The Lansing Lugnuts continued its strong start to the second half by taking three of four from the West Michigan Whitecaps in a four-game, home-and-home series.The Lugnuts (7-4 second half, 44-37 overall) won the first three games of the series before losing 6-5 in a 15-inning marathon Sunday at Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park.
Not since 1978 has a Spartan baseball player earned first-team All-American honors. Thanks to Bob Malek, that streak has been obliterated.
A pair of Nightingales will soon migrate south to East Lansing, and the Spartan hockey team will be the beneficiary of the move. Adam Nightingale, a forward for Lake Superior State, is transferring to MSU, and his little brother, Jared Nightingale, has signed a National Letter of Intent with the Spartans and will be a freshman in the fall. Per NCAA transfer rules, Adam Nightingale will not be allowed to play for a season, but can practice with the team.
The Lansing Lugnuts’ pitching staff ranks near the top of the Midwest League, even with the loss of four quality pitchers.Angel Guzman, Mark Carter, Adam Wynegar, and Eric Brown have taken their collective 14-5 record to the Single A Daytona Cubs, but the Lugnuts (3-2 second half, 40-34 overall) still hold a 3.20 ERA this season - third best in the Midwest League.The task of making up for those lost pitchers goes to pitching coach Mike Anderson, in his second year with the Lugnuts.It might seem losing pitchers of that caliber would be an enormous burden on the team, but Anderson said it’s just a part of the minor league system.“That’s what it’s all about,” Anderson said.
Led by junior forward Julie Pagel, the women’s Big Ten All-Star team is a perfect 4-0 in its Foreign Tour.The team picked up its fourth win in a 101-90 victory over Euronyl Waregem on Saturday.
Women’s track and field sent two athletes to the U.S. Junior and Senior National Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday in Palo Alto, Calif.Senior tri-captain Sherita Williams competed in the senior nationals triple jump, and freshman Michelle Rzepka competed in the junior nationals pole vault.Williams set school records in both the long jump (20’ 1/2”) and triple jump (42’ 3/4”). Williams was named Big Ten conference champion for the latter, earning All-Big Ten first team honors and finishing 12th at the NCAA Championships, earning first team All-American.Williams finished ninth overall in the triple jump with a 42’ 1 1/4” jump.Rzepka, who holds the school record in the pole vault at 12’0”, made her first appearance at the U.S.
Ulsan, South Korea - Like great performers always do, the U.S. soccer team saved its best for last. Unfortunately it just wasn’t enough. So after making its longest run at the World Cup in nearly 75 years, the United States bowed out with a loss in an epic 1-0 battle with Germany. “The U.S.
The softball team added sophomore hurler Stephanie Christner to next year’s roster.Christner played last year for Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa, earning All-Region XI honors.
Lansing - After winning their first two games of the season’s second half, the Lugnuts have dropped two straight. Lansing (2-2 second half, 39-34 overall) lost 8-2 to the Michigan Battle Cats Sunday afternoon at Oldsmobile Park, 505 E.
After failing to earn a first-half playoff spot, the Lansing Lugnuts will try to build on a strong finish and nab one of the four remaining postseason spots.Lansing won nine of its last 11 games for a 37-32 first-half record.
A quartet of Spartan sophomores - led by center Jim Slater - expect to hear their names called at this weekend’s NHL Entry Draft in Toronto, but the players say they have no inkling as to which team will pick them. “I really don’t have a clue,” defenseman Duncan Keith said from his home in Penticton, British Columbia earlier this week.
Lansing - The 2002 Midwest League All-Star Game attracted everybody and their mother to Oldsmobile Park Tuesday night. The annual event, which showcased 63 of the top prospects in the league this year, was much more than a game. As attendants entered they were given inflatable plastic noisemakers to create an enthusiastic environment and the recipients wasted little time putting them to use. Prior to the summer classic, fans swarmed the All Stars to capture their autographs on baseballs, baseball caps and programs. Many people attended to take in the game, but just as many were at the park to take in at least one of the side attractions. Lansing native Shawn Gilmore, who tries to take in at least five Lugnuts’ games a season, was one of the many individuals taking part in pregame festivities. Although he didn’t know any of the players from the Kane County Cougars or Beloit Snappers, he was more than eager to get their signatures.
Jeonju, South Korea - On Monday afternoon, two old foes, the United States and Mexico, battled far from home.
Lansing - After the Quad City River Bandits scored four first-inning runs, the Lansing hurlers buckled down and watched the Lugnuts’ offense erase the deficit. In the final game of the first half of the season, the Lugnuts (37-32) defeated Quad City (31-35) 7-4 Sunday at Oldsmobile Park, 505 E.
Assistant coach Dave McAuliffe will be back with the Spartan hockey team next season, after being passed over for the vacant Northern Michigan head coaching job.McAuliffe, 36, was one of three finalists for the Wildcat position, but the school ultimately chose former Northern player and assistant coach Walt Kyle to succeed Rick Comley.
The Lansing Lugnutsare set to enjoy the three-day All-Star break.Lansing will have five representatives at the 2002 Midwest League All-Star Game at 7:05 p.m.
Daejeon, Korea - Expect the unexpected they say, but who really does? Anyone who expected the United States would actually beat Portugal and then allow Poland to score two goals in less than five minutes should have their garage searched for a time-traveling device, be stripped of any magic eight balls and then be questioned by Scotland Yard. The U.S.
They are separated by 23 years, but have found a home at a local academy. Although Connie Patterson and Teri Kim have experienced similar pleasures from tae kwon do, they have traveled separate roads. Kim has been virtually raised at Shinn’s Tae Kwon Do, 2189 W.
Sean McCarvel curiously watched as a tractor pulling two trailers loaded with grass modules growled by. Onlookers had to gaze through the dark, long and narrow tunnel at the field entrance of Spartan Stadium in hope of catching a small glimpse of the new grass being installed. Tractors dropped off their loads every 10 minutes and got back on the road just as another rig pulled in. If all goes according to plan, MSU will have its first grass football field since 1968 by Friday. “I think it’s great - great for the players and great for the university,” 1993 graduate McCarvel said.
With the season already finished, the baseball team set another record with five players drafted in Major League Baseball’s 2002 First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday and Wednesday. Senior center fielder Chris McCuiston and junior catcher Brady Burrill were selected Wednesday, setting the new record.