OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — Michigan State scored six runs in the first inning and never looked back, beating Purdue 8-4 on Tuesday evening in the Big Ten Baseball Championship. The Spartans improved to 23-31, while the Boilermakers dropped to 34-19.

Khamaree Thomas started the scoring with a bunt single that drove in a run. Randy Seymour followed with a two-run single, and D. Murphy added an RBI single. In the second inning, Thomas delivered a sacrifice fly, Issac Sturgess doubled home a run and Seymour singled to score Sturgess. Parker Picot homered in the fourth to make it 8-0.

Purdue mounted a late comeback. Brandon Rogers singled in two runs in the eighth. In the ninth, Jackson Bessette doubled to bring in a run and Dylan Drake drove in Bessette with a sacrifice fly. The rally stopped there.

Michigan State outhit Purdue 11-7. Aidan Donovan earned the win for the Spartans, and Graham Kollen took the loss. The Spartans advanced in the double-elimination tournament, having lost two of three to Purdue during the regular season.