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Sports | 1117

SOFTBALL

Pitcher breaks record, can't help 'U' struggles

Despite a record-setting performance from its star pitcher, the MSU softball team endured a rocky start to its Big Ten season this past weekend. Two losses in a doubleheader at Iowa on Sunday capped a four-game road trip for the Spartans (19-13 overall, 1-3 Big Ten). Before falling to the Hawkeyes (22-15, 4-0), MSU split a pair of games at Illinois, losing, 7-1, in its Big Ten opener on Friday and winning, 2-0, on Saturday.

BASEBALL

Spartans undefeated in Big Ten

Chris Mackinder
April 5, 2004

If the first four games of the Big Ten season are any indication of how MSU's season will go, finishing in the top half of the league won't be a problem. The Spartans baseball team dominated the Hawkeyes over the weekend, recording the team's first four-game sweep since 1990 while earning the conference's top spot. "We'd certainly rather be there than the alternative," head coach Ted Mahan said.

BASEBALL

Senior bests 'U' record for strikeouts

Chris Mackinder
April 5, 2004

Bryan Gale jogged out to the mound, reached down and picked up the rosin bag, adjusted his pants, fixed his cap and stared toward home plate. It was time. In the top of the fourth inning against Iowa on Friday, the senior right-hander was one strikeout away from setting the all-time MSU mark for Ks. "You try not to think of it, but in a way, it's kind of in the back of your mind," Gale admitted after the game.

BASEBALL

Looking up

Chris Mackinder
April 2, 2004

Ted Mahan is optimistic for this year's Big Ten season. That's saying a lot for the MSU baseball manager, who, in his previous eight years coaching the Spartans, finished with a winning conference record once (16-12 for a third-place finish in 2002). "If there is ever a year we should compete in the top half of the Big Ten, this is the year," Mahan said. Of course, Mahan, a soft-spoken 47-year-old who is in his 13th year overall with MSU baseball, has facts to back up his statement: The Spartans play 18 conference home games this season, compared to 14 away contests.

FOOTBALL

Two try out new spots

Paul Day
April 1, 2004

To hit or to be hit, that is the competition. Well, at least for two Spartans running backs. Junior Tyrell Dortch and sophomore Jaren Hayes have been moved from taking hits on offense to laying hits on defense in the early stages of spring football.

SPORTS

Hill, Shimek top list of academic accolades

The daily juggling act for student athletes between classes and practice is being recognized as the 2004 Winter Academic All-Big Ten Conference Team was announced Tuesday. Among the 409 students recognized by the Big Ten are 32 Spartans, hailing from four varsity sports.

BASEBALL

Saints go marching

Megan Homanick
March 31, 2004

It's safe to say the MSU baseball team has turned its season around, for now. The Spartans (9-10) won their fifth straight game, stomping Siena Heights, 13-1, at Kobs Field on Tuesday.

ICE HOCKEY

Inconsistency hurt Spartans through year

Esther Gim
March 31, 2004

The MSU hockey team's season-long struggles with offensive production and maintaining consistency hurt the Spartans when it mattered most - the NCAA Tournament. MSU finished the season with two losses to stand at 23-17-2, but in those two losses, only one goal was scored and only two players tallied points. "It's such a blessing in today's game to score," head coach Rick Comley said after Saturday's loss to Minnesota-Duluth.

SPORTS

'U' heads to regionals

A week before the first meet of the season in January, senior gymnast Lindsey Voth landed wrong on a tumbling pass, breaking bones and tearing ligaments in her foot. After her surgery on March 1 to remove bone c hips and insert four screws into her foot, Voth realized she would not be able to compete with the MSU women's gymnastics team at the 2004 NCAA Central Regional Championships, which is being held Friday at Louisiana State. "I expected to have my senior year be my best season," Voth said.

BASEBALL

'U' remains perfect at home with 10-4 victory over Warriors

Chris Mackinder
March 30, 2004

The Spartans had a loud and enthusiastic student cheering section at Kobs Field on Monday afternoon. And they had plenty of reasons to be boisterous for the near three-hour contest. The MSU baseball team's offense blistered the scoreboard and left-handed pitcher Scott Koerber silenced Indiana Tech hitters, giving the Spartans a 10-4 victory. It was the fourth-straight victory for MSU (8-10), bumping the Spartans' home record to a perfect 4-0 this season. "Four in a row," MSU manager Ted Mahan said after the game.

SPORTS

Duke should be hated by all

I write this as I watch the Duke Blue Devils play a tight game against the Xavier Musketeers in an Elite Eight matchup that certainly means more for Duke than it does Xavier. The outcome of the game probably is negligible in the cosmic sense.

SPORTS

Clutten finishes 31st in NCAA Tournament

Sophomore Ian Clutten finished 31st in the 100-meter breaststroke on Friday at the 2004 NCAA Men's Swimming & Diving Championships. Clutten earned a time of 1:01.96 at the competition in East Meadow, N.Y.

ICE HOCKEY

U held scoreless in 5-0 pounding by Bulldogs

Esther Gim
March 29, 2004

Grand Rapids - The MSU hockey team played a strong first period against Minnesota-Duluth, down by only one goal in the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday at Van Andel Arena. All the Spartans needed was to carry their play over to the next period.

SPORTS

Spartans look to next season

Megan Homanick
March 29, 2004

The MSU women's basketball program is on the rise and the 2003-04 team took a few big steps, as it broke or tied numerous records en route to one of its most successful seasons ever. "Our goals were to win championships; we flirted with those goals but came up short," head coach Joanne P.