“We’re playing against some of the best in the minors,” MSU first baseman Jeff Holm said. “These guys are professionals; it’s just an honor to go out there and play on the same field as them.”

Holm and the Spartans are fresh off taking two of three games from Iowa in the first Big Ten series of the season last weekend.

The series was a good start for a team hoping to make a run at its first Big Ten championship in more than 30 years.

However, MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said Monday that he hopes his players will be able to forget about the pressures of conference play and have fun Tuesday night with the opportunity they have in front of them.

“There’s certainly a little of the pressure taken off because it is an exhibition game,” Boss said.
“We can really go out and enjoy playing.”

Although Boss hopes the Spartans have fun Tuesday night, he said that does not change the fact he wants MSU to play hard and play well. Much like every game, Boss said he wants his players to go out and “play the right way,” and hopefully come away with a win. But, at the same time, he said he will take a slightly different approach himself into the game against the Lugnuts.

The most significant change to Boss’ gameplan will be the number of players he plays Tuesday.

Boss said there will be frequent substitutions all night Tuesday, especially at pitcher, where he doesn’t want to wear players out for games Wednesday against Eastern Michigan and later in the week against Minnesota.

“We try to get as many guys some time as we can,” Boss said. “It’s a great experiences for everyone, and the more people we can get involved, the better as a whole.”

In a situation such as Tuesday’s, Boss said the Spartans will be able to get better even when on the bench. Playing against professional players, Boss said his players will have a chance to observe how the Lugnuts handle themselves in pregame warmups and on the field during the game.

In 2007, the Crosstown Showdown brought a stadium-record 12,992 people. Sophomore second baseman Ryan Jones said along with having the chance to play in front of a large crowd in a park much bigger than McLane Baseball Stadium, he is most looking forward to learning from the Lugnuts.

“All of us look up to those guys,” Jones said. “They were in the same shoes that we were in one day. Just to see how they go there, we try to take a little bit from each player and hopefully use it to be successful ourselves.”

MSU is 1-3 against Lansing since the two teams first met in 2007.

However, Boss said there are more important things in this unique rivalry than the score, and those are what he said he hopes his players take away from Tuesday night.

“It’s something they’ll remember for the rest of their lives,” Boss said of the Crosstown Showdown.
“It’s a lot of fun to play against professional players, and it gives our guys a taste of what they can become.”