Previously hot offense falters as MSU baseball stumbles ahead of series with Michigan
On paper, a red-hot Michigan State baseball team looked like it would be carrying the momentum of a six-game winning streak into its series against rival Michigan this weekend.
To make that happen, the Spartans just needed to win a home game against a struggling Purdue Fort Wayne team on Wednesday night.
So much for the winning streak.
After being flat for much of the game, a late rally fizzled as MSU fell 3-2 at McLane Stadium, putting a dent in the Spartans' momentum as they prepare to head to Ann Arbor on Friday.
“One hundred percent it was definitely about our approach,” MSU coach Jake Boss Jr. said. “We talked about several things before the game, like having a consistent offensive approach. We talked about consistent energy throughout the game, and half the time it looked like we didn’t want to be there."
MSU trailed 3-1 in the eighth inning before getting one run back after sophomore third baseman Bryan Broecker beat out a fielder's choice to plate a run. The Spartans then loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth for its top hitter, junior first baseman Brock Vradenburg. But, amid a heavy rain, Vradenburg grounded out to first base for the final out.
MSU had four hits and scored a run in the first inning, but only produced two hits through the final eight frames. The Mastodons (10-28) scored one in the first and added solo home runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
MSU (23-11) now shifts its attention to the weekend, where the Spartans will play single games Friday, Saturday and Sunday against the Wolverines (19-17). MSU won the previous meeting between the teams on Feb. 17 in the season-opening invitational in Arizona, 15-8.
"Growing up in the rivalry, playing Michigan State versus Michigan in recess football, and now playing in the game, it's just a different energy and it's so much fun," MSU second baseman Trent Farquhar said." We're excited to get back to it this weekend. They're definitely a different team since we played in the first game so I expect them to have a great effort and it'll be a great series to watch."
Prior to Wednesday, the Spartans had been one of the hottest teams in the Big Ten, winning 15 of their last 19 games, propelled mostly by their offense. MSU has six players hitting .300 or better, led by Vradenburg, who's hitting .418 with eight home runs, 12 doubles and 43 RBIs. Farquhar is hitting .390 with 14 doubles.
As a team, MSU's .317 batting average entering Wednesday's game ranked 14th in the nation.
But Boss was more concerned with Wednesday's performance than his team's gaudy numbers overall.
"This is as good as an offense as there is anywhere in my opinion," Boss said. "But if we get four hits in the first inning and two hits after that, it's a terrible offensive approach and it's not good enough. We need to stay with the plan, but we didn't push the envelope at all. The offense is extremely capable, we've proven that. But if you don't execute, you don't win."
The Spartans and Wolverines open their series in Ann Arbor at 4 p.m. Friday, followed by Saturday’s middle game at 2 p.m. and series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m.
"We can't put this one away, we need to get better and we need to get better tomorrow," Boss said. "I don't really care about who we play this weekend. We are more concerned about us and the way we approach the game. If we approach it the right way then we give ourselves a chance. If we don't, it doesn't matter who we play.
Contact Nathaniel Bott at nbott@lsj.com and follow him on Twitter @Nathaniel_Bott
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan State baseball: Spartans stumble ahead of series vs.U-M
