PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Michigan State (16-23) scored six runs in the first inning on the way to claiming a 12-1 win over Rutgers baseball (18-21) Friday at Bainton Field.
 
"We've been in a stretch where games have gotten away from us early," head coach 
Steve Owens said. "When things aren't going well, the last thing you can do is give up a big inning. That cycle repeated itself again. The players have to change it. They need to execute, it's not a lack of effort. Things are going poorly now. A player has to do it, then a group to make that change to get back going again. Today got away early, not a lot that happened after to get back in. You can only fight back from a large deficit so many times in a season. We have to get off to a good start, create some opportunities early, expand and play regular baseball, which we did for most of the season."
 
The Spartans used homers by Zaid Walker and Andrew Morrow in the first to build a 6-0 lead, taking advantage of two Rutgers errors. That proved to be enough run support for Mason Erla, who struck out six with one run against in six innings.
 
Ben Gorski worked a career-high 2.2 innings of scoreless relief for the Scarlet Knights. 
Kevin Welsh worked a pair of walks offensively and scored on an RBI single by 
Richie Schiekofer. 
Danny DiGeorgio extended his hitting streak to nine games with a single.
 
 
	- T1 | Michigan State score six runs, four unearned, on six hits with two homers to take the early lead.
- T4 | The Spartans plated an unearned run on an RBI single by Walker.
- T5 | A two-out, two-run single by Reese Trahey built the visitor advantage to nine.
- B5 | Welsh worked an eight-pitch walk, moved to second on a single by Peter Serruto and scored on a two-out RBI single up the middle by Schiekofer.
- T8 | Joe Stewart hit a two-run homer for Michigan State.
- T9 | A sacrifice fly plated the 12th run for MSU.
 
Game two of the series is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. Watch on Big Ten Network+ or listen on WRSU 88.7-FM.
 
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