Erstad said his fifth-inning pep talk wasn’t a scolding.

“Just (told) them to reset: ‘Let’s just remember how we got to where we (are). Just go back out there and do our thing,’” he said. “I thought they did a really nice job of that the rest of the game.”

Particularly Bummer, Erstad said.

The junior left-hander from Peoria, Arizona, had cruised through four innings, moving his sinking fastball around the plate and occasionally getting the Spartan hitters to chase. But those two errant throws sparked a sudden MSU rally in the fifth. NU’s normally sound defense hadn’t committed two errors in the same inning since April 5.

Two walks then loaded the bases with one out for No. 3 hitter Blaise Salter.

But Bummer said he knew his pitches were still difficult for the Spartans (30-25) to square up. He just needed to keep attacking.

Salter flied out and drove in a run, tying the game at 2-2. Bummer then struck out Jimmy Pickens to end the fifth. Bummer allowed just one base runner after that.