Michigan State baseball clinches spot in Big Ten tourney with 7-6 win over Indiana
The Michigan State baseball team will play in the Big Ten tournament for the first time since 2018.
The Spartans clinched a berth Friday night with its second victory in two nights over Indiana, 7-6, at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field.
“I’m really proud of our guys and a great effort tonight. It was a probably a fun game to watch, back and forth, really the whole way out,” MSU coach Jake Boss Jr. said.
The Spartans improved to 32-19 overall and 12-11 in the Big Ten, assuring a spot in the top eight in the standings and a berth in the 41st Big Ten Conference Baseball Tournament that will be held May 23-28, at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Neb., site of the NCAA Men’s College World Series.
“Our guys earned their spot in the tournament. I’m proud of them. I’m excited for them, excited that they get a chance to experience it,” Boss said. “We haven’t been there in a couple of years now, so it’s good to be back. I’m excited to see what they can do, not only tomorrow against a really good Indiana team, but next week in Omaha.”
Indiana slides to 39-16 overall and 15-8 in B1G play with the loss, its second in a row after an eight-game win streak was snapped in Thursday night’s 8-6 Spartan win.
The Spartans and Hoosiers went back-and-forth in the early innings, and the score was knotted at 4-all after three frames, before MSU pulled away with a run in the fourth and two in the sixth for a 7-4 lead, and held off a late IU rally with two runs in the ninth and had the bases loaded when on the final out, a lineout to junior outfielder Greg Ziegler in center.
That prompted a jubilant Spartan celebration at midfield for posting MSU’s eighth trip to the league tournament in 14 years under Boss.
“I think the goal here, when we recruit guys and when we got the job, is to try to give our guys a chance to create memories and create experiences that they’re going to remember for a lifetime,” Boss said. “Playing in Omaha, playing in the Big Ten tournament is one of those. Beating a team like Indiana, who’s unbelievably talented, it’s something that these guys are going to remember for a long time.”
MSU and Indiana combined for six total errors, with four by the Hoosiers and two by the Spartans, and also combined to leave 18 runners on base with 10 by IU and eight by MSU.
Sophomore reliever Harrison Cook came on in the third inning and got the Spartans out of a bases-loaded jam and went on to pitch 6.0 IP, scattering four hits while not allowing a run with two walks and ringing up four strikeouts. Cook earned the win to improve to 5-3 on the season.
“I didn’t think we played very well early and missed some opportunities, made some mistakes, both on the field and base-running and things like that,” Boss said. “Harrison Cook was just really good for us tonight. He calmed the waters a little bit and gave us a chance to kind of get back into it.”
Senior Wyatt Rush, who closed out Thursday night’s Victory for MSU, came on in the ninth, and after yielding a two-out bases-loaded walk and a throwing error to put two runs on the board and get the Hoosiers with a run, induced the lineout to Ziegler to secure the save. It was not only Rush’s second save in as many nights, but was his 10th of the season, becoming just the fourth Spartan reliever with double-digit saves in a season, and moving up to No. 4 on MSU’s single-season saves list. Rush, who starred in high school at Grand Ledge, posted his 12th career save, moving up to tie for No. 5 on the Spartans career saves list.
Junior infielder Trent Farquhar was MSU’s lone player with two hits, going 2-for-5 with an RBI, while also making several highlight plays at second base.
The Spartans and Hoosiers were scheduled to wrap up their series on Saturday afternoon.
— MSU Athletic Communications
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan State baseball wins to clinch spot in Big Ten tournament
