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Sports | 1117

SOFTBALL

Column: Big changes needed after tough season

Stephen Brooks
May 14, 2012

It should go without saying that the MSU softball team is in need of a dramatic turnaround next season if it wants to avoid repeating a tragic season that saw the Spartans go without a single conference win in Big Ten play. MSU ended its season with 19 straight losses and finished with a 11-42 overall record. Near the end of the season, head coach Jacquie Joseph said her team needed to reverse its math — allow fewer runs and produce more of its own.

BASEBALL

Pitching carries MSU over Iowa

Dillon Davis
May 13, 2012

Led by a strong seven-inning effort by sophomore starter David Garner and a pair of home runs by freshman designated hitter Blaise Salter and junior catcher John Martinez, the Spartans (33-17 overall, 12-9 Big Ten) overpowered the Hawkeyes (20-26, 8-13) and took the game, 7-3, Sunday at McLane Baseball Stadium at Old College Field.

SOFTBALL

Spartans end disappointing season without Big Ten win

Stephen Brooks
May 13, 2012

A forgettable season for the MSU softball team ended Saturday with more blunder than bang as the Spartans dropped their 19th consecutive game in a weekend-series sweep by Indiana. MSU ended its 2012 campaign losing 26 of its last 27 contests and finished the season winless in Big Ten competition. The team finished 11-42 on the season with its last victory coming on a 6-1 decision at Central Michigan on April 4.

SOFTBALL

Softball ends season with sweep by Indiana

Stephen Brooks
May 12, 2012

The MSU softball team was swept by Indiana this weekend to conclude a disappointing season in which the Spartans finished winless in Big Ten play. After losing 4-2 on Friday, MSU (11-42 overall, 0-23 Big Ten) dropped a pair of one-run decisions, losing each game in Saturday’s doubleheader by a score of 6-5. Despite failing to earn a Big Ten victory in Saturday’s heartbreaking losses, freshman pitcher Carly Nielsen called Saturday’s games the best MSU has played all season.

BASEBALL

Baseball loses lead late, falls to Hawkeyes

Dillon Davis
May 12, 2012

Despite another strong pitching performance — this time by junior pitcher Andrew Waszak — the Spartans (32-17 overall, 11-9 Big Ten) let a lead evaporate late in the game and fell 2-1 to the Hawkeyes (20-25, 8-12) Saturday at McLane Baseball Stadium at Old College Field.

BASEBALL

Bucciferro tosses complete game gem as Spartans top Iowa

Dillon Davis
May 11, 2012

Despite hitting four batters in the game — including three in one inning — senior pitcher Tony Bucciferro scattered five hits and struck out nine batters in a complete game shutout effort to lead the Spartans (32-16 overall, 11-8 Big Ten) over Iowa (19-25, 7-12), 6-0, Friday at McLane Baseball Stadium at Old College Field.

BASEBALL

Spartans defeat Toledo 7-2 in midweek matchup

Stephen Brooks
May 9, 2012

The MSU baseball team continued to honor a season-long commitment made to itself of approaching midweek contests with the same intensity and focus of critical weekend games with Wednesday’s 7-2 victory against Toledo at McLane Baseball Stadium at Old College Field.   The win came on the heels of another midweek matchup with a Mid-American Conference foe the day before when the Spartans (31-16 overall, 10-8 Big Ten) defeated Western Michigan on the road, 15-7.   “We put a priority on that in the beginning of the year,“ head coach Jake Boss Jr.

BASEBALL

Garner salvages weekend with complete game shutout for Spartans

Dillon Davis
April 29, 2012

David Garner would not let the MSU baseball team go down without a fight. After dropping the first two of the weekend series to No. 13 Purdue, the sophomore pitcher from Niles, Mich. rose to the occasion by striking out seven in a complete game shutout on Sunday to give the Spartans a 5-0 victory against the Boilermakers.

FOOTBALL

Defense picks up where it left off in annual Spring Game

Michelle Martinelli
April 28, 2012

The score might have been 14-2 in favor of the White team, but the real winner of the MSU football team’s Spring Game was the defense. With a young offense and an even more inexperienced quarterback substituting in, there was no question that the team with the stronger defense would be victorious, and with such a low scoring game, defense was dominant on both teams. “We stepped up; we (rose) to the challenge,” said junior linebacker Denicos Allen, who played for the White team.

Isabella Shaya ·
FOOTBALL

Spartans return to battle

Jesse O'Brien
April 26, 2012

Junior defensive end William Gholston has never lost a game at Spartan Stadium. In two years, the Spartans were undefeated at home, but at least half of the MSU football team will know the losing feeling when the team plays its third and final scrimmage of the spring practice season Saturday at 1 p.m. at Spartan Stadium.

SOFTBALL

Spartans look for first Big Ten victory against Nebraska

Stephen Brooks
April 26, 2012

Despite losing 18 of its last 19 contests and fighting its way through a recent hitting slump, the MSU softball team maintains a loose attitude, according to sophomore pitcher Cassee Layne. The Spartans (11-34 overall, 0-15 Big Ten) travel to Lincoln, Neb., this weekend for their first series with fourth-place Nebraska (29-18, 10-5) as a member of the Big Ten.

SPORTS

Tennis gears up for Big Ten Tournament

Isabella Shaya
April 25, 2012

With regular season action winding to a close, both the MSU men’s and women’s tennis teams will open up postseason play this week in their respective Big Ten Tournaments. The MSU men’s tennis team (17-10 overall, 6-5 Big Ten) earned the No. 7 seed and will face No. 10-seeded Purdue in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Northwestern’s Vandy Christie Tennis Center in Evanston, Ill. Meanwhile, the women’s tennis team (8-14, 0-11) enters the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 12 seed and also will face Purdue at 10 a.m. Thursday at Ohio State’s Varsity Tennis Courts in Columbus, Ohio.

FOOTBALL

Cook to step in for Maxwell in Spring Game; Drummond winning safety position battle

Michelle Martinelli
April 24, 2012

Despite Saturday being the MSU football team’s final scrimmage of the spring before training camp in August, Andrew Maxwell will have to sit this one out. The knee sprain Maxwell suffered during a team scrimmage almost two weeks ago has kept him limited in practice, and although there was a chance he could return for the Spring Game on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Spartan Stadium, head coach Mark Dantonio said Maxwell is officially not playing.

FOOTBALL

Spartans to play 2 prime-time games in 2012

Jesse O'Brien
April 24, 2012

The MSU athletics department announced Tuesday the Spartan football team will play two prime-time games during the 2012 season. MSU’s Aug. 31 season opener against Boise State will be played at 8 p.m. and broadcast on ESPN, while the Spartans’ Sept. 15 game against Notre Dame also has been scheduled for 8 p.m. to be broadcast on ABC.