Donley, Indiana down Michigan State 7-4

Scott Donley, 2013 Mountaineer. /NWITimes

The 4th day of the 2014 Big Ten baseball tournament kicked off today with Nebraska eliminating Michigan, but the real story was the second game of the day.

The game between No. 6 Michigan State and No. 1 Indiana- the matchup that featured 10 NECBL players from the past and set to play this summer.

Last year's league was flooded with talent by these teams- Scott Donley, Nick Ramos, Joel Fisher, Mick Van Vossen and Ryan Richardson.

That pattern continues this year with Brad Hartong, Blaise Salter, Van Vossen, Casey Rodrique, Anthony Misiewicz and Evan Bell all coming to diamonds across New England.

For that reason, today's matchup was intriguing so I tuned in on the Big Ten Network and followed along. Indiana went on to pull out a 7-4 win to end Michigan State's season and advance to the Big Ten finals. Donley came up clutch for the Hoosiers with a go ahead two-RBI double in the top of the ninth.

A very good game unfolded as 2014 NECBLers were given the nod to start. The Spartans sent out Misiewicz, a Gull, while Indiana countered with Bell, a Mountaineer. It seemed fitting that on a different level, Vermont and Newport were continuing a New England summer rivalry on a baseball field in Nebraska.

Both pitchers ran into trouble early as Bell gave up two runs in the bottom of the first. 2014 Gull Blaise Salter doubled and after an intentional walk, former Holyoke Blue Sox catcher Joel Fisher knocked in both runs with a double.

However, the game was evened quickly as Indiana came back against Misiewicz in the top of the second. Donley scored on a RBI groundout from Hartong and Dustin Demuth added a RBI single to tie it at two apiece.

Misiewicz. /MSU

After that, the pitchers settled down and pitched effectively. Bell retired eight straight at one point, and Misiewicz countered with an identical stretch. Bell left in the fifth after a solid first start, going 4.1 innings and allowing just two earned runs.

Misiewicz lasted just a little longer as he left after he allowed two quick hits to start the sixth. He struck out an impressive eight over five innings. The game really heated up after that, as one of the runners he left on came around to score to give the Hoosiers a 3-2 lead.

Michigan State came right back after Joel Pickens singled in Cam Gibson to tie it at three in the home half of the sixth. However, the back-and-forth style continued in the top of the 7th. Tim O'Connor knocked in Will Nolden with a RBI single to put Indiana up, 4-3.

Indiana held a lead until the bottom of the 8th when the Spartans tied it up. Michigan State got a runner on second with one out when Hoosiers manager Tracy Smith sent out Jake Kezler with a 0-2 count on Anthony Cheky.

Kezler got the strikeout, but a wild pitch advanced the Spartan runner, Gibson, to third. Salter came up and hit a ground ball to DeMuth at third, who bobbled it against his wrist and Gibson danced home with the tying run.

However, Indiana came right back in the top of the ninth. Spartan pitcher Walker Borkovich hit O'Connor to lead off the ninth and he was replaced by Friday starter Mick Van Vossen, a Newport Gull. Van Vossen hit Rodrique and gave up a single to Kyle Schwarber to load the bases. He got a fielders choice out before allowing a two-RBI double to Donley to put the Hoosiers up 6-4.

Van Vossen was replaced by Chase Rihtarchkik, who thew a wild pitch on his attempt to intentionally walk DeMuth. This sent Travis home for a 7-4 lead, more then enough insurance for Indiana into the home stretch.

Kelzer earned the win after closing out the Spartans in the ninth, while Borkovich was handed the loss. The Hoosiers advanced to the Big Ten final against Nebraska, which is scheduled for 2 p.m ET tomorrow.