The baseball team has returned to the midwest from a key eight-game stretch in the season. The team played eight games in 11 days during spring break.
“The pitching for the most part has still been very good,” head coach said. “I think the most important thing of our trip last week (was) the chance to get out to practice outside for two or three days and we haven’t had the opportunity to do that (at MSU) until today.”
Before heading down south for their last trip, sophomore pitcher Cam Vieaux spoke of how important it would be as a team from the north to get some consistent play and adjust to playing outside.
“We haven’t really gotten outside much. It’s tough going and playing against teams who go outside every day and practice, and we’re stuck (indoors),” Vieaux said.
Being a team from the north means the Spartans have spent much of the early season practicing indoors and traveling to play.
Today marks the first time this year that the team will be able to practice on its own home field. The team has mostly been practicing at the indoor football facility, and Boss believes that has created issues with depth perception.
“First time (practicing outside) up north today,” Boss said. “The field is in a pretty good place. I walked it yesterday, and it was still a little soft but I think we’ll be able to get out and do some things.
“Depth perception is different when you hit in a cage versus hitting outside and obviously you don’t get a chance to see many fly balls,” Boss said. “For us it does make a difference, (but) at the same time we’re used to getting ready in (the north). Once we play it comes back pretty quickly.”
The Spartans are now 17 games into the season and Boss believes the team is adjusted to playing now, and it can no longer use being from the north as an excuse.
“The opportunity to play eight games last week over spring break was extremely important for us, you can get into a rhythm a little bit,” Boss said. “We’ve played 17 games now, almost a third of our season is over with ... we’re ready to go.”
The team’s first home game comes later this month on March 24 — the team opens at home against Central Michigan and plays five straight games over six days in East Lansing, with the other games consisting of one game with Oakland and a three-game series with Illinois.
