In the annual "Crosstown Showdown" between the Lansing Lugnuts — High-A affiliate for the Oakland Athletics — and Michigan State, the Spartans fell 12-3.
“It’s always a fun night,” Michigan State head coach Jake Boss Jr. said after the game. “I thought we did some good things, and I thought we can take away a lot of things from just kind of paying attention and watching how the Lugnuts did some things. Again, it’s every guy’s dream and goal to play at this level and I think we got a little bit of a taste on what it’s going to take for some guys to play at this level.”
Six MSU pitchers threw in the seven-inning exhibition contest. Brian Martin started the game, earning the loss after surrendering a run in the first inning. Dominic Pianto surrendered three runs, Zach Hopman gave up a run, as did Max Chapman. The only MSU pitchers with clean innings were Robert Klann and Gavin Sitarz.
All of Michigan State’s three runs were scored in the third inning. Trent Farquhar tripled, scoring Jake Dresselhouse and Randy Seymour. Mitch Jebb followed with a single, scoring Farquhar.
“It was so much fun, especially when the community can come out and especially for baseball in April, not the best night weather-wise, but to see everybody out here for the night was just really encouraging to us,” Farquhar said after the exhibition contest. “We’re really glad that we were able to get it in. Even though it didn’t go the way we wanted it to, it’s still so much fun playing against professional baseball players.”
If you’re a baseball fan, then you were in luck on Tuesday night. The Lugnuts currently house several of Oakland’s top prospects, including pitcher Mason Miller, catcher Daniel Susac and shortstop Max Muncy.
Muncy was 1-for-4 on Tuesday night with two RBIs; Susac was 2-for-4; Miller did not pitch as he’ll likely go in one of the Lugnuts’ openers. Lansing opens its season on the road, April 7 against the Great Lakes Loons in Midland, Michigan.
In last year’s "Crosstown Showdown," catcher Tyler Soderstrom was on display. He is the Athletics’ top prospect (No. 39 in the MLB) and is currently with Oakland’s Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas Aviators.
Meanwhile, MSU is midway through its season where the team boasts a 16-9 record on the season. The team plays its next game at home against Bowling Green on Wednesday (April 5) where the Spartans will celebrate Title IX.
