McKay Delivers Late in MSU Baseball's BTT Victory vs. Iowa

Michigan State baseball is on to the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals despite being the very last team in the tournament.

The 12th-seeded Spartans pulled off another upset on Wednesday evening, taking down 8-seed Iowa 4-3 during the second day of the Big Ten Tournament. Ryan McKay delivered an RBI infield single in the top of the ninth that made the final difference late.

Game Recap

Iowa got on board first during the first inning on a sacrifice fly, but MSU had a response in the top of the second with a sac fly of its own from McKay to even the deal at 1-1. After a scoreless third inning, the Spartans then got a lead on an RBI groundout from Nick Williams in the fourth, making it 2-1.

The Hawkeyes pushed back in the sixth inning. They got two across during the bottom half of that inning to flip their one-run deficit into a one-run lead. Michigan State got a gift in the top of the seventh, though. CJ Deckinga struck out swinging, but reached base on the dropped third strike because of a throwing error by Iowa's catcher. That allowed Parker Picot to score from second.

Michigan State's Ryan McKay celebrates on second base after a double against Ohio State during the fifth inning on Friday, April 18, 2025, at McLane Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That made the game 3-3. MSU escaped some trouble in the bottom of the eighth after Iowa lined into a double play, with Deckinga making an impressive play at third base, but the game remained tied heading into the ninth.

In the top half of the ninth, the Spartans had a golden chance with the bases loaded and just one out after a single and back-to-back hit-by-pitches. McKay then delivered that infield single to make it 4-3, but Michigan State couldn't get a valuable insurance run with the bases still full after a strikeout and a fielder's choice that ended the inning.

For the bottom of the ninth, Jake Boss Jr. turned to closer Nolan Higgins to go for the final three outs. He quickly got the first two batters out, but the game was extended on an E6 to put the tying run on first and with the winning run at the plate for the Hawkeyes.

It did not matter to Higgins. He struck out the next batter on three pitches to end the game.

What's Next

This victory marks the first time since 2016 that the Spartans' program has won multiple times in the Big Ten Tournament (MSU upset 5-seed Purdue on Tuesday 8-4).

It also has the Spartans avoid a rematch against Purdue in an elimination game tomorrow. Iowa and Purdue will play for the right to face the nation's No. 1 team, UCLA. Instead, Michigan State will get a day off to rest (valuable for the pitchers) and will instead face 4-seed USC in the quarterfinal round on Friday at 10 a.m. ET (9 a.m. local).

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