Michigan State's Ohio State's during the seventh inning on Friday, April 18, 2025, at McLane Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Success Out West Boosts Spartans' Chances at Big Ten Tournament

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Tom Cavanaugh | Last updated May 13, 2025 9:59 AM ET

The Michigan State Spartans had their backs against the wall this past weekend against a Top-25 opponent and came to play, earning a pair of pivotal wins to keep their postseason hopes alive.

The Spartans gained a 5-0 win in Game 1 on Friday night, followed by a 15-5 mercy rule (8 innings) victory on Saturday afternoon. Sunday's Game 3 featured a disappointing loss, but being able to win the series and take two of three was crucial. It was essentially a win-or-go-home series for the Spartans.

With the Spartans nowhere close to winning the conference title, the qualifications to reach the Big Ten Tournament in Omaha, Nebraska are much more attainable. With two wins this past weekend, MSU is now one of the top 12 teams that are able to qualify for the tournament. The six worst teams do not.

There are currently three teams that are tied for the 11th and 12th place spots in the conference standings. Michigan State, Illinois and Northwestern all sit at 12-15 in Big Ten play this season, and it seems that two of the three will be moving on to the postseason in Omaha.

To put it in perspective, just one game separates five teams from the ninth spot in the standings and the 12th and final spot. This weekend of Big Ten action is going to end a few seasons while extending others. The Spartans would not be in contention without last weekend's success.

Illinois was swept by No. 14 UCLA this past weekend, giving the Spartans an even better chance that the Bruins will play Northwestern this weekend. Michigan State will be rooting for the Bruins to pull off a sweep to open the door even further, giving them a possible chance to clinch a tournament spot.

Michigan State will play its final regular-season conference series this weekend in East Lansing, taking on the Minnesota Gophers (22-27, 8-19), a series that the Spartans need to win at least one to get in. If they finish the season with a Big Ten record of 14-16, they should be OK and find themselves heading to Omaha.