Burdened with the inability to practice at the McLane Baseball Stadium, the team attempts to replicate a number of game-like situations indoors at the Duffy Daugherty football center. Senior pitcher Jeff Kinley explains this process.

“Doing drills, pitching the live hitters in cages, and going over game like scenarios inside gets us as close as we can to a game like atmosphere outside,” Kinley said.

A prepping strategy that sophomore infielder Johnny Nate believes to be a minor disadvantage, as the team gears up to head out west to take on opponents who have the luxury of using their fields.

“We can’t get the same atmosphere and quality that we would see in a game,” said Nate.

But as the majority of the team hails from the north, a number of players are accustomed to such conditions. Still, Kinley agrees that there is an advantage to playing in the open air. 

“I feel like most of us are from the north so we don’t get a chance to practice outside until the first game,” said Kinley. “So it can be a little disadvantage going into our first weekend not having been on a baseball field for a few months and can take a little getting used to.”

But this apparent disadvantage might stem from the nerves of the first game, rather than the process of which they prepare. MSU baseball has experienced a continued success with season openers, beginning six of their previous seven seasons with a win on the road, commencing last season with a 4-1 win over Wright State.

MSU will hope to continue their streak of triumphs as they are set to face New Mexico in Surprise, Arizona on Feb. 13 at 7:00pm.