April 2, 2009
Northwestern (5-17, 1-1) vs. Michigan State (8-17, 0-3)
McLane Baseball Stadium • East Lansing, Mich.
Saturday, April 4, 11:05 a.m.
So. LHP Eric Jokisch (2-2, 3.43) vs. Sr. RHP Nolan Moody (3-3, 3.60)
Saturday, April 4, 2:05 p.m.
Jr. LHP Joe Muraski (2-3, 4.46) vs. So. RHP A.J. Achter (0-2, 3.31)
Sunday, April 5, 1:05 p.m.
Fr. RHP Zach Morton (0-2, 4.91) vs. Jr. LHP Kyle Corcoran (0-2, 5.53)
GameTracker available for all games at MSUSpartans.com
Pitching matchups probable and subject to change
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A.J. Dunn | Peter Wolff | Nolan Moody
Spartan Baseball Notes
McLane Baseball Stadium Opens
The Michigan State baseball program will add one of the biggest highlights to its illustrious 125-year history this weekend with the opening of McLane Baseball Stadium. The 2,500-seat stadium will enhance one of the most pristine settings in college athletics and was made possible with the generous gift of Drayton and Elizabeth McLane who committed $4 million toward the project.
McLane Baseball Stadium is part of the "New Life for Old College Field" project which began in 2006 with one of the chief purposes of the project to enhance historic Kobs Field. The first step in the project was the replacement of the field in 2006 and the addition of a new indoor hitting and pitching facility in the fall of 2007.
The MSU Board of Trustees approved the naming of the stadium in September 2008 and construction began in early December.
McLane Stadium Photo Gallery
Getting Offensive
Michigan State put up a season-high 20 runs off 25 hits in a 20-3 win over Central Michigan on Wednesday (April 1) at Oldsmobile Park. Seniors Eric Roof (5-for-5) and Johnny Lee (4-for-4) combined for 10 RBIs and six different Spartans had multiple hits. It was the fifth time since 2000 that MSU scored at least 20 runs in a game. MSU's 20 runs were the program's most since 2007 when it scored 22 against St. Joseph's while its 25 hits were the most since April 5, 2005 when it tallied 26 in 20-9 win over Saginaw Valley State. The win was MSU's first over CMU since 2005.
Opponents Beware
The Spartans have made it tough on opponents on the bases this year as the the MSU pitching staff has picked off a conference-leading 10 runners. Junior pitcher Kyle Corcoran is the Big Ten leader with four runners picked off.
Overall defensively, MSU has thrown out a conference-leading 17 runners caught stealing.
Boike Continues to Lead Offensively
Junior Eli Boike continues to lead the team in several offensive categories, including: batting average (.356), runs scored (23), home runs (5), total bases (52), slugging percentage (.878) and on-base percentage (.455). His seven stolen bases places him in a tie with Jeff Holm for the team lead. The junior also leads MSU with 12 multi-hit games.
Wolff Leads Bullpen
Senior reliever Peter Wolff has been the Spartans' best arm out of the bullpen this season and enters this weekend's series with the Wildcats tied for second in the conference with three saves. In nine appearances and 11.2 innings of work, Wolff has given up 11 hits and four earned runs. His 10 Ks this season eclipsed his three previous single-season totals and he also picked up his first-career save by pitching the final three innings against Quinnipiac (DH game one) earlier this season. The righty's 3.09 ERA leads all relievers on the staff that have pitched at least one inning.
Roberts Nearing 150 Hits
Through 25 games, junior infielder Chris Roberts is tied with Eli Boike for the team lead in hits this season with 32 and now has 145 for his career. He collected 48 hits as a freshman and 65 as a sophomore and with a 1.33 hit per game average this year, he is on his way to eclipsing last year's mark. Roberts is still a ways from moving into the MSU top 10 in career hits as Mike Davidson (1985-88) and Matt Riggins (1993-96) are tied for ninth place all-time with 203.
Miller Takes On New Role
Senior Max Miller, who has been a member of the Spartan pitching staff his entire career, has recently transitioned to the infield to due a rash of injuries that have left the Spartans with a lack of depth around the bases. Miller went 1-for-1, scored twice and got his first collegiate hit in MSU's 20-3 victory over CMU on April 1.
Miller, who is still available to pitch, has made a career-high six appearances and struck out three on the mound this year.
Booch On a Roll
Freshman Tony Bucciferro improved to 2-1 after going 7.0 innings and striking out a career-high six batters in Wednesday's win over Central Michigan. In his last three starts vs. Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan and Central Michigan, Bucciferro has pitched a combined 19.2 innings and given up just six total runs while striking out 15 and walking just two.
Tough Luck
Starters A.J. Achter and Nolan Moody have been the recipients of some bad luck this season. In his last outing at Illinois on March 27, Moody went 7.0 innings and struck out three but, four Spartan errors led to nine runs, of which just four were earned. On the year, 16 of the 24 runs Moody has given up have been earned. Despite Achter's 0-2 record, the sophomore has the lowest ERA of any starter on the MSU staff at 3.31. Just 13 of his 23 runs surrendered this year have been earned. Achter gave up a season-high seven runs in his March 7 start vs. Xavier but just one of the runs was earned as MSU committed a season-high five errors in the game. Adversly, when the Spartans played error-free defense behind Achter on Feb. 27 vs. UNC Wilmington, Achter went 7.1 innings, giving up two hits and three runs, two of which were earned.
125 Years of Spartan Baseball
The 2009 season marks the 125th anniversary of MSU baseball as it was the school's first intercollegiate sport. Old College Field has been home to Spartan baseball since 1884 and this year the Michigan Historical Commission approved a state historical marker for the property that the university purchased in 1900 for $1,137.50. The site continues to be home to the Spartan baseball, softball and soccer teams.
McLane Baseball Stadium - A Welcome Addition
April 3 will mark a new era in Michigan State baseball when the Spartans open McLane Baseball Stadium. The 2,500-seat stadium, which is currently under construction, will feature 400 chair-back seats, a 100-foot pressbox, all new fencing and handicap-accessible seating. The ballpark's brick accents will architecturally match historic Jenison Field House and MSU's newly constructed hitting and pitching facility. The $4.3 million stadium was made possible with a lead gift from Drayton and Elizabeth McLane. Drayton McLane earned his masters in food marketing management in 1959 from MSU and is currently Chairman and CEO of the Houston Astros. Construction crews began work on the stadium in late November and steel supports for the stands were put in place in early February.
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