LOOK: Michigan State, Michigan baseball teams take knee in solidarity with MSU shooting victims

Both the Michigan and Michigan State baseball teams are playing at the same season-opening tournament in Arizona. The two in-state rivals face off, with first pitch at 4 p.m. ET on Friday, but not before the respective squads took a moment to pay tribute to the victims of Monday’s shooting at Michigan State University.

While the baseball rivalry between the schools is not quite as intense as in football or men’s and women’s basketball, the teams still don’t hold a ton of fond feelings for each other. That still was never going to be enough to stop a moment of solidarity for the three dead and five others wounded.

A picture of the scene, relayed by ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren, shows the two teams just behind home plate at Sloan Park in Arizona, with someone leading the two teams in prayer.

A friend sent me this picture. Michigan and Michigan State players joined together on the field to take a knee before their game at Sloan Park in Arizona to pray for the victims of the shooting that took place on Michigan State’s campus. pic.twitter.com/YJ5IuAc1Ov

— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) February 17, 2023

Certain Michigan teams to wear Michigan State heart decal in wake of Monday’s shooting

In the wake of Monday’s shooting at Michigan State, which left three students dead and five more in the hospital, the outpouring of support has been vast. And in-state rivalries be damned, Michigan Athletics is no different in showing support for the Spartans.

Michigan Athletics announced on Wednesday afternoon that various teams will sport a Spartan helmet decal. The included pictures show a batting helmet and a hockey helmet.

While the decal will seemingly just be worn by teams that have helmets, a jersey patch or something similar might also be in play.

In the wake of this week's horrific tragedy in East Lansing, some of our Michigan teams will wear special helmet decals to honor the victims at Michigan State.

💚💙 pic.twitter.com/3cCwv5TMA7

— Michigan Athletics 〽️ (@UMichAthletics) February 15, 2023

It’s a lovely, simple gesture from one rival to another when all that stuff doesn’t matter, at all. And given that the two teams are still anticipated to play their scheduled basketball game in Ann Arbor on Saturday, there will be plenty more opportunity to offer some support and solidarity after the unthinkable happened.