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BASEBALL/SOFTBALL No. 23 Spartans Open Spring Break Trip In Greenville Taking On Harvard In Weekend Series

Kevin Knight

Kevin Knight

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No. 23 Spartans Open Spring Break Trip In Greenville Taking On Harvard In Weekend Series​

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Friday, February 28
Greenville, S.C.
6 PM
Michigan State University

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Ryan McKay vs WMU at Fluor Field Greenville

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No. 23 Spartans Open Spring Break Trip In Greenville Taking On Harvard In Weekend Series​

2/27/2025 10:23:00 AM | Baseball
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MSU puts first ranking since 2016 on line playing eight games in 10 days at home-away-from-home Fluor Field.
Leading Off... No. 23 Spartans Open Spring Break Trip In Greenville Taking On Harvard In Weekend Series
MSU puts first ranking since 2016 on line playing eight games in 10 days at home-away-from-home Fluor Field.

• Michigan State baseball is ranked for the first time since 2016, coming in at No. 23 in this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCWBA) Top 25 Poll, and the Spartans will take that national ranking in tow when the Spartans travel to Greenville, South Carolina and their home-away-from-home, Fluor Field, for an eight-game, 10-day residency at the home of the Greenville Drive, the high-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.

MSU opens the Fluor Field stint with a three-game weekend series vs. Harvard, Friday-Sunday, Feb. 28-March 2. Friday and Saturday's game start at 6 p.m., with Sunday's series finale slated for 12 p.m. Saturday's Spartans & Crimson game is the second half of a day-night doubleheader of college baseball action at Fluor Field, as South Carolina and Clemson play in part of their Reedy River Rivalry game at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. MSU and Harvard wrap up their weekend series on Sunday at 12 p.m.

Michigan State then faces Western Carolina on Wednesday, March 5 in a single mid-week contest at Fluor Field.

The Spartans then host the First Pitch Invitational on Friday-Sunday, March 7-9, tangling with Cornell and UAB on March 7, then Winthrop on March 8 and UAB again on March 9.

The 2025 Spartans are 6-1, opening with six-straight wins before being dealt their first defeat of the season on Sunday by UCLA in the final day of action at the Kleberg Bank College Classic in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Michigan State's last ranking was No. 23 in the Baseball America Top 25 Poll and No. 30 in the NCWBA Poll on May 2, 2016. The Spartans made their season debut in the rankings that season at No. 25 in the March 14 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.

In this week's NCWBA Top 25 Poll, Michigan State is one of two Big Ten Conference teams in the rankings, joining No. 12 Oregon, while Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue, UCLA and USC are all among others receiving votes.

While Sunday's loss denied Michigan State of its first 7-0 start to a season since 1964, the Spartans' 6-1 start is the best since 2016 when MSU also was dealt defeat in game number seven after a 6-0 start. Overall, the 2025 start is MSU's third 6-1 start under head coach Jake Boss Jr., joining 2011 and 2016.

• The Spartans' schedule is subject to change, stay tuned to MSUSpartans.com and @MSUBaseball on X/Twitter for schedule updates.

• Fans can follow this week's action with "Watch Live," and "Live Stats" links, where available, at MSUSpartans.com.

BOSS IN 17th SEASON WITH SPARTANS
• Head coach Jake Boss Jr. is in his 17th year at Michigan State and 18th overall as a collegiate head coach ... Boss entered the 2025 season at No. 3 on MSU's longest coaching list behind John H. Kobs (1935-63), the namesake for Kobs Field, location of McLane Stadium, with 39 seasons, and legendary head coach Denny Litwhiler (1964-82) with 19 seasons ... With 440 wins entering the 2025 season, Boss is also No. 3 on the Spartan head coach list for wins and games coached, also behind Kobs with 576 wins in 969 games, and Litwhiler with 489 wins in 859 games.

SEASON-OPENING SUCCESS
• Michigan State beat Western Michigan, 2-0, in the season-opener on Feb. 14, marking the second time in three seasons that the Spartans opened the season against an in-state foe in a neutral site game ... the season-opener Victory for MSU was the Spartans' third in a row and have won six of their last seven season openers ... MSU improved to 14-3 in the 17 season-openers under Coach Boss, only losing in 2013 vs. Furman, 2018 at Fresno State and 2022 at UNLV.

141ST SEASON OF MICHIGAN STATE BASEBALL
Michigan State is playing its 141st season of baseball in 2025. Baseball was the first organized varsity sport on campus with the first season of Spartan baseball in 1884, going 4-2 in the six-game schedule, and baseball has been played every season since, with only no varsity in 1944 due to World War II. MSU entered 2025 with an all-time record of 2,475-2,196-30 (.530) in 4,701 games played.

MICHIGAN STATE BASEBALL RANKED NO. 23 IN NCBWA TOP-25 POLL
• For the first time since 2016, Michigan State baseball is ranked the national Top 25 Poll, as the Spartans are No. 23 in this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCWBA) Top 25 Poll.

The 2025 Spartans are 6-1, opening with six-straight wins before being dealt their first defeat of the season on Sunday by UCLA in the final day of action at the Kleberg Bank College Classic in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Michigan State's last ranking was No. 23 in the Baseball America Top 25 Poll and No. 30 in the NCWBA Poll on May 2, 2016. The Spartans made their season debut in the rankings that season at No. 25 in the March 14 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.

In this week's NCWBA Top 25 Poll, Michigan State is one of two Big Ten Conference teams in the rankings, joining No. 12 Oregon, while Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue, UCLA and USC are all among others receiving votes.

While Sunday's loss denied Michigan State of its first 7-0 start to a season since 1964, the Spartans' 6-1 start is the best since 2016 when MSU also was dealt defeat in game number seven after a 6-0 start. Overall, the 2025 start is MSU's third 6-1 start under head coach Jake Boss Jr., joining 2011 and 2016.

PROFESSIONAL STADIUM EXPERIENCE
• This weekend's games at Fluor Field, home of the Greenville Drive, the high-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox are the second and third weekends of three-straight played in professional stadiums.

MSU played in the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Kleberg Bank College Classic last weekend that was played at Whataburger Field, home of the Corpus Christi Hooks, Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros.

Michigan State is slated for 17 total games and one exhibition contests in four different professional stadiums.

• The Spartans also play eight games at their home-away-from-home, Fluor Field, in Greenville, S.C., home of the Greenville Drive, the high-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Fluor Field nearly replicates the dimensions of Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox. The Greenville ballpark has its own "Green Monster" replica, a 30-foot high wall in left field as opposed to the 37-foot one found at Fenway, and contains a manual scoreboard. Every other dimension is to the same specifications as Fenway Park, including "Pesky's Pole" in right field.

MSU hosts Harvard in a three-game series, Friday-Sunday, Feb. 28-March 2, then play Western Carolina on Wednesday, March 5 in a single midweek contest. The Spartans then host the First Pitch Invitational on Friday-Sunday, March 7-9, tangling with Cornell and UAB on March 7, then Winthrop on March 8 and UAB again on March 9.

• Michigan State will tangle with the Lansing Lugnuts, the High-A affiliate of the Oakland A's, in the 2025 Crosstown Showdown on Tuesday, April 1 at Jackson® Field™ in the annual exhibition game.

• MSU also plays a three-game Big Ten Conference series at Penn State, Friday-Sunday, March 21-23. The Nittany Lions' home field is Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, home of the MLB Draft League's State College Spikes.

• Additionally, the Spartans also play a three-game conference series at B1G newcomer USC, Friday-Sunday, March 9-11, which plays a majority of its home games at Orange County Great Park in Irvine, Calif., while construction continues on the Trojans' home, on-campus Dedeaux Field.

ABOUT FLUOR FIELD
• Opened in 2006, Fluor Field is a 5,700-seat stadium, home of the Greenville Drive, the A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.
• Fluor Field nearly replicates the dimensions of Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox.
• The ballpark has its own "Green Monster" replica, a 30-foot high wall in left field as opposed to the 37-foot one found at Fenway, and contains a manual scoreboard.
• Every other dimension is to the same specifications as Fenway Park, including "Pesky's Pole" in right field.
• Other than the tribute to Fenway, Fluor Field also pays tribute to the Greenville area as the ballpark's nostalgic look utilizes reclaimed bricks from local mills.

GREENVILLE / SPARTAN CONNECTIONS
• Owner/President of the Greenville Drive is MSU alum Craig Brown, who was the 2016 Alumnus of the Year at the Michigan State First Pitch Dinner ... In the winter of 2017, Craig and his wife, Vicki (Huber) Brown, were named the Michigan State University Alumni Association's Philanthropists of the Year ... Craig Brown earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in the Eli Broad College of Business, majoring in accounting, in 1973 ... Vicki Brown earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Education, majoring in special education, in 1975.

As President of the Greenville Drive, Mr. Brown focuses on the activities that result in the Drive being part of the fabric of the community ... Fluor Field, which just celebrated its 10th anniversary season, is one of a handful of privately owned stadiums in America and was named Ballpark of the Year upon its debut in 2006 ... Mr. Brown is also the CEO of Keelers Ridge Associates (KRA), an investment and consulting firm that is engaged in entrepreneurial activities involving sports, technology, and marketing, Mr. and Mrs. Brown actively support academic and athletic programs at Michigan State ... Craig also serves on the Athletic Director's Advisory Council and chairs Spartan Innovations ... Formerly, he oversaw the MSU Foundation Board ... In recognition of their generosity, an area of the Spartan Stadium North End Zone bears their names, as does the women's baseketball head coach's office ... The Browns also belong to MSU's Empower Extraordinary President's Capital Campaign Cabinet.

• 1967 Michigan State baseball alum Bill Wooley, who was the 2020 Alumnus of the Year at the MSU Baseball First Pitch Dinner, and his wife, Mary, live in nearby Greer, South Carolina, and were in attendance at MSU's games in the Spartanburg area on Friday at USC Upstate and Sunday at Presbyterian.

Wooley was a four-year letterwinner for the Spartan baseball team from 1964-67. He was utility infielder on the freshman team in 1964 for head coach Tom Smith, before moving up to varsity and was utility infielder and team manager from 1965-67 for head coach Danny Litwhiler.

A native of Detroit, Mich., Wooley graduated from Michigan State University College of Business in 1967 with a bachelor's of business administration (BBA) with general business and marketing emphasis. Wooley began his business career in July 1967 with the Dupont Corporation, in the textile fibers division in New York City, where he worked for nine years until 1976. He joined Johnson & Johnson in the healthcare industry in 1976 with a career track in sales, product management, where he was General Manager/ Vice President for 22 years before retiring in 1998. Wooley was Chairman of the Board for NICORE, Inc. (1999-2006) and was president of the private startup company with products to treat congestive heart problems, before retiring in 2006.

Wooley was also an assistant baseball coach at Eastlake High School in Tarpon Springs, Florida for 12 years, where he coached approximately 10 players who made it to Major League Baseball, most notably utility player Chris Coghlan, who was in the Majors for 10 years, winning the Rookie of the Year Award in 2009 with the Florida Marlins, also playing for the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox.

Wooley and his wife, Mary (Bigelow), who is a 1967 MSU alum with her education degree, met at MSU in the fall term of their freshman year and dated all through college, and have been married 52 years. They have three children, twins Daniel and Deborah, and daughter Alicia, and four grandchildren.

FROM PALADIN TO SPARTAN
• Michigan State senior pitcher Dominic Pianto is in his fifth and final season at Michigan State, after playing one season at Furman in 2020, then transferred to MSU from Furman prior to the fall of 2020, after Furman announced that it had discontinued baseball in May of 2020.

During his one season at Furman, Pianto made five relief appearances, tallying five strikeouts in 5.0 IP.

CAROLINA IN MY MIND AND TRAVEL ITINERARY
• Once again as in seasons past, MSU's travel theme music for the first few weeks of the season is James Taylor's "Carolina In My Mind" as this weekend's action are the second and third weekends out of the first four weekends that the Spartans will be playing in a Carolina.

MSU played in Cary, North Carolina in the opening weekend of the season against Western Michigan on Friday and Monmouth on Saturday in doubleheaders both days.

Last weekend, Michigan State was in Corpus Christi, Texas for the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Kleberg Bank College Classic at Whataburger Field. MSU opened with a 9-2 win over Washington State in the opening game on Friday, Feb. 21. The Spartans then took down host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday, Feb. 22, 8-3, before falling 15-9 to fellow B1G team UCLA in a non-conference game on Sunday, Feb. 23.

The Spartans are returning to their home-away-from-home, Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C., to play Harvard in a three-game series, Friday-Sunday, Feb. 28-March 2. MSU will then meet Western Carolina on Wednesday, March 5 at Fluor Field.

Michigan State will then host the First Pitch Invitational Friday-Sunday, March 7-9, clashing with Cornell on Friday, March 7 at 10 a.m. then returning to the diamond to meet UAB at 2 p.m. On Saturday, March 8, the Spartans face Winthrop at 4 p.m., before wrapping up the weekend and the Carolina swing for Spring Break on Sunday, March 9 against UAB at 12 p.m.

DZIERWA GARNERS SECOND-STRAIGHT B1G PITCHER OF THE WEEK HONOR
Spartan southpaw becomes first MSU baseball player to earn B1G weekly award in consecutive weeks.
• Michigan State baseball's junior pitcher Joseph Dzierwa was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week for the second-straight week, announced Monday evening by the conference office.

Dzierwa becomes the first Michigan State baseball player to earn a B1G weekly award of any kind in consecutive weeks in program history.

Twice before a Spartan pitcher has earned the Pitcher of the Week award in a span of three weeks, as Cam Vieaux earned the accolades on March 31 and April 14, 2014, and Andrew Waszak collected the awards on April 15 and 29, but not in successive weeks.

Along with his second-consecutive Big Ten Pitcher of the Week Award, this is Dzierwa's sixth overall conference recognition, including his third weekly award, as he was also Big Ten Freshman of the Week once (April 10, 2023). Dzierwa was a 2024 All-Big Ten Second Team selection, as well as a two-time B1G Preseason Player to Watch List member (2024 and 2025).

Making his second start of the season last Friday vs. Washington State in the opening game of the Kleberg Bank College Classic in Corpus Christi, Texas, Dzierwa chalked up a career-high 12 strikeouts in 7.0 IP, with one hit and one walk, and those both came in the first frame, and he was nearly perfect after that until the sixth.

After striking out the first seven batters faced last week vs. Western Michigan, Dzierwa appeared to be starting Friday afternoon's contest the same way, ringing up Ks on the first two WSU batters. However, he then yielded a two-out walk followed by a single, but then chalked up his third punchout of the inning to slam the door on any thoughts of a rally the Cougars might have had.

Dzierwa then retired the next 14 Cougar batters faced with a total of 10 Ks through five innings, before hitting a batter in the sixth inning. In the seventh, he induced a popup and then fired back-to-back strikeouts looking to end his day with the 12 punchouts in 7.0 IP, with only one hit, one walk and one hit-by-pitch, in only 83 pitches.

It marked the third-straight outing of his career setting or tying career-best, dating back to last year, after he fired 11 Ks vs. Nebraska in the 2024 season-finale, then 11 Ks last Friday in Cary, N.C. vs. Western Michigan, before Friday's dozen punchouts.

Friday's 12 strikeouts by the Spartan southpaw were the most by an MSU pitcher since Sam Benschoter rang up 17 Ks in 9.1 IP of relief on April 21, 2021 vs. Nebraska.

The 12 Ks were also the most in the Big Ten to date, and he now has two of the top five single-game pitching performances in the league in the midst of the second weekend of the season.

Dzierwa is the sixth Spartan pitcher to earn the B1G Pitcher of the Week honors twice in a season, as along with Vieaux and Waszak, Kurt Wunderlich did so in 2011 (Feb. 28 and May 23), Bryan Gale in 2004 (March 29 and May 17) and Tim Crabtree in 1992 (April 7 and May 5).

Additionally, Dzierwa was also named the Big Ten Loud! Performance of the Day by D1Baseball for Friday's performances around the league.

He helped MSU to a 6-1 start to the season, it's best record since 2016, and the Spartans are ranked in this week's NCBWA Top-25 Poll, coming in at No. 23.

STRIKIN' OUT WAZZU
• Michigan State's pitching staff rang up 15 strikeouts against Washington State on Feb. 21, with sophomore Joseph Dzierwa firing 12 Ks, followed by two by sophomore reliever Tate Farquhar and one by senior reliever Dominic Pianto to end the game.

The 15 vs. Washington State was the most by the Spartan pitching staff since ringing up 15 Ks vs. Western Carolina on March 11, 2023 in a 7-2 Victory for MSU at Fluor Field in Greenville, South Carolina.

MORE DZIERWA TIDBITS
• Joseph Dzierwa's 23 strikeouts not only lead the B1G lead but also rank tied for second in the NCAA.

• Dzierwa is also tops in the B1G and sixth in the NCAA in WHIP (0.31), as well as first in the B1G and tied for 25th in the NCAA in strikeouts per nine innings (15.92) ... he also is one of six pitchers in the B1G and one of 89 pitchers in the NCAA with a 0.00 ERA.

• Dzierwa is also first in the league and 11th in the nation in fewest hits allowed per nine innings (1.38).

• The 12 strikeouts was Dzierwa's:
-- 18th career outing with five or more Ks (two in 2025, 10 in 2024, including in first six-straight games, six in 2023).

-- 10th career outing with seven or more Ks (two in 2025, six in 2024, two in 2023).

-- Third-straight double-digit strikeout total, joining the 11 vs. Western Michigan in the 2025 season-opener (2/14/25) and the 11 vs. Nebraska in 2024 season finale (5/17/24).

DZIERWA DZUMPING WAY INTO RECORD BOOK IN KS
• Spartan southpaw Joseph Dzierwa rang up 91 strikeouts in 2024, which were not only the most strikeouts since Dakota Mekkes chalked up 96 Ks in 2016, but Dzierwa's total was good for No. 8 on MSU's single-season strikeout total.

• Dzierwa enters this weekend with 174 career strikeouts, needing just 12 more Ks to crack MSU's career Top 10 list. Mick VanVossen (2012-15) and Mickey Sinks (1959-61) are tied for the No. 11 spot with 180 strikeouts, while Craig Brookes (2004-07) has the No. 10 spot with 186 career punchouts.

MSU CAREER STRIKEOUTS LIST
1. Bryan Gale 277 2001-04
2. Tony Bucciferro 273 2009-12
3. Mason Erla 243 2017-2021
4. Ron Perranoski 223 ..1956-58
5. Cam Vieaux .....205 .. 2014-16
6. Brian Murphy ...194 .. 1995-98
7. Dick Radatz .....193 .. 1957-59
8. David Garner ...192 .. 2011-13
9. Nick Powers 187 2021-24
10. Craig Brookes ..186 .. 2004-07
11. Mick VanVossen 180 2012-15
Mickey Sinks 180 1959-61
-- Joseph Dzierwa 174 2023-pres.


MSU'S JACOB ANDERSON NAMED TO LOU GEHRIG COMMUNITY IMPACT TEAM
Lone Big Ten player on list and one of only Power 4 schools.

Michigan State baseball's Jacob Anderson has been named to the 2025 Lou Gehrig Community Impact Team, announced Wednesday, Feb. 19.

A redshirt-junior infielder, Anderson is the only player from the Big Ten Conference on the nine-player list and only of only two players from a Power 4 conference team.

Anderson, a native of Oakland Township, Michigan, has demonstrated remarkable success both on the baseball field and within his community, establishing himself as a dedicated and compassionate leader.

"Jacob Anderson is the consummate student-athlete who represents our athletics department in the most incredible manner on the field, in the classroom, and in the community," said MSU Associate Director of Student-Athlete Support Services Melissa Tallant. "He carries a 3.54 GPA and will graduate with a degree in kinesiology. He has a genuine desire to make his community a better place and consistently puts others ahead of himself while realizing the platform he has to impact those in need."

On the field, Anderson played an important role last season as the fifth infielder, dealing with an early-season injury, finishing with a .255 batting average. This season, he was elected one of two team captains in a vote by his teammates, and he stepped into the starting role at third base, where his skills, leadership, and determination will be vital to the team's success.

Off the field, Anderson's involvement in the community is equally impressive. He serves as the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Representative for the baseball team, actively participating in various initiatives aimed at giving back to others. Anderson has contributed to events like Teams for Toys, the Student-Athlete Food Drive, and the Student-Athlete Career Mixer, all of which serve to support both the local community and his fellow student-athletes.

Anderson's leadership shines through in his work with organizations that support individuals with special needs. Through the baseball team, he has played a pivotal role in helping out with the Miracle League of Mid-Michigan, where he assists special needs youth as their 'buddy' during games on an adaptive rubberized surface. Additionally, Anderson has been involved with the Beautiful Lives Project, helping host a clinic for special needs youth, and with Team Impact, where the team adopted a six-year-old boy battling cancer, offering him love and support through a difficult journey.

Anderson is also a member of Athletes in Action on campus, participating in their Operation Christmas Child initiative, where he helps pack and send shoeboxes with Christmas gifts to children in need around the world. Looking ahead, Anderson plans to contribute to the City Rescue Mission, where he will assist in feeding and housing homeless individuals in the East Lansing area.

2025 Lou Gehrig Community Impact Team
Cole Fellows – Columbia University - Captain
Jacob Anderson – Michigan State University
Javier Cardoso – Point Park University
Bobby Dingel – DeSales University
Alex Fitz-Hugh – Hampden-Sydney College
Jake McKee – Florida Gulf Coast University
Kamau Neighbors – University of Louisville
Alex Levesque – William Peace University
Eli Paton – Grand Canyon University

ONLY Ks IN THIER NAME
• Despite having a K in his name, sophomore infielder Ryan McKay doesn't register a K in the score book very often, as McKay was tied for the lead in the B1G and NCAA in toughest to strikeout, as he was not retired on strikes in any of his 10 at bats in the opening weekend.

McKay did record three strikeouts in week 2 in Corpus Christi, now just with three Ks in 19 at bats (6.3).

McKay was one of three B1G players and one of 155 players who did not strike out through the first week.

Last season, McKay was second in the B1G and 13th in the NCAA in toughest to strike out (13.5), with just 14 strikeouts in 189 at bats.

• Teammate Nick Williams is the team leader with just three Ks in 23 at bats (7.7).

Last season, N.Williams had just 25 strikeouts in 181 at bats (7.24).

HEY HEY McKAY WITH THE RBI
• Sophomore infielder Ryan McKay has provided what proved to be the game-winning RBIs in two of the Spartans' six wins,

In game one of the DH vs. Monmouth on Feb. 15, McKay got MSU's scoring going with an RBI sac fly in the sixth, and the Spartans added another run later in the frame for the 2-2 win.

McKay again earned the game-winning RBI in the Victory for MSU over Washington State on Feb. 21, with an RBI single in the first and MSU went on to cage the Cougars, 9-2.

FAB FIRST FRAME
• Michigan State has scored 40 runs so far through seven games, highlighted by soring nine in the first frame, with all nine runs coming in the last three games in Corpus Christi.

The Spartans scored four run in the first frame vs. Washington State on Feb. 21. MSU also scored one run in the top of the first in the game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, then capped off the weekend with a four-run first frame against UCLA on Feb. 23.

SUPER SIXTH STANZA
• MSU scored a combined 14 runs in its four wins over the opening weekend. Of the 14 runs, the Spartans scored over half of them (64 percent) in the sixth inning, plating nine runs in the sixth stanza, scoring nine runs on just three hits.

The Spartans started off slow in the sixth inning, going scoreless in the frame in the 2-0 Victory for MSU of the season-opener on Feb. 15 in game one of the doubleheader, the Spartans' only scoreless sixth of the weekend.

In nightcap, the Green & White rallied from a 3-0 deficit after five frames with a four-run sixth inning on just two hits, and tacked on two more in the top of the ninth for the 6-3 final.

In the twinbill with Monmouth on Feb. 15, MSU scored both of its runs in the 2-0 win in the sixth inning with two RBI sac flies in the sixth inning.

The Spartans broke open a 1-0 lead in the finale with three runs in the sixth inning, loading the bases and then getting an RBI walk by sophomore infielder Ryan McKay, and then graduate designated hitter Will Shannon roped a two-run single for MSU's only hit of the inning.

Last weekend in Corpus Christi, the Spartans were held scoreless in the sixth, but the nine runs scored in the sixth is tied for the most runs scored in an inning, matching the first frame.

2-0 IN GAME ONE
• Michigan State played a doubleheader on both Friday and Saturday, winning the opener both days by 2-0 scores, needing only three total hits to do so, scoring all four runs on non-hit plays.

In Friday's Victory for MSU, the Spartans scored two runs in the fifth inning on a two-run sac bunt by redshirt-junior infielder Jacob Anderson.

In Saturday's win over Monmouth, Michigan State capitalized on two sacrifice flies a few batters apart in the sixth inning, for the triumph.

PAIR OF TWO-SAVERS
• MSU had two different closers both pick up two saves in the opening weekend.

Sophomore Logan Pikur picked up the first save of not just the season, but also his career. Graduate transfer Tyler Horvath had a successful Spartan debut weekend, picking up two saves.

In game one on Friday, Pikur came on in the seventh after junior standout starter Joseph Dzierwa stymied the WMU bats to the tune of 11 Ks and one hit in 6.0 IP, then Pikur kept the Broncos at bay with one K, while inducing two groundouts in yielding one hit while facing four batters.

Pikur picked up his second save in as many days on Saturday, again sealing a 2-0 win, this time over Monmouth.

Friday's night cap saw Horvath came out of the bullpen to open the ninth, making his Spartan debut. He worked around a leadoff double, before settling in and inducing a flyout, then fanning the next two Broncos to slam the door and secure the Victory for MSU and the doubleheader sweep in his Spartan debut

Horvath took over in the seventh inning of Saturday's nine-inning game two, and went 3.0 IP in scattering three hits with one K and one run to pick up save number two of the weekend.

DZIERWA COLLECTS B1G PITCHER OF THE WEEK ACCOLADES - FEB 17
• Michigan State baseball's junior pitcher Joseph Dzierwa was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week for the opening week of the season, announced on Feb. 17by the conference office.

This is Dzierwa's first career Big Ten weekly accolade, but his fourth overall league recognition. He was a 2024 All-Big Ten Second Team selection, as well as a two-time B1G Preseason Player to Watch List member (2024 and 2025).

Dzierwa is the first Michigan State pitcher to earn B1G Pitcher of the Week honors since May 1, 2023 when former teammate Harrison Cook earned the accolade.

The Spartan southpaw burst out of the gates in Friday's 2025 season-opener in Cary, N.C., against Western Michigan, tying a career-high by firing 11 strikeouts in 6.0 IP, good for a 1.8 K/inning and a 16.5 K/9 average). Dzierwa opened the game with seven straight strikeouts in the first seven batters faced, and did not allow a run of any kind in holding Western Michigan to just one hit.

Dzierwa, a native of Haskins, Ohio, was named one of D1Baseball.com's Friday standouts and his photo was the lead for the Friday's standouts, as the 11 Ks was second-most by a D1 pitcher on Friday. His D1Baseball.com game score of 80 was the highest in the B1G and second in the NCAA for Friday's games, and also tops in the B1G and holding at second overall for both Friday and Saturday's games.

The 11 Ks was tied for the most in the B1G in the opening weekend. Dzierwa was one of five pitchers in the conference to post 10 or more strikeouts in the opening weekend, but he was the only pitcher in the B1G that didn't yield a run of any kind, and his 0.33 WHIP was the lowest of any B1G pitcher with 10+ strikeouts.

Dzierwa's 11 strikeouts Friday night tied his career-best punchout total in back-to-back outings, as his previous time with 11 Ks came in his final outing of 2024 against Nebraska on May 17, 2024.

MSU's junior starting pitcher rang up seven-straight Ks to open Friday's game one of the season, striking out the side in the first and second innings and the first batter of the third, on the way to a perfect game through 4.2 IP, retiring his first 14 batters faced.

After a pair of groundouts ended the third, a lineout and another grounder started the fourth, before another strikeout to end the inning. He started the fifth frame with two more Ks before yielding a single to WMU's Chris Akers, but then thwarted any threat the Broncos had with another strikeout, his 11th through 5.0 innings. Dzierwa worked around a two-out walk and a stolen base by inducing a groundout to end the sixth and his day, as the Spartans corralled the Broncos, 2-0, in the 2025 season lid-lifter. MSU won its season-opener for the sixth time in the last seven seasons, as well as improving to 14-3 in the 17 season-openers under head coach Jake Boss Jr.

SPARTAN TRIO TABBED TO B1G BASEBALL PRESEASON PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST
• Three Michigan State baseball players earned Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch honors, as the conference announced its preseason honors list and preseason poll on Wednesday, ahead of Friday's 2025 season-opening action around the league.

The conference coaches voted on the top six teams and also selected three student-athletes from their own squads to a Preseason Honors list.

Junior pitcher Joseph Dzierwa, junior infielder Randy Seymour and sophomore infielder Ryan McKay garnered preseason recognition for the Spartans.

Dzierwa, a Haskins, Ohio native, is a B1G Preseason Player to Watch for the second year in a row. The Spartan southpaw adds to his preseason honors list, which includes being tabbed Baseball America's Big Ten Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year, as well as being named Perfect Game's Preseason Third-Team All-American and also tabbed to D1Baseball's Top 150 College Draft Prospect list at No. 121.

Dzierwa was second in the B1G in both innings pitched (84.0) and strikeouts (91) last season, along with third in the B1G overall in WHIP (1.19), third in B1G only in IP (48.2), sixth in B1G only in strikeouts (43), eighth overall in K/9 (9.7), ninth in the B1G overall in ERA (4.07) and tied for 14th in the B1G overall in BB/9 (2.9).

In his final outing of the 2024 season, Dzierwa rang up a career-high 11 strikeouts against Nebraska on May 17, topping his previous career-best of nine Ks done four previous times this season, most recently vs Michigan on May 3. Dzierwa was the only Spartan pitcher to chalk up double-digit strikeouts this season and the first since March 11, 2023 when Adam Berghorst rang up 11 Ks vs. Western Carolina at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C.

Dzierwa's 11 Ks was the first double-digit strikeout outing by a Spartan pitcher at home since April 25, 2021 when Sam Benschoter chalked up 17 strikeouts in 9.1 IP of relief that was also against Nebraska.

With the 91 strikeouts on the season, Dzierwa had a big role in the Spartan pitching staff amassing 420 total strikeouts in 2024, finishing No. 3 on MSU's team strikeouts list and the most since 445 in 2019.

Dzierwa made his mark in MSU's record books, as the 91 strikeouts are No. 8 on MSU's single-season Top 10 strikeouts list, the most by a Spartan pitcher since 2016 when Dakota Mekkes rang up 96.

Entering his junior season in 2025, Dzierwa has 151 career strikeouts, needing just 19 more to crack MSU's career top 10 strikeouts list, as Mick VanVossen (2012-15) and Mickey Sinks (1959-61) are tied for No. 10 with 180 strikeouts.

Seymour, a native of Frankfort, Ill., was one of three Spartans to both start and play in all 51 games, starting all 51 games at shortstop. He posted a .257 average with 46 hits, seven doubles and three HR, with 19 RBI, adding 41 runs scored, 15 walks and nine steals. Along with leading the team in sac bunts (5), Seymour also ranked tied for second on the team in runs scored (41), second in hit by pitch (9), third in stolen bases (9), tied for fifth in doubles (7) and fifth in both hits (46) and at bats (179)

The Spartan infielder logged a season-long six-game hitting streak (Feb. 24-March 8), with a total of 10 hits in the six games, with three hits at Georgia (Feb. 28), along with book-ending streak with two in first game of spurt, vs. Marshall (Feb. 24) and last game, vs. Western Michigan (March 8), adding one hit each vs. Western Michigan (March 2), vs. Florida State (March 2) and vs. Illinois (March 3). Seymour posted 15 multiple hit games, with two hits in 13 contests while knocking a career-high three hits in two games, first in the Victory for MSU at Georgia (Feb. 28), going 3-for-4, and then at Minnesota (May 12), going 3-for-6 with two RBI and a run scored. He also scored a career-high four runs in game at Georgia, part of 11 multiple-run outings

In the field, Seymour led the Spartan defense with 146 assists and added 70 putouts, highlighted by career-high eight assists vs. Western Michigan (April 17) and career-high four putouts vs. Ball State (Feb. 17) at Charleston, S.C., and was part of 28 fielding double plays, which ranked tied for second on the team.

McKay, a Clarkston, Mich. native, played in 47 games last year, making 46 starts, all at second base. He was second in the B1G and 13th in the NCAA in toughest to strikeout (13.5), with just 14 strikeouts in 189 at bats. McKay hit .302 with a .381 slugging percentage and .348 on-base percentage, logging seven doubles, one triple and two home runs, adding 31 RBI, along with 12 walks and four stolen bases.

He was third on team in RBI, tied for fourth in RBI and fourth in stolen bases, also ranking fourth in total bases (72). McKay also had the longest hitting streak on team at 16 games (April 14 - May 14), part of at least one hit in 17 of final 19 games of season, also bursting onto the scene with a seven-game hitting streak (Feb. 17-March 3) in first seven games, finishing the season with at least one hit in 36 of 47 games played.

McKay belted the first home run of collegiate career on May 10 at Minnesota and added his second homer two days later (May 12), both going to right center at Minnesota's Siebert Field, and both bouncing over the scoreboard at the softball field beyond the wall.

One of McKay's other highlights from his first as a Spartan was knocking an RBI walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth against Rutgers to drive in teammate Nick Williams for the 3-2 Victory for MSU on March 31 and clinch the series for Michigan State.

In the field, McKay led the Spartan defense in being a part of team-high 29 double plays, including a pair of double plays in six games, while making 117 assists and 86 putouts.

UP NEXT
• The Spartans will continue their eight games in 10 days at their home-away-from-home, Fluor Field, in Greenville, S.C., home of the Greenville Drive, the high-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, for MSU's Spring Break trip to Greenville, Feb. 31-March 9.

MSU plays Western Carolina on Wednesday, March 5 in a single mid-week contest, with first pitch slated for 6:30 p.m.

The Spartans then host the First Pitch Invitational Friday-Sunday, March 7-9, clashing with Cornell on Friday, March 7 at 10 a.m. then returning to the diamond to meet UAB at 2 p.m. On Saturday, March 8, MSU will face Winthrop at 4 p.m., before wrapping up the weekend and the Carolina swing for Spring Break on Sunday, March 9 against UAB at 12 p.m.

Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
 
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