GREEN & WHITE BASEBALL

Cam Vieaux pitches MSU past Nebraska in Big Ten tourney

Chris Solari
Lansing State Journal
MSU pitcher Cam Vieaux (36) allowed three hits over 8 2/3 innings as the Spartans defeated Nebraska 5-1 in their Big Ten Baseball Tournament opener  at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska.

Cam Vieaux gave Michigan State exactly what it wanted. His offense needed just one inning to provide him all of the support he needed.

The seventh-seeded Spartans scored all of their runs in the sixth inning, and their left-handed ace allowed just three hits over 8 2/3 innings to open the Big Ten Tournament with a 5-1 victory over No. 2 seed Nebraska on Wednesday at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska.

“I treated this like it might be my last time pitching in the green and white,” said Vieaux, who returned to MSU for his redshirt junior season after being drafted by the Detroit Tigers last year. “When we got three runs, I went to check how many pitches I was at. When I found out, I said, ‘I’m going nine – this thing is over.’ ”

MSU (35-18) will face No. 6 seed Maryland at 6 p.m. Thursday in the winner’s bracket of the double-elimination tournament.

Sophomore right-hander Ethan Landon (7-3, 2.77 ERA) will start Thursday night for MSU against Maryland. The Terrapins (29-25) defeated No. 3 seed Indiana 5-3 on Wednesday morning and – like Nebraska at the end of the regular season – a took two of three games from the Spartans.

“We felt like we let it slip away when we played Nebraska (in the regular season). So for us to have a second shot, it was great to come out and play how we knew we could have played against them,” said sophomore shortstop Kory Young, who went 3 for 4 as MSU’s No. 9 hitter. “Plus to get another shot at Maryland, it’s even better. We want to do the same thing (Thursday).”

The Spartans sent 10 hitters to the plate in the top of the sixth, getting five of their eight hits in the game to dispatch Nebraska (37-19) in what began as a scoreless pitcher’s dual between Vieaux and Huskers starter Derek Burkamper.

MSU senior Justin Hovis lined a double into the left-field corner to lead off the top of the sixth. Kory Young followed with a bunt up the third-base line that Burkamper fielded and threw into right field, scoring Hovis.

Brandon Hughes walked on four pitches, then Jordan Zimmerman followed with a double down the right-field line that scored Young and chased Burkamper from the game.

Reece Eddins took over on the mound, and Dan Durkin’s sharp grounder bounced off the glove of second baseman Jake Schleppenbach to score Young. Matt Byars added a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0, then Kris Simonton hit a two-out RBI single to center for all the runs MSU would need.

“Hovis had a big double to start it, and then the pressure started,” MSU coach Jake Boss said. “There are times when you know it’s coming, and even sometimes that adds to it and can force some things in your favor.”

Vieaux was outstanding and efficient, striking out one and walking two. He needed just 106 pitches before leaving with one out left before a wild pitch with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. A blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand popped, and Boss didn’t want to take any risks of leaving Vieaux in the game. Dakota Mekkes struck out pinch-hitter Angelo Altavilla for the final out.

The three hits were a season low for Nebraska, which will face Indiana in an elimination game Thursday morning.

“I think that’s what a No. 1 (starter) should do,” Boss said. “Physically, I had a pretty good feeling Cam would be ready to go after getting back on his normal rest. We knew mentally he’d be ready to go – he’s probably the fiercest competitor we have. He was just in control the whole way.”

Vieaux said he won’t touch a baseball until Saturday to see how his blister heals and considers himself day-to-day. Boss said he likely won’t throw Vieaux again in the tournament after he topped 100 pitches Wednesday, but his lefty wouldn’t rule out pitching if the Spartans make it to Sunday’s championship game.

More importantly for Boss, he didn’t need to use his bullpen for more than Mekkes’ six pitches. That’s almost as critical as getting into the winner’s bracket in a five-day, double-elimination tournament.

“I just knew in order for us to make a run in this tournament that I’d have to go as deep as I could. I pretty much did that,” Vieaux said. “It sets us up perfectly. We’ve pretty much got our full staff ready to go.”

 

BIG TEN TOURNAMENT

No. 7 MSU vs. No. 6 Maryland

When: 6 p.m. Thursday

Where: TD Ameritrade Park, Omaha, Nebraska

TV: Big Ten Network

Online: SpartanSportsNetwork.com

Friday: The MSU-Maryland winner gets Friday off and will play at 1 p.m. Saturday. The loser will play in an elimination game at 3:30 p.m. Friday.