EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The Indiana State baseball team dropped its first nonconference weekend series of the season after being shutout for the third time in the last six games, 6-0, Sunday afternoon at the hands of Michigan State (7-22) at Kobs Field. 
 
Misfortune struck the Sycamores (23-6) three batters into the game as a sharp line drive went off the leg of starting pitcher Tyler Whitbread. After several minutes of stoppage to gather himself and throw a few warmup pitches, Whitbread gave the okay and the right-hander worked around two singles to get out of the inning without allowing a run.
 
After watching his offense in the top of the second, Whitbread returned to the mound as tightness began to set in. Nic Lacoya led off with a double down the left-field line before Casey Mayes hit a home run to the deepest part of the park to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead. Michigan State continued to record hits, notching seven in just two and a third innings as Whitbread was pulled from action.
 
The bullpen kept the Sycamores in the game over the next five innings, shutting down the Spartan offense but the Indiana State bats were not able to put together any consistent offense with a combination of strong pitching from Spartan hurler Caleb Sleeman who went six and two-third innings of scoreless baseball.
 
Sleeman used timely double plays to end two innings, including the sixth inning after the Sycamores put two runners on with one out after Jordan Schaffer recorded a one-out single in his first career start followed by a hit-by-pitch from Luke Fegen. A sharply hit ground ball back to Sleeman was the start of a double play that ended the inning.
 
ISU picked up leadoff doubles from Joe Boyle and Jake Means in the eighth and ninth innings respectively, but MSU pitching would keep the Sycamores off the scoreboard.
 
Michigan State added a trio of insurance runs in the eighth when Zach Iverson cleared the bases with a three-run double to center.
 
Austin Cross went two and two-third innings, allowing just one hit while Jake Ridgway allowed two hits in two innings on the mound. Max Klein allowed two runs while Geremy Guerrero allowed one in the eight. Whitbread dropped his first decision of the season in the loss, falling to 5-1 on the year.
 
Sleeman (2-1) collected his second win of the season after allowing just three hits in six and two-third innings. Evan Flohr gave up one hit in an inning and a third while Indigo Diaz closed out the ninth for MSU.
 
Michigan State outhit Indiana State 14-5 on the day and 24-11 over the weekend. ISU was held to a .122 average over the three-game set with Luke Fegen, Jake Means and Clay Dungan collecting two hits each to lead the team.  
 
Indiana State continues its tour of the state of Michigan this week with two games against the Wolverines. The Sycamores and UM will open a pair of midweek contests Tuesday before finishing the two-game set Wednesday afternoon before returning to Bob Warn Field to face Valpo over the weekend.   
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Baseball team, be sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.