Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
18-24
Michigan State
25-21
Bullpen Shines in Baseball's Damp Loss to Michigan State
5/6/2025 10:16:00 PM | Baseball
Seven EMU hurlers combined to allow just two earned runs with four pitchers tossing a scoreless frame
Photo Gallery
EAST LANSING, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University baseball team fell to Michigan State University in a non-conference affair, 3-1, as the Eagles battled difficult weather conditions throughout the game on a damp and dreary night at Jeff Ishbia Field at McLane Baseball Stadium Tuesday, May 6.
The Eastern pitching staff shined on a bullpen day as seven EMU hurlers combined to allow just two earned runs with four pitchers tossing a scoreless frame. Ty Stecko (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin/Mount St. Mary's) led the EMU offense with one hit and two walks as he reached base in 3-of-4 plate appearances.
Sophomore right-hander Emmett Gillies (Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Hartley/Akron) got the start and went two innings into the game, allowing one run off two hits while posting one strikeout and one walk. MSU starting pitcher Aidan Donovan (2-3) earned the win while reliever Dominic Pianto (2) secured the save. Gillies (0-1) was tagged with the loss.
How it Happened
The Eagles threatened in the first inning, putting two runners on with one out as Logan Hugo (Essexville, Mich./Essexville Garber) reached via a single, advanced to second on a Harrison Travis (Soddy Daisy, Tenn./Soddy Daisy/Carson-Newman), and got to third off a Devan Zirwas (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny/VCU) fly out, but the EMU offense was unable to send him home.
MSU also threatened in the first frame, getting a baserunner to third base with one out before Gillies forced a double play ball to second base to get out of the inning.
Michigan State pushed the first run of the game across in the bottom of the second, scoring a runner from third off a sacrifice fly to center field to take the 1-0 lead.
Senior right-hander Bobby Jones (Loveland, Ohio/St. Xavier/Xavier) relieved Gillies to start the bottom of the third. The Spartans added one run in the frame, scoring the leadoff man from second base off a triple to right-center, growing their lead to two at 2-0.
Eastern made a scratch in the run column in the top of the fourth. After reaching via an error by the Michigan State second baseman, Bruce Jellison (Hartland, Mich./Hartland/Wabash Valley) scored as Cooper Vance (New Waterford, Ohio/Mohawk) got on base off an error by the MSU shortstop in an inning that saw three misplays by the Spartans.
Freshman right-hander Cal Rutherford (Canton, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central) entered the game to relieve Jones to start the bottom of the fourth and pitched a scoreless frame, allowing just one hit in the inning.
The game turned into a true pitcher's duel from there on as there was just one hit from the fifth through the seventh inning with five batters reaching base between both teams.
Michigan State added an insurance run in the eighth off a sacrifice fly to deep center field, giving the green light to the runner on third base to run home, making the score 3-1, Spartans.
With its back against the wall, Eastern managed to put two runners on with two outs in the ninth, but failed to match the Spartans' run total as the game ended in a 3-1 win for Michigan State.
Game Notes
» Eastern pitching and defense limited its opponent to three runs or less for the seventh time this season. EMU is 5-2 when allowing three runs or less. The game also marked the seventh time Eastern pitchers allowed just two earned runs, also producing a 5-2 record in that scenario.
» Eastern Michigan pitchers limited Michigan State to just 1-for-7 (.143) with runners in scoring position.
» Eastern Michigan pitchers faced 33 Michigan State hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground balls and 10 fly balls while striking out one.
» Rutherford, Drew Norris (Leawood, Kan./Blue Valley/Utah/Johnson C.C.), Niko Kreuzer (Westerville, Ohio/St. Francis Desales), and Nick Keane (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin/Frederick C.C.) each tossed scoreless outings. It marked Rutherford's second while marking the eighth for Norris, Kreuzer, and Keane, respectively.
» Henry Slaby (Avon, Ohio/St. Edward) allowed a run for just the second time this season as he relinquished one in his one frame on the mound. He has held his opponents to zero runs in five of his seven appearances this season.
» Gillies earned the first start of his EMU career and gave up just one run while tallying his 10th strikeout of the season.
» Stecko drew multiple walks for the fourth time this season as he worked two base-on-balls.
» Zirwas knocked his team-leading 15th double of the season, a career-best for the junior infielder and a total that slots him sixth in the Mid-American Conference.
» Hugo tied a season-long career-best from the 2024 season as he recorded his 52nd hit, a figure that ranks second on the team.
» Eastern Michigan left 11 runners stranded on base in the loss.
Historical Notes
» Eastern pitching limited a Power Four opponent to three runs or less for the first time since it held the Atlantic Coast Conference's Notre Dame to two runs in a 4-2 win over the Fighting Irish in the 2019 Alamo Irish Classic in San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 22. The game was also the first where Eastern held a Big Ten Conference foe under three runs since it limited the Ohio State Buckeyes to just one run in a 6-1 win in Columbus, March 4, 2018.
» Tuesday's game was the 142nd all-time between the Eagles and Spartans. The loss continued Eastern's six-game losing streak to the Spartans, the team's longest in the modern statistical era (1999-present).
» The contest marked the 406th for Eastern against a Big Ten opponent. Overall, the Eagles post a 151-250-5 record when facing Big Ten teams.
» After the loss, EMU is 6-18 when facing one-time Eagle and now MSU skipper, Jake Boss Jr.
» EMU is now 2-4 against the Big Ten and 2-8 all-time against Power Four teams under Head Coach Robbie Britt.
Up Next
Eastern will return to MAC play as it aims to make a playoff push beginning with a three-game set against rivals Central Michigan University Friday-Sunday, May 9-11.
Follow Us
For all things EMU Baseball, be sure to check out the team's social media accounts, including EMU_Baseball on X (formerly Twitter) and emu_baseball on Instagram.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Donovan,Aidan (2-3)
L: Gillies, Emmett (0-1)
S: Pianto,Dominic (2)
Batting:
2B: Zirwas, Devan 1
SH: Schechterman, Ben 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jellison, Bruce 1
CS: Stecko, Ty 1
Batting:
3B: Williams,Nick 1
RBI: Williams,Nick 1 ; Busch,Sam 1 ; Sokolove,JT 1
SH: Picot,Parker 1
SF: Busch,Sam 1 ; Sokolove,JT 1
Base Running:
RUNS: McKay,Ryan 1 ; Seymour,Randy 1 ; Bright,Noah 1
SB: Seymour,Randy 1
PO: Bright,Noah 1
