EAST LANSING- Michigan State baseball is hitting the road again this week, traveling to Bloomington to take on Indiana for a three-game weekend series. The Spartans came away with a 1-0 victory in the annual Crosstown Showdown exhibition against the Lansing Lugnuts on Tuesday.
It’s been a solid season for the Spartans, as they currently hold a 17-10 record and are 4-5 in conference play. Picking up a series win here would be big for MSU as they look to climb the Big Ten standings.
Sophomore infielder Ryan McKay has been a force at the plate, leading the Spartans with a .364 batting average and 36 hits.
McKay and senior outfielder Nick Williams share the lead for most runs scored with 30. Senior infielder Sam Busch has provided power at the plate, leading the team with a 1.123 OPS and eight home runs, while also leading in RBI with 32. The Spartans will need strong performances from these hitters to defeat the Hoosiers.
On the mound, junior Joseph Dzierwa is the ace of the Spartans pitching staff. Dzierwa leads the staff in wins, strikeouts and ERA. Dzierwa’s five wins are good for second in the Big Ten, while his 54 strikeouts and 1.27 ERA both lead the conference. Graduate student Tyler Horvath leads the Spartans out of the bullpen with five saves this season.
For Indiana, it’s been an up and down season so far. The Hoosiers currently sit at 15-14, with a 6-6 record in conference play. Their last game was a defeat at the hands of Louisville on Tuesday.
Freshman infielder Jake Hanley and sophomore outfielder Korbyn Dickerson lead Indiana in hits with 45, which is good for second in the Big Ten.
Hanley also leads the team with a .385 batting average, 6th in the conference. Dickerson leads in OPS at 1.180, and runs with 37, which is second in the Big Ten. Dickerson also leads the Hoosiers and the Big Ten in home runs with 13, and RBI with 46, also second in the conference.
On the mound, the Indiana pitching staff is highlighted by senior Cole Gilley. Gilley leads his team in wins with five, tied for second in the conference.
GIlley is fourth with a 3.34 ERA, which also leads the team. His 43 strikeouts are enough for fourth in the conference.
The series begins on Friday, with first pitch set for 6:02 p.m. as the game will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
