Michigan State Pitcher Beats Ducks, 2-0

[30Duck]

The Friday starter for Michigan State has an incredible 2.51 ERA compared to Oregon's Grayson Grinsell's respectable 2.97 ERA, so this looks like a pitchers duel shaping up. My hope is that our batters find a way to get to their pitcher, as we did against the great UCLA and Oregon State Friday Night starters.

 

The Spartan record of 23-19 is padded with a ton of small schools, or weak leagues. We thought Columbia of the Ivy League would challenge the Ducks, but our batters tore them up and Michigan State played Harvard and Cornell. This was on top of playing Western Michigan, Monmouth, Western Carolina, Winthrop, etc.

 

In conference play, Michigan State lost to UCLA 15-9, lost their series with Iowa 2-1, got swept four games by Michigan, lost their series to Illinois 2-1, swept by Indiana 3-0 in their series, but won their series by a 2-1 margin against Northwestern and Penn State.

 

In the end...all the prior scores don't matter; the Spartans will be hyped out-of-their-mind to beat the No. 6 team at home before their crowd, and Oregon will have their hands full.

 

Let’s get it done Ducks!

 

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Ducks coming off a season-series four-game sweep of Oregon State

 

[Charles Fischer]

 

 

[Duckman60]

MSU website said that Dzierwa is starting game 1 even though the last to series' he was the day 2 starter.  Both times he got roughed up a little;

 

Ohio St- 4 inn, 6 hits, 6 runs, 5 er

 

Mich- 6 inn, 10 hits, 6 runs, 3 er

 

He is obviously a good pitcher but are his stats a little inflated by playing lower quality opponents?  

 

Plus they have lost 4 in a row and Oregon has won 4, confidence a real big deal in baseball.

 

Go Ducks!

[Charles Fischer]

On 5/2/2025 at 9:39 AM, Duckman60 said:

He is obviously a good pitcher but are his stats a little inflated by playing lower quality opponents?  

I think that is an excellent observation, as an ERA won't always tell the full story. While it is 2.51....if he pitches as he did against those aforementioned two teams--it would help offset the home field advantage!

 

 

[Duckman60]

We all know that stats do not guarantee performance but.....

 

League play only

 

Grinsell 1.81 ERA first in the league

Reitz     3.67 ERA 8th

Dzierwa 3.69 ERA 9th

 

Iowa has 3 pitchers in the top 15, pretty impressive 

[Charles Fischer]

0-0 after one inning as it appears the umpire behind the plate is not giving the outside edge to the pitchers. Michigan State's lefty is tough, and our batters are finding that the ball does not carry as far in their park.  (Heavy, cold air?)

 

Not only is Oregon's Grayson Grinsell on point, but he is SO GOOD at pick-off moves at first and second base.

 

 

[Charles Fischer]

1-0 Michigan State after two innings as Anson Aroz dropped a fly-ball as he was running to get it, and thus a runner scored on it. A great throw to third base to pick off the runner trying to extend his bases...but the score occurred before.

 

We have some puzzling defensive lineup changes, as Anson Aroz moves to center field, and Mason Neville is the Designated Hitter. Dominic Hellman is playing first base, which I expected to see next year, and they moved Jacob Walsh to left field?  I do not get this at all...Waz has a great reason, but I be darned if I can figure it out.

 

[Charles Fischer]

1-0 Michigan State after three innings.  I am having spammer problems on my desktop, so I will be posting from my mobile phone, and will be unable to provide the usual items I’ve done before.

 

[Charles Fischer]

1-0 Michigan State after four innings.  A great pick-off by Grayson Grinsell again!

 

 

[Charles Fischer]

2-0 Michigan State after five innings, as they hit a line-drive dinger.

 

[Charles Fischer]

2-0 Michigan State after six innings. Grinsell has 79 pitches, so I think he’ll be on the mound for the seventh.

[Charles Fischer]

2-0 Michigan State after seven innings. Grinsell is at 92 pitches, and trust him more than a reliever.  Problem is, their pitcher is untouchable, and he only has 72 pitches.

 

he could go all nine innings, while Oregon is running out of outs!

 

[Charles Fischer]

Ducks lose 2-0, as the MSU pitcher had the game of his career going all nine innings.

 

There is no rest for us, as we will get everyone’s best shot.

 

[30Duck]

On 5/2/2025 at 5:06 PM, Charles Fischer said:

There is no rest for us, as we will get everyone’s best shot.

Very true. Is this L worse than losing at home to Portland? No. Grinsell pitched a great game, and I sure didn't understand the line-up change, has Waz heard, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"? Very good chance that Duck's 2 and 3 pitchers are better than State's 2 and 3 pitchers, or they wouldn't be in 10th place. 

[Charles Fischer]

Yep, on a usual day, giving up one earned run, and one unearned run due to a fielding error would not be a losing effort—with this offense against most pitchers.