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Sports | 1117

SOFTBALL

WEB EXTRA: MSU softball team takes 2 games from IPFW

Matt Bishop
April 19, 2007

Wednesday's doubleheader against Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne was just what the doctor ordered for the MSU softball team. The Spartans, on a four game losing streak, jumped on the Mastadons from start to finish, sweeping the twin bill 12-0 in four and a half innings and 8-0 at Old College Field. "I'm thrilled that we played and I'm thrilled that we got to play at home," MSU head coach Jacquie Joseph said.

ICE HOCKEY

Jeff Lerg named Player of the Month

Zack Colman
April 17, 2007

Sophomore goaltender Jeff Lerg was named CSTV: College Sports Television/Hockey Commissioners' Association National Division I Player of the Month on Monday for March and April for his performance in the postseason. Lerg posted a .919 save percentage and a 2.24 goals-against average in those two months.

SPORTS

Monday musings

Tom Keller
April 16, 2007

Zach Johnson finished a stroke over par, but that was good enough to win last week's Masters and take home a $1.3 million purse.

FOOTBALL

Offense takes back green jerseys in 2nd spring scrimmage

Ethan Conley
April 16, 2007

Consider the score even. In the first spring football scrimmage of 2007, MSU's defense beat the offense, 71-70, on March 31. The offense struck back on Saturday, and junior running back Javon Ringer was a big reason why. After failing to break off any long runs in the first scrimmage, Ringer exploded for a 65-yard jaunt to the end zone and finished with 130 yards on 15 carries.

BASEBALL

Late-inning letdown

Tom Keller
April 16, 2007

David Grewe sat at the end of the MSU bench, alone. The dugout was empty, except for a few pieces of equipment and some discarded sunflower seeds on the ground.

BASEBALL

Watching Dennis Jones? Try not to blink

Tom Keller
April 13, 2007

Dennis Jones is fast. You can tell that much just by watching him patrol center field for the MSU baseball team. But it's hard to gauge just how fast he is unless you look at some of his cheetah-like statistics. Jones runs the 60-yard dash in 6.3 seconds — about the same pace as the MSU track team's all-time record holder in the 60-meter dash. He's stolen a team-high 10 bases in 11 attempts this season — only three players in the conference have stolen that many bases with better efficiency. Baseball scouts rate foot speed on a scale of 20 to 80.

ICE HOCKEY

Bright future in store for MSU

Zack Colman
April 13, 2007

The MSU hockey team has barely had time to appreciate this year's national championship, but it's already looking ahead. With five seniors graduating, including captain Chris Lawrence, the Spartans will lose valuable leadership and character players.

SPORTS

Ryan Brehm scores weekly honors

Matt Flint
April 13, 2007

After bringing MSU to a nine-shot win and winning the individual title at the Boilermaker Invitational last weekend, junior golfer Ryan Brehm was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week and Golfweek Player of the Week. Brehm was the only player at the Boilermaker Invitational to finish the 36-hole tournament under par.

BASKETBALL

Neitzel scores AP honorable mention

Matt Flint
April 13, 2007

The Associated Press recently named MSU junior basketball guard Drew Neitzel as Honorable Mention All-America. Scoring 20 or more points in 17 games during the season, Neitzel averaged a team-best 18.1 points per game — good for fourth-highest in the Big Ten.

FOOTBALL

Defense wants to play on instinct

Ethan Conley
April 13, 2007

When Mark Dantonio was introduced as MSU's newest head coach, he stressed that players play their best when they play the fastest, and they play the fastest when they know exactly what to do. Knowing "exactly what to do" wasn't a common theme in the previous coaching regime.

ICE HOCKEY

NHL playoffs fun for all

State News sports reporter and hockey fanatic Matt Bishop talks about the NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs, which kicked off Wednesday with four games. Question: So, opening thoughts on this year's playoffs? Answer: I am like a kid in a candy store right now.

SPORTS

Gymnasts ready for NCAA Regional

Matt Flint
April 12, 2007

If anything is going to bring the MSU gymnastics team to victory, it will be its teamwork. Team-oriented workouts, spirited group cheers and a solid support system have been regular parts of the team's vigorous preparation for the NCAA Central Regional Championship meet Saturday. "It helps us bond and learn how to perform as a team," freshman Nicole Curler said of the cooperative approach. "We are much more of a full pack.