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Sports | Hockey

BASEBALL

Spartans baseball overtakes U-M, 8-7, in crucial victory

Joey Nowak
April 17, 2009

The MSU baseball team chose its most hectic and crucial week of the season to turn out its longest game of the year on Friday. But they aren’t complaining. In a game that lasted nearly three and a half hours and went for 11 innings at McLane Stadium in the middle of a five-game week, the Spartans put together two late-inning comebacks to cap off an 8-7 win against Michigan that could serve as the turning point in their season.

FOOTBALL

Versatile Jones ready to take stab at middle

Alex DiFilippo
April 16, 2009

Junior linebacker Greg Jones is willing to play anywhere to help benefit the MSU football team. Jones originally was recruited to MSU as an outside linebacker but played several positions last season including the MIKE, or middle linebacker position, where he had great success and is starting to get more comfortable.

FOOTBALL

No secondary issues

Alex Altman
April 16, 2009

For the better half of the decade, the secondary has been one of the MSU football team’s primary concerns. The Spartans have finished in the lower half of the Big Ten in pass defense in five of the past six seasons. Perhaps not coincidentally, the Spartans also finished in the lower half of the Big Ten most of those seasons.

SPORTS

Anatomy of a shot put throw

Alex DiFilippo
April 16, 2009

Often shot put gets classified as simply big guys throwing heavy things. But this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. To throw the shot put takes precise footwork, extreme strength and phenomenal balance.

FOOTBALL

Early enrollees transitioning to new positions

Alex DiFilippo
April 13, 2009

The jump from high school to college football requires more strength and a better knowledge of the game. To help better prepare for this jump, freshmen Donald Spencer and Patrick White decided to get a head start on the process by enrolling at MSU early so they could participate with the team in spring practices.

SPORTS

MSU golfer misses Masters cut by 3 shots

Joey Nowak
April 12, 2009

A historic week for MSU golfer Jack Newman ended Friday after he fell three strokes short of making the cut at the Masters in Augusta, Ga. Newman, a junior on the MSU men’s golf team, shot a four-over-par 76 in his second round, leaving him four over par through two rounds. The cut was one over par.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Iowa State loss still troubles MSU coach

Alex Altman
April 12, 2009

About 10 minutes after her team’s season-ending loss to Iowa State, MSU women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant located a TV backstage at Haas Pavilion. For the first of what would prove to be many times, Merchant relived the anguishing final 87 seconds of the game. Since the March 28 loss, Merchant estimates she’s replayed the conclusion of the game at least 500 times.

SOFTBALL

Letting it get away

The MSU softball team nearly captured its first Big Ten victory Sunday but lost control in the last few innings, losing to Indiana 5-2 in extra innings, its seventh-straight loss. The Spartans were bolstered early by strong pitching by senior Megan Hair. Hair was nearly flawless through the first four innings, not giving up a hit and allowing only three Hoosiers to reach base.

SOFTBALL

MSU routed by Purdue

After crushing Detroit Mercy in its first homestand, the second time back for the MSU softball team wasn’t as pleasant. The team was beat handily by Purdue in its doubleheader Thursday, losing 12-0 in the first game and 8-3 in the nightcap.