Spartans Break Through in Game Two with 7-4 Win Over Ohio State

(© Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA)

Michigan State needs every win possible in this final Big Ten series.

Coming into the weekend, the Spartans sat 13th overall in the conference standings, keeping them on the outside of the postseason bubble looking in. Michigan State had already played an extra series compared to several of the teams battling for those final spots, meaning all MSU could do was win, wait and see how the rest of the conference played out.

In game one, however, winning seemed far from the Spartans’ minds as Michigan State simply tried to save face during a rough 15-5 loss.

Game two was a completely different story.

The Spartans handed the ball to ace Aidan Donovan, and per usual, he delivered. Behind another gritty outing from Donovan and timely hitting throughout the lineup, Michigan State bounced back with a much-needed 7-4 win over Ohio State.

Donovan finished with seven strong innings on the mound. While he ran into trouble throughout the middle innings, every jam was answered with a crucial out before things could spiral too far out of control. It was not his cleanest outing of the season, but it may have been one of his toughest mentally.

The junior right-hander allowed eight hits and four runs overall, surrendering one run in each inning from the third through the sixth. That stretch included two solo home runs, a sacrifice fly and an RBI single. Still, Donovan consistently found ways to limit damage and keep the Spartans in front.

At times, Donovan looked nearly untouchable. He mixed his pitches exceptionally well and kept Ohio State hitters uncomfortable throughout the afternoon, finishing with six strikeouts compared to just one walk.

Once Donovan’s day was complete, Nolan Higgins came in to close things out — and for plenty of Spartan fans, that likely caused some nerves.

Instead, Higgins delivered arguably his best outing of the season.

The reliever tossed two perfect innings while striking out four of the six batters he faced. Higgins attacked hitters with confidence from the moment he entered the game and never let Ohio State build any momentum late. His dominant performance secured his third save of the season, while Donovan improved to 5-3 on the year with the win.

Offensively, the Spartans came through in several key moments, but nobody shined brighter than leadoff hitter Nick Williams.

Williams finished Saturday’s contest with three hits in five at-bats while scoring all three times he reached base. He also added two RBIs after blasting his fifth home run of the season over the wall. In a game where Michigan State desperately needed someone to step up offensively, Williams answered the call in a major way.