On April Fool's Day, senior centerfielder Sandy Lewis approached Old College Field for softball practice wearing a boot and brandishing a signed letter from the head trainer stating she would be out of action 4 to 6 weeks.
Naturally, head coach Jacquie Joseph was disappointed as she thought she would be losing her top hitter. Lewis kept the gag going until she was ready to practice and started jogging around the field. Joseph noticed the sudden spring in her centerfielder's step, chased her down and tackled her.
"She's a mental case," Joseph said.
Earning her reputation as the team jokester was nowhere near as difficult as Lewis' road to becoming one of the team's top performers. The Empire, Mich., native started her career as a Spartan without a definite role, but this season she's become one of the team's best players.
"She came on as basically a walk-on with little scholarship money," Joseph said. "We didn't know where she'd play. But with plenty of hard work and dedication, she made herself the player that she is today.
"Her work ethic is just astounding. What she has accomplished is amazing."
That hard work has shown as Lewis' statistics have risen greatly since her first season.
In her freshman campaign, Lewis collected just eight hits in 36 games. During her sophomore season, Lewis only had seven hits. Last season, Lewis had a breakout campaign as she earned third team All-Big Ten honors after she started 53 of 59 games, hitting .274 and finishing third on the team with 40 hits.
Her steady improvement has not leveled off this year, as Lewis ranks in the top five in 15 offensive team categories, which includes holding the top spot in batting average (.378), on-base percentage (.460), runs scored (24) and hits (37).
Lewis' offensive improvement has been one of the reasons for MSU's (24-9 overall, 4-1 Big Ten) great start.
"I had a pretty disappointing sophomore year," Lewis said. "Me and (shortstop Margaret Schick) just took that summer as an opportunity to get in the weight room and improve. And last summer, I just tried to do the same thing."
Joseph said Lewis is now one of the team's leaders. As much as she likes to clown around, the senior is a role model for everyone on the roster. And Lewis uses a unique technique to get the team fired up before each contest.
"Pretty much, I just pick something out about the opponent to make fun of," Lewis said. "It's kind of mean, but it works. But as much as I like to talk, I try to back it up on the field."
Lewis said her approach at the plate has changed drastically during her four seasons. Before, she would analyze pitch counts and probabilities. Now, she's all instincts when she steps inside the batter's box.
That change, coupled with a team laced with experience - nine upperclassmen inhabit the 17-player roster - has enabled Lewis and her teammates to enjoy the most successful season in Lewis' tenure.
The team is tied with Iowa atop the Big Ten standings. Already this season, the Spartans have had a 12-game winning streak and have won eight of their last 10 contests, outscoring opponents 40-14 in that stretch. And the senior is enjoying every moment of her final season as a Spartan.
"Hopefully, we can keep this up and get a bid to the NCAAs," Lewis said. "This is definitely something I've hoped for. We've just been focusing on not squandering opportunities like we did in the past. Individual things are good, but I'm more interested in helping the team."
