The Purdue Fort Wayne baseball team defeated Michigan State 3-2 on Wednesday (April 19) for the Mastodons’ second win over a Big Ten team in as many seasons. The ‘Dons defeated Michigan last year.

Braedon Blackford had three hits in Wednesday’s win. Grant Thoroman and Cade Fitzpatrick each hit a home run.

Blackford doubled in Jacob Walker in the first to put the ‘Dons up 1-0. Thoroman hit a home run in the fourth and Fitzpatrick hit a solo shot in the fifth to account for the Mastodons’ three runs.

The Spartans had four hits in the first inning but didn’t get their next hit until the sixth inning. Brendan Reid started and went 4.0 innings. He allowed just the first-inning run and got the win. He is 2-2.

The ‘Dons brought in Brody Fine in the sixth with two outs and runners on first and third. After earning two strikes on their batter the Spartans opted to send the runner on first to try to sneak the runner from third home. It didn’t work as the runner at third was tagged out to end the inning.

Michigan State scored one in the eighth to get it tighter, but Justin Miller earned the final four outs of the game. It wasn’t without some drama. Michigan State loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth and the Big Ten’s batting average leader Brock Vradenburg came to the plate. He entered the game hitting .426 but grounded out to first base on a 1-0 pitch to end the game. The ‘Dons limited him to a 1-5 day including a strikeout in the eighth at the hands of Jacob Myer.

Miller now owns four saves on the season.

Michigan State falls to 23-11. The ‘Dons move to 10-28 and welcome Wright State in Horizon League action this weekend.