Krill, Spartans Power Past Purdue, 10-7

EAST LANSING - The Michigan State baseball team extended its season-long winning streak to six games with a 10-7 win over Purdue on Saturday afternoon at McLane

EAST LANSING - The Michigan State baseball team extended its season-long winning streak to six games with a 10-7 win over Purdue on Saturday afternoon at McLane Stadium. The Spartans scored nine runs in the first three innings to get out in front of the Boilermakers and went on to win to improve to 29-17 on the year and 11-6 in the Big Ten.

“We’ve played well and swung the bat well,” said head coach Jake Boss Jr. “Guys are feeling pretty comfortable at the plate and were riding some momentum. Hitting is contagious as well all know how the cliché goes, but it’s true and guys are putting some good swings on pitches right now.”

Ryan Krill had a huge day to lead the Spartans, going 3-for-4 at the plate with four RBIs, highlighted by a pair of home runs, extending his hitting streak to 11 games.

“He’s locked in right now and it’s fun to watch,” said Boss. “He’s a kid that had a good freshman year and maybe struggled the last two, but he’s a hard worker and great kid, so it is fun to watch him have success.”

The Spartans outhit the Boilermakers 15-6 for the game and Anthony Cheky also went 3-for-3 and scored twice.

Mick VanVossen earned the win for MSU, going 5.2 innings, allowing six hits and five earned runs and is now 4-4 on the year. Gavin Downs took the loss for Purdue, dropping to 4-4 on the year.

After Purdue jumped out to a quick lead with a two-run homer in the first, Krill responded with a solo shot in the bottom half of the frame.

Michigan State then took the lead when it sent nine batters to the plate in a five-run second inning that put the Spartans up 6-2. With Chad Roskelly and Cheky already across the plate, Kory Young and Cam Gibson hit back-to-back singles to set up Krill for his second homer of the day. The senior first baseman jumped all over the first pitch of the at bat and crushed a three-run homer over the right field fence

for his eighth home run of the season.

Purdue added two more unearned runs in the third to cut the deficit to 6-4, but the Spartans continued to pile it on with three more runs in the bottom of the third, starting with an RBI single from Cheky that scored Brandon Hughes, who walked to start the inning. Mark Weist plated two more with a bases-loaded single that made it 9-4.

The Boilermakers chipped away at the lead with a run in the fifth and two in the sixth on a Justin Gubser two-run homer in the sixth that cut it to 9-7.

Anthony Misiewicz, Walter Borkovich, and Joe Mockbee all came out of the bullpen in relief and combined for 3.1 innings of work, allowing only a hit batter to reach base.

Cam Gibson tacked on an insurance run to make it 10-7 in the eighth with a sac fly that scored pinch-runner Chase Toth.

The bottom of the Spartan lineup had a productive day, as the 7-8-9 hitters combined for six hits and scored six runs.

Michigan State will go for the sweep of the weekend series vs. Purdue Sunday at 1 p.m. at McLane Stadium.