Michigan State University Athletics
Sunday, March 29
1:02 PM
Michigan State University
9-17, 4-8
4
vs
11
Purdue
19-8, 7-5
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
8th innning8
9th innning9
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
Purdue
0
1
6
2
0
0
2
0
0
11
13
1
Michigan State
1
0
2
0
0
0
0
1
0
4
8
1
Photo by: Erin Grady/MSU Athletic Communications
MSU Downed By Purdue Sunday In Series Finale
3/29/2026 8:21:00 PM | Baseball
Spartans drop rubber match with Boilermakers.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State baseball was downed by Purdue on Sunday afternoon at Jeff Ishbia Field at McLane Stadium in the rubber match of the three-game Big Ten Conference series by a final score of 11-4.
The Spartans won Friday's opener, 2-0, before the Boilermakers bounced back on Saturday to win a wild, see-saw slugfest, 16-13, setting up Sunday's rubber match.
MSU scored a run in its first at bat in the home half of the opening frame, before Purdue countered with a run in the top of the second to tie it up. The Boilermakers then plated six runs in the third to open a 7-1 lead. The Spartans got two runs back in the bottom of the third, but the Boilermakers scored two in the top of the fourth for a 9-3 lead. That remained the score until the seventh, when Purdue plated another pair for an 11-3 advantage. MSU got a run back in the eighth to close within 11-4, but no closer.
The game had a nearly 30 minute delay before the top of the fifth inning after an injury to the home plate umpire earlier in the game forced him to leave the game and the umpires rotated and replaced him behind the plate and finished the game with a three-man crew.
Purdue won the series, 2-1, as the Spartans were beaten by the Boilermakers in a home three-game series for the first time since 2009. Purdue has won the last two series with Michigan State, after the Spartans had won the previous six series of three games between the two teams.
With Sunday's result, MSU is now 9-17 overall and 4-8 in B1G action, while Purdue improves to 19-9 overall and 7-5 in B1G play. The Boilermakers have now won five of the last six games and nine of the 12 in the series, cutting MSU's all-time lead to 88-82, including 46-33 in East Lansing.
MSU's 1-6 hitters in the lineup all had at least one hit, led by sophomore outfielder Khamaree Thomas going 2-for-5 with two runs scored, while sophomore infielder Ryan McKay was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Sophomore outfielder Isaac Sturgess, junior designated hitter Trent Rice, sophomore infielder Dayton Murphy and senior infielder Randy Seymour all had one hit apiece. Along with Thomas' two runs, Rice and Murphy also scored, while Murphy and Seymour joined McKay with RBI.
On the mound, redshirt-freshman starter Brady Chambers was dealt the loss, in making his first start at home and his second of the season, going 2.0 IP, scattering six runs on five hits, with one walk and one K. Senior reliever Tommy Szczepanski went 3.0 IP, also yielding five hits, with three runs and one walk, while ringing up a season-high tying four strikeouts. Freshman Bobby Crane went 2.0 IP, with twos across the line, with two hits, two runs, two walks and two strikeouts. Senior Josh Klug fired 1.0 IP without a hit or run, with one walk, while freshman Andrew Everson had 1.0 IP with one hit and one K, without a run or walk.
In the home half of the first, Murphy knocked a two-out double down the left field line and Sturgess followed with a walk, bringing Seymour to bat. The Spartans' team leader in RBI added to his total, driving in Murphy for his Seymour's 30th ribbie of the season and giving MSU a 1-0 lead.
The Spartans' lead was short-lived as the Boilermakers tied it up in the top of the second, on a home run from CJ Richmond. Purdue broke the game open in the third with six runs, with the big blow coming on a grand slam by Brandon Rogers, the Boilermakers' third grand slam in the last two games after a pair of four-run homers on Saturday.Â
Down 7-1 going into the bottom of the third, the Spartans rallied with Rice sparking the rally with a single down the right field line. Thomas smacked a single up the middle and Rice scampered around to third. Murphy followed with an RBI groundout to score Rice and move Thomas to second. With Sturgess at bat, Thomas swiped third and scored on a throwing error on the play to pull MSU within, 7-3.Â
Purdue regained its six-run advantage with two runs in the top of the fourth, on back-to-back doubles and later an RBI single. The Boilermakers added two runs in the top of the seventh on two more hits.Â
In the eighth, Thomas led off with a single, moved to second after Murphy drew a walk, then Sturgess singled to load the bases. Two batters later, McKay singled to right center to drive in Thomas, but a popup and strikeout ended the Spartan rally.
MSU got on runner on in the ninth, but were unable to push across any more runs to end the game with the loss.Â
Sunday's game against the Boilermakers was MSU's eighth game out of the Spartans' 10-straight games in the state of Michigan.
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The Spartans then host Central Michigan on Tuesday, March 31 in the return game of the home-and-home with the Chips in a 3:32 p.m. first pitch. Â Michigan State beat Central Michigan, 19-8, last Tuesday in Mount Pleasant.
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MSU wraps up the 10-game in-state stretch and open April action with the 2026 Crosstown Showdown, taking on the Lansing Lugnuts, the High-A affiliate of the Oakland A's, on Wednesday, April 1 at  Jackson® Field™ in the annual exhibition contest.
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The Spartans' 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.
Â
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.
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The Spartans won Friday's opener, 2-0, before the Boilermakers bounced back on Saturday to win a wild, see-saw slugfest, 16-13, setting up Sunday's rubber match.
MSU scored a run in its first at bat in the home half of the opening frame, before Purdue countered with a run in the top of the second to tie it up. The Boilermakers then plated six runs in the third to open a 7-1 lead. The Spartans got two runs back in the bottom of the third, but the Boilermakers scored two in the top of the fourth for a 9-3 lead. That remained the score until the seventh, when Purdue plated another pair for an 11-3 advantage. MSU got a run back in the eighth to close within 11-4, but no closer.
The game had a nearly 30 minute delay before the top of the fifth inning after an injury to the home plate umpire earlier in the game forced him to leave the game and the umpires rotated and replaced him behind the plate and finished the game with a three-man crew.
Purdue won the series, 2-1, as the Spartans were beaten by the Boilermakers in a home three-game series for the first time since 2009. Purdue has won the last two series with Michigan State, after the Spartans had won the previous six series of three games between the two teams.
With Sunday's result, MSU is now 9-17 overall and 4-8 in B1G action, while Purdue improves to 19-9 overall and 7-5 in B1G play. The Boilermakers have now won five of the last six games and nine of the 12 in the series, cutting MSU's all-time lead to 88-82, including 46-33 in East Lansing.
MSU's 1-6 hitters in the lineup all had at least one hit, led by sophomore outfielder Khamaree Thomas going 2-for-5 with two runs scored, while sophomore infielder Ryan McKay was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Sophomore outfielder Isaac Sturgess, junior designated hitter Trent Rice, sophomore infielder Dayton Murphy and senior infielder Randy Seymour all had one hit apiece. Along with Thomas' two runs, Rice and Murphy also scored, while Murphy and Seymour joined McKay with RBI.
On the mound, redshirt-freshman starter Brady Chambers was dealt the loss, in making his first start at home and his second of the season, going 2.0 IP, scattering six runs on five hits, with one walk and one K. Senior reliever Tommy Szczepanski went 3.0 IP, also yielding five hits, with three runs and one walk, while ringing up a season-high tying four strikeouts. Freshman Bobby Crane went 2.0 IP, with twos across the line, with two hits, two runs, two walks and two strikeouts. Senior Josh Klug fired 1.0 IP without a hit or run, with one walk, while freshman Andrew Everson had 1.0 IP with one hit and one K, without a run or walk.
In the home half of the first, Murphy knocked a two-out double down the left field line and Sturgess followed with a walk, bringing Seymour to bat. The Spartans' team leader in RBI added to his total, driving in Murphy for his Seymour's 30th ribbie of the season and giving MSU a 1-0 lead.
The Spartans' lead was short-lived as the Boilermakers tied it up in the top of the second, on a home run from CJ Richmond. Purdue broke the game open in the third with six runs, with the big blow coming on a grand slam by Brandon Rogers, the Boilermakers' third grand slam in the last two games after a pair of four-run homers on Saturday.Â
Down 7-1 going into the bottom of the third, the Spartans rallied with Rice sparking the rally with a single down the right field line. Thomas smacked a single up the middle and Rice scampered around to third. Murphy followed with an RBI groundout to score Rice and move Thomas to second. With Sturgess at bat, Thomas swiped third and scored on a throwing error on the play to pull MSU within, 7-3.Â
Purdue regained its six-run advantage with two runs in the top of the fourth, on back-to-back doubles and later an RBI single. The Boilermakers added two runs in the top of the seventh on two more hits.Â
In the eighth, Thomas led off with a single, moved to second after Murphy drew a walk, then Sturgess singled to load the bases. Two batters later, McKay singled to right center to drive in Thomas, but a popup and strikeout ended the Spartan rally.
MSU got on runner on in the ninth, but were unable to push across any more runs to end the game with the loss.Â
Sunday's game against the Boilermakers was MSU's eighth game out of the Spartans' 10-straight games in the state of Michigan.
Â
The Spartans then host Central Michigan on Tuesday, March 31 in the return game of the home-and-home with the Chips in a 3:32 p.m. first pitch. Â Michigan State beat Central Michigan, 19-8, last Tuesday in Mount Pleasant.
Â
MSU wraps up the 10-game in-state stretch and open April action with the 2026 Crosstown Showdown, taking on the Lansing Lugnuts, the High-A affiliate of the Oakland A's, on Wednesday, April 1 at  Jackson® Field™ in the annual exhibition contest.
Â
The Spartans' 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.
Â
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.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: HOWARD, Thomas (3-0)
L: Chambers, Brady (2-1)
Batting:
2B: ANDERSON, Eli 1 ; DRAKE, Dylan 1 ; FLORES, Sam 1 ; MOORE, Avery 1 ; BOYLE, Westin 1
HR: ROGERS, Brandon 1 ; RICHMOND, CJ 1
RBI: ANDERSON, Eli 1 ; DRAKE, Dylan 1 ; FLORES, Sam 2 ; ROGERS, Brandon 5 ; RICHMOND, CJ 1 ; BOYLE, Westin 1
SF: ANDERSON, Eli 1
Base Running:
RUNS: ANDERSON, Eli 2 ; DRAKE, Dylan 2 ; FLORES, Sam 1 ; MANIAS, Aaron 1 ; ROGERS, Brandon 1 ; RICHMOND, CJ 1 ; MOORE, Avery 1 ; BESSETTE, Jackson 1 ; BOYLE, Westin 1
HBP: DRAKE, Dylan 1 ; BOYLE, Westin 1
PO: MOORE, Avery 1
Batting:
2B: Murphy, Dayton 1 ; Seymour, Randy 1
RBI: Murphy, Dayton 1 ; Seymour, Randy 1 ; McKay, Ryan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rice, Trent 1 ; Thomas, Khamaree 2 ; Murphy, Dayton 1
SB: Thomas, Khamaree 1
HBP: Deckinga, CJ 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF/LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
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