Queen of the mound
On a team with a young, unproven pitching staff, junior pitcher Jessica Beech has put the MSU softball team on her back and has the team in the thick of the Big Ten conference race. After being No.
On a team with a young, unproven pitching staff, junior pitcher Jessica Beech has put the MSU softball team on her back and has the team in the thick of the Big Ten conference race. After being No.
Lansing - Lansing Lugnuts pitchers threw the club's first no-hitter Sunday in the second home game of the season. The Lugnuts also had more than enough run support on their way to thumping the Dayton Dragons 15-0 at Oldsmobile Park, 505 E.
Sluggers lose 3 of 4 games to Wolverines Despite winning the series-opener, the MSU baseball team still dropped three of four games against archrival Michigan this weekend. The Spartans (11-24 overall, 4-10 Big Ten) triumphed 12-3 behind a strong pitching effort by junior Bryan Gale on Friday night at Oldsmobile Park, 505 E.
MSU football head coach John L. Smith unveiled his new spread offense to 12,000 fans at Spartan Stadium on Saturday at the annual Green and White game, revealing the team's firm grasp on the new offense as well as its vulnerable defense. Showcasing "a quarter" of the new offense, Smith said he was encouraged by the progress the Spartans have displayed in adapting to a new system and coaches.
Do you ever sit back and wonder what would have happened if Harry never met Sally?Neither do I.But I do know for certain what would have happened to the Pistons this season had they not met Chauncey Billups.
Another pivotal weekend in the Big Ten awaits the MSU softball team as it heads out on a four-game road trip to Penn State and Ohio State. The Spartans (27-11 overall, 6-3 Big Ten) hope to improve on their fourth-place position in the conference.
Football team gets verbal commitment The MSU football team hasn't wasted any time starting its recruitment for the 2004 season. Detroit Country Day wide receiver and defensive back Deon Curry, son of Detroit Pistons forward Michael Curry, has verbally committed to the Spartans. Don MacLean, Curry's coach at the Birmingham school, said his athlete sent out videotapes of himself to Georgia, Georgia Tech, Northwestern and MSU.
Spartans manager Ted Mahan's blood was once oozing maize and blue. Mahan spent the majority of his early life in Ann Arbor, both playing baseball and getting an education at Michigan. His baseball career began as a player for the Wolverines in 1974 - the first of four years he would earn a varsity letter.
The MSU hockey team held its annual awards bust in Lansing last night. Yeah, it was a good time. But I would have done a couple things differently - namely instituted some hip new trophies. So, without further ado, here are the third annual State News hockey awards: The traditional stuff Most Valuable Player: John-Michael Liles Outstanding Offensive Player: Liles Outstanding Defensive Player: Liles Most Improved Player: Matt Migliaccio Outstanding Rookie: David Booth It might look like I copied those from the actual list of awards, but I swear to Hasek that I picked them before the real ones were released.
Lansing - The Spartan offense was in full throttle Friday afternoon, but they didn't need much of it.Behind a stellar pitching performance from junior right-hander Bryan Gale, the Spartans whipped the Wolverines 12-3 in front of 835 fans at Oldsmobile Park."It was a must win home game," said Gale, who improved to 5-4 on the year and 3-0 in his career against Michigan.
While much of the secondary is unproven, two defensive backs are set to anchor the group and provide the necessary leadership to get this unit through the season.Junior free safety Jason Harmon and junior cornerback Roderick Maples are the "elder statesmen" in the defensive backfield - each is stepping up and accepting the leadership role they have been assigned."Roderick and Jason stay on us all the time because we're young," sophomore strong safety Derron Ware said.
There weren't many surprises at the MSU hockey team's annual awards banquet Thursday night - which was good news for John-Michael Liles. The senior defenseman took home three honors, including the team's Most Valuable Player Award, to headline the evening at the Holiday Inn South, 6820 S.
An explosive first inning was all the MSU softball team needed to down Central Michigan 4-0 on Wednesday at Old College Field.The Spartans (27-11 overall, 6-3 Big Ten) lit up Chippewa pitcher Amber Puchalski for four hits in their first at-bats.MSU also benefited from a wild pitch and aggressive base running to jump to a quick four-run lead."The first inning really set the tone for us," MSU sophomore second base Janette Hurtado said.
With the defections of assistant coach Mike Garland (Cleveland State) and associate head coach Brian Gregory (Dayton) for head-coaching jobs, MSU head coach Tom Izzo is in search of two replacements.Izzo said his challenge will be to replace two monumental parts of his staff and two close friends."Those two guys are 66 percent of my staff," he said.
The way Rick Comley sees it, returning the MSU hockey program to powerhouse status is a two-step process - first, restore roster depth, then restock the supply of elite players. Mission No.
Tickets are still available for the annual MSU hockey bust, which will be held Thursday at the Holiday Inn South, 6820 S.
It wasn't a day the Spartans will want to remember for the way they played, but Tuesday's end result was acceptable.In a sloppy slugfest, it was MSU sophomore second baseman Travis Gulick that stole the show, helping his team to a 13-12 victory over Wayne State.
More than 200 MSU athletes were honored at the sixth annual Spartan Academic Excellence Gala on Sunday.
Wide receiver to play for Smith next season The MSU football team will get a boost to a thin position on the depth chart. Samuel Champagne, a wide receiver from the Spartiates du Vieux-Montreal team in Canada, accepted an offer for financial aid to MSU.
MSU assistant coach Mike Garland is en route to Cleveland State to become the Vikings' new men's basketball head coach. The former assistant coach told senior Brian Westrick the news, as the two crossed paths in the Union on Tuesday morning. Garland's departure means MSU will have two vacancies to fill on its coaching staff next season.