 1 ; Rice, Trent 2
SB: Sturgess, Isaac 1 ; Seymour, Randy 1
CS: Sturgess, Isaac 1
HBP: Seymour, Randy 1
PO: Sturgess, Isaac 1
Batting:
2B: Peyton Bonds 1 ; Ryan Jaros 2 ; Quinten Perilli 1
RBI: Peyton Bonds 1 ; Quinten Perilli 1 ; Joey Erace 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ryan Jaros 2 ; Joey Erace 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballOF/LHP
/ BaseballOF
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