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Sports

SPORTS

Spartans backup quarterback plans to transfer

Don Jordan
May 16, 2006

Reserve quarterback Domenic Natale announced earlier this month that he would not return to MSU next season. The redshirt freshman had been battling sophomore Brian Hoyer for the backup spot to senior quarterback Drew Stanton but was placed third on the team's depth chart after spring practices. MSU has released Natale from his athletic scholarship to transfer to either Rutgers or Cincinnati, according to MSU Sports Information officials. Natale didn't have any recorded pass attempts in 2005, but he did appear in games.

SPORTS

Izzo headed to Kuwait with Operation Hardwood

Don Jordan
May 16, 2006

MSU head basketball coach Tom Izzo will return to Kuwait this month to coach troops and foster morale as part of Operation Hardwood II. Izzo first visited the Middle East last August and coached the military team Camp Arifjan to a championship in the eight-team tournament. "My first trip was eye-opening in many different ways and cemented the tremendous respect I have for the men and women of the United States armed forces," Izzo said in a statement.

SPORTS

Eyeing the next level

Steve Highfield
April 28, 2006

During this weekend's NFL Draft, you'll hear familiar names like Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart and Vince Young called early in the first round. But for MSU fans, there could be other recognizable names in this year's draft.

SPORTS

Bell: Billups should be MVP

Ethan Conley
April 28, 2006

The State News caught up with former MSU guard Charlie Bell on Thursday over the phone. Bell is now playing in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks, who are battling the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

SPORTS

A dream job

Tom Keller
April 28, 2006

Oh sure, he grew up playing baseball in Royal Oak, played for a year at John Carroll University and then started for three at Dayton.

SPORTS

WEB EXTRA: MSU hockey's incoming class

Eric Fish
April 28, 2006

MSU head coach Rick Comley has added four players who are expected to fill the voids left by graduating seniors Jared Nightingale, Corey Potter, David Booth, Colton Fretter and Chad Hontvet as well as compliment the returning athletes of the program. Here's a look at the incoming Spartans set to debut this fall: Forward Matt Schepke: At 5-foot-9 and 196 pounds, Schepke scored 37 goals and 56 points with the Omaha Lancers of the USHL in 2005-06.

SPORTS

Spartans erupt in 1st inning, set season high in runs

Tom Keller
April 27, 2006

Coming into Wednesday's game against MSU, the Toledo baseball team was giving up fewer than six runs a game. The Spartans had that many before most of the fans found their seats. Propelled by an eight-run first inning, MSU (20-18 overall, 8-8 Big Ten) turned in its best offensive performance in years, setting season highs for runs and hits in a 23-4 hammering of the Rockets at Kobs Field. "They kept the pressure, and they kept the fire inside and put together quality at-bats," MSU head coach David Grewe said.

SPORTS

Tennis tourney

Women: No. 6 seed MSU vs. No. 11 seed Wisconsin What: Big Ten Tournament preliminary round matchup When: 2 p.m.

SPORTS

Shimek's life a whirlwind since end of MSU season

Laura Collins
April 26, 2006

A couple of hours after Liz Shimek finished her final college paper on April 19, she packed the past four years of her life into a couple cardboard boxes — sorting old clothes she hasn't worn in a while from keepsakes of her time at MSU. The next day, she left East Lansing and headed to Chicago, where she began a new chapter of her life at rookie orientation in the WNBA. "I'm never going to move back down to East Lansing," the former MSU forward said.

SPORTS

Spartans drop 5 straight

Eric Fish
April 26, 2006

A little bit of home cooking didn't do the MSU softball team any good Tuesday when it dropped a 2-1 nonconference contest to Western Michigan at Old College Field. The loss extends the Spartans' winless streak to five games — their longest of the season.

SPORTS

Lugnuts duke it out in 17

Ethan Conley
April 24, 2006

Lansing — With the way the rain was coming down at Oldsmobile Park on Sunday, it looked like the Lansing Lugnuts and Beloit Snappers might not even take the field. After a 30-minute delay the two teams did finally get out on the dampened grass and play a game. In fact, they nearly played two. Holding a 1-0 lead in the top of the seventh, the Lugnuts surrendered a tying run the Snappers' Andrew Thompson scored from third base on a sacrifice fly by Paul Kelly. The teams remained deadlocked at 1-1 through the bottom of the ninth, and the game stretched into extra innings. The Lugnuts found themselves in a hole in the bottom of the thirteenth, trailing 3-2.

SPORTS

Kicker Boleski continues to impress

Steve Highfield
April 24, 2006

In 2005, MSU's special teams were anything but special. Senior John Goss and sophomore Matt Haughey combined to go just 5-of-16 on field-goal attempts last season, and senior punter Brandon Fields averaged about six yards less per punt in 2005 than the year before. The feeling this spring is that someone other than Goss or Haughey will be the kicker come fall. At Friday's spring scrimmage, sophomore Todd Boleski handled all the field-goal duties, connecting from 23 yards, 32 yards and twice from 52 yards, which drew the loudest crowd eruptions at Spartan Stadium. Boleski, who shared kickoff duties in 2005 with Fields, also was good on all of his extra points Friday, sailing two over the net behind the goal posts. "He's had a pretty good spring," head coach John L.

SPORTS

Front and center

Tom Keller
April 24, 2006

The State News caught up with freshman outfielder Kyle Day. • His favorite baseball movie... "I'll keep it young and go with The Sandlot.

SPORTS

Rain delays MSU's loss

Tom Keller
April 24, 2006

Mother Nature kept the MSU baseball team from turning a good weekend into a great one. After walk-off wins in the first two games of their series against Minnesota, the Spartans (19-18 overall, 8-8 Big Ten) managed only a split after losing the rain-shortened finale, 6-3, on Sunday. With a spring shower steadily sprinkling at Kobs Field, the Golden Gophers (20-17, 8-8) scored in each of Sunday's first three innings to take a 4-1 lead. MSU started its comeback with one out in the fourth when junior outfielder Adam Tripp homered off Minnesota starter Cole DeVries.