MSU and Nebraska entered the final weekend battling for the B1G Tournament, with the Spartans needing to sweep the Huskers and get help from some other B1G teams, while Nebraska needed to win two and get help, but the results and the help did not combine to help either team qualify for the conference tournament, ending both their seasons Saturday.
The Spartans took an early lead before Nebraska responded right away, then Michigan State tied it in the fourth at 3-3, only to have Nebraska pull away with a three-run fourth, two more in the fifth and one in the seventh, for a 9-3 advantage after seven. MSU started its comeback with a run in the top of the eighth, only to have Nebraska respond with a run of its own for a 10-4 score. That all preceded the Spartans' five-run ninth, ignited by graduate senior outfielder Peter Ahn, and boosted by sophomore infielder Trent Farquhar's first career grand slam, before the rally ended with the tying and go-ahead runs on base.
"I'm really proud of the way this team competed today," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "I think we had a tough go of it there early with a pair of three-run home runs, but these guys never quit on us and they never quit on us all year long. To do what they did in the ninth and give us a chance is a testament to their character. I'm very proud of them."
Saturday's loss also meant the end of the Spartan careers for MSU's three senior players: Peter Ahn, Kyle Bischoff and Zach Iverson.
"It's tough to see our three seniors go, but at the same time, I think the future is bright for this team and this ballclub. We've got some great leadership coming back and some exciting players coming in that have big futures with us. I'm excited for where we're headed but just a tough way to end it today," Boss said.
Ahn and Iverson were two of the five players in the Spartan lineup with two hits, with Ahn going 2-for-5 with a run scored on an Iverson RBI, part of his 2-for-4 and a run scored outing. Farquhar finished 2-for-4 with the four RBI on the grand slam and two runs scored. Fellow sophomore keystone corner connection Mitch Jebb was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while junior outfielder Jack Frank was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Sophomore infielder Brock Vradenburg was 1-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, while junior outfielder Casey Mayes was 1-for-5 with an RBI, but was robbed of a home run by Nebraska right fielder Garrett Anglim in the third inning and had a hit taken away by Husker left fielder Leighton Banjoff on a sliding catch in the eighth.
Freshman starting pitcher Ryan Szczepaniak went 4.0 IP with six runs on six hits, with three walks and three strikeouts. Sophomore reliever Dominic Pianto went 1.0 IP with three hits and two runs and on K, while sophomore Brian Martin went 2.0 IP with three hits and one run, before junior Jack Brockhaus threw the final 1.0 IP matching Martin's line.
The Spartans jumped out to a 2-0 lead in their first at bat, as Jebb led off the game with a walk and Farquhar followed with a double to right center, moving Jebb up to third. Mayes and Frank then both posted RBI groundouts to give the visitors the early advantage.
Nebraska quickly responded with a three-run home run in the home half of the opening stanza for a 3-2 lead.
MSU threatened in the third as Iverson led off with a single and Jebb followed with a walk. Farquhar followed with a sac bunt, that was snuffed out by nabbing Iverson at third. Mayes was up next and he cracked a deep fly ball that Anglim planted his right hand on the top of the fence and leapt up in the air and robbed the home run as the ball went over the fence in the MSU bullpen.
The score stayed 3-2 until the top of the fourth, when Vradenburg led off the frame with a blast to right field that Anglim was unable to get to, soaring into the Spartan bullpen and bouncing off the back wall, tying the ballgame up at 3-all.
The tie was short-lived as the Huskers added another three-run home run in the fourth by Griffin Everitt, then two runs in the fifth on two hits and a sac fly in the frame, for a 8-1 lead, and added a run in the seventh on a solo HR by Banjoff.
MSU mounted its comeback in the eighth, as Vradenburg drove in Frank with a sac fly after Frank doubled and moved to third on a passed ball, pulling MSU within 9-4.
A solo home run by Nebraska Max Anderson in the eighth gave the Huskers the walkie-talkie score of 10-4.
However the Spartans didn't go down quietly in their final at bat of the season, as Ahn sparked the rally with a single up the middle, and redshirt-freshman Bryan Broecker followed by reaching on a Nebraska error. That brought Iverson to the plate and he knocked a single up the middle and Ahn scampered around to score.
After a Nebraska pitching change, Jebb knocked a single to center to fill the bases full of Spartans and bringing his keystone corner mate Farquhar to the dish. Farquhar then crushed the third pitch he saw off the base of the videoboard beyond the wall, family area and concourse at Hawks Field for his first grand slam of his Spartan career.
Mayes reached on a bunt single and Frank singled up the middle, but a a strikeout, groundout and a strikeout ended the Spartan rally, inning, game and season.
Along with the three senior players, MSU says farewell to two student managers, Aaron Boise and Tommy Merlo.
from "short" - Google News https://ift.tt/6pSPyMa
via IFTTT
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Spartan Rally Comes Up Short In Season Finale Saturday At Nebraska - Michigan State Athletics"
Post a Comment