Senior Day isn’t until Sunday, but the two graduating cornerstones of the Valparaiso University baseball program accounted for the offense on Wednesday evening at McLane Stadium in East Lansing. Chase Dawson (Chesterton, Ind. / Andrean) and Sam Shaikin (West Hills, Calif. / Chatsworth) both belted home runs in a 9-3 nonconference defeat to Big Ten foe Michigan State.

How It Happened

• Valpo jumped in front when Dawson crushed one over the 385 sign in right center and into the Red Cedar River to put Valpo in front 1-0 in the opening frame.
• Michigan State (17-30) had two outs and nobody on in the second, but the Spartans put together a two-out rally to score three times. A walk was followed by four straight singles to allow Michigan State take over the lead at 3-1.
• For the second time in the game, a Valpo senior went yard in the fifth. This time it was Shaikin cracking a two-run blow to tie the game at three.
• The Spartans went right back in front in the bottom of the inning as Zaid Walker and Nic Lacayo hit back-to-back doubles, producing two runs to make it 5-3 Michigan State.
• Valpo starting pitcher Keegan Bates (Plainfield, Ill. / Plainfield North) worked 4 2/3 innings and allowed five runs on nine hits and two walks before departing.
• The first three Michigan State hits in the seventh came on ground ball singles, then Lacayo ripped a two-run double to make it 7-3. By the time the frame ended, it was a four-run inning that extended the lead to 9-3.
• Easton Rhodehouse (Gilbert, Ariz. / Highland) worked a scoreless bottom of the eighth, but Valpo couldn’t push across a run in the ninth.

Inside the Game

• Dawson’s dinger was his third of the season and the sixth of his collegiate career. All six of his home runs have come over the last two seasons.
• The Shaikin home run was his eighth of the season and the 21^st of his collegiate career. He entered the Top 10 in program history for career home runs on Wednesday, moving into a tie for ninth.
• Shaikin and Dawson finished the night with two hits apiece. Dawson now has 190 career hits, needing 10 more to become the first Valpo player to enter the program’s 200-hit club since Spencer Mahoney in 2015.

Up Next

Valpo (10-32) will begin the final home series of the year on Friday as Southern Illinois makes its way to Emory G. Bauer Field. The first pitch for the series opener will occur at 3 p.m. with live audio and stats available.