EAST LANSING, Mich. – Rutgers baseball dropped game two of its series against Michigan State by a score of 5-2 on Saturday afternoon. 

The Scarlet Knights (19-8, 1-1) brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth but were unable to complete the comeback against the Spartans (11-14, 2-3).

Both starting pitchers posted zeroes in the first two innings, but Michigan State took control with a trio of runs in the third.

After two walks to start off the frame, MSU delivered with a three-run home run to take a 3-0 lead. 

RU got on the board in the fifth thanks to a solo home run off the bat of Johnny Volpe, his first of the season. The Scarlet Knights made it a one-run game in the sixth on a sac fly from Pete Durocher. 

The Spartans answered with one run apiece in the sixth and seventh to extend their lead to 5-2. 

Joe Mazza entered for Rutgers in the seventh with the bases loaded, but quickly got a double play to end the frame and eliminate further trouble. He then added two strikeouts in a scoreless eighth for 1.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. 

Despite Pete Durocher and Pete Ciuffreda each reaching base in the ninth, three strikeouts in the frame closed out the victory for MSU. 
 
The series finale between Rutgers and Michigan State is set for a 1:05 p.m. first pitch on Sunday afternoon.

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