Football team gets verbal commitment
The MSU football team hasn't wasted any time starting its recruitment for the 2004 season.
Detroit Country Day wide receiver and defensive back Deon Curry, son of Detroit Pistons forward Michael Curry, has verbally committed to the Spartans.
Don MacLean, Curry's coach at the Birmingham school, said his athlete sent out videotapes of himself to Georgia, Georgia Tech, Northwestern and MSU. The Spartans were the only school thus far that had contacted the 6-foot-2, 190-pounder.
This past season, Curry made 15 catches for 300 yards, MacLean said. Curry came back his junior year, after suffering a knee injury his sophomore year.
"He got injured during his sophomore year and it looked like he wasn't going to play football again. We always knew he wanted to play badly," MacLean said. "So, we convinced his family to let him play football. I think when the time came, his passion for football took over."
Curry will be a big asset to the Spartans, MacLean said.
"His biggest assets are his hands. They're just so big and soft. He's only going to get better with time.
"Coaches will like him because he's big, but he's still got a lot more growing to do. Even his dad probably wasn't this tall when he got out of high school."
Kristofer Karol
Winning streak gone, baseball to host U-M
The Spartans had their longest winning streak of the season - two games - snapped Wednesday night, falling to Western Michigan 4-2 at Oldsmobile Park.
A walk and three consecutive hits off MSU freshman righty Chris Toepper saw the Broncos (14-17) jump out to a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
MSU freshman shortstop Alan Cattrysse drilled a double in the bottom of the fifth inning, knocking in freshman pinch runner Chris Shea and sophomore left fielder Erik Morris and cutting the Western Michigan lead to one.
But in the top of the sixth inning, Toepper was tagged for back-to-back triples, and Bronco right fielder Tom Fabrizio crossed home for the final run of the game.
Toepper (0-2) took the loss for the Spartans (10-21 overall, 3-7 Big Ten), while southpaw J.R. Mathes (1-2) earned his first win of the season for Western Michigan.
MSU returns to Oldsmobile Park, 505 E. Michigan Ave. in Lansing, today to battle against Big Ten rival Michigan (16-15, 4-6).
Game one of the four-game series begins at 6 p.m.
Dawn Klemish
Crew team returns to action this weekend
After a two-week break, MSU returns to action Saturday in a regatta featuring Ohio State, Michigan and Indiana. The event, held on Lake Ovid at Sleepy Hollow State Park, will give MSU a chance to host an invitational for the first time this season.
The Spartans will meet Ohio State in morning competition and will face Indiana in the afternoon. The USRowing/CRCA poll released Wednesday tabbed MSU's varsity eight No. 10, while the Buckeyes secured 11th place and the Wolverines came in fifth. The Hoosiers remain unranked.
Competition begins at 9 a.m. with MSU participating in its first race at 9:45 a.m.
Dawn Klemish
Lugnuts to play first season home game
On Saturday, Lansing will play its first home game of the season - one the Lugnuts have dubbed "Reopening Day."
The first week of home games was canceled due to inclement weather.
Events include free hot dogs and pop for all season-ticket holders at the Tailgate Terrace from 2:45-5 p.m.
Game time is slated for 4:05 p.m.
Dawn Klemish
