EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Fresh off a walk-off victory over Southeast Missouri State on Wednesday night, the University of Evansville baseball team will travel north to East Lansing, Michigan this weekend to take on the Michigan State Spartans in a three-game series at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field. The series will begin on Friday afternoon at 2:35 p.m. central time and the entire weekend series can be heard live in the Tri-State area on 107.1 FM-WJPS.
Evansville will bring an 8-8 overall record into this weekend’s series after rallying to defeat Southeast Missouri State, 6-5, in extra innings on Wednesday. SEMO jumped to an early 4-0 lead, but UE was able to eventually tie things in the fifth inning on an RBI double by junior outfielder Ty Rumsey, and then fellow junior outfielder Harrison Taubert came through with an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning to help Evansville pick up the victory.
Rumsey has been UE’s hottest hitter in the month of March, as the Evansville North High School product has hit safely in all eight March contests, while compiling a .517 batting average in March with four doubles, two home runs and 14 RBI. Not only has Rumsey hit safely in all eight March games, but he has also produced six multi-hit games in March to raise his season batting average to .400. He currently ranks second on the team in hitting behind team-leader Mark Shallenberger and his .407 average.
As a team, Evansville is hitting .320 overall this year, and ranks 23rd nationally in batting average. The Purple Aces also rank fifth nationally in doubles, having collected 49 doubles already this year in just 16 games. Evansville had 94 doubles in 61 games last season.
This weekend’s series will be the first time that Michigan State has played at home this year, as the Spartans are 5-9 after spending the first 14 games of the year on the road and at neutral-site tournaments. Despite the travels, Michigan State’s offense has hit, as the Spartans will bring a .303 team batting average into the series, which ranks second in the Big Ten so far. Senior outfielder Jack Frank leads Michigan State offensively this year with a .368 batting average.
This weekend’s series will mark just the third series between the two teams all-time on the baseball diamond. Evansville currently leads the all-time series, 5-1, having won two of three games over Michigan State in 2011, before sweeping a three-game series at home in 2022.
Evansville will turn to senior RHP Nick Smith (0-2, 9.42 ERA) to start Friday’s series opener. He will be opposed by Michigan State’s LHP Joseph Dzierwa (1-1, 3.86 ERA). The series will continue on Saturday afternoon at 2:35 p.m. as well, and conclude on Sunday at 12 p.m. central.
