MSU Baseball Hands Out Team Awards At Annual Banquet
5/23/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 23, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State baseball program handed out awards for the 2005 season at its annual season-ending banquet Monday night (May 23) at the Michigan Athletic Club. Sophomore Ryan Basham (Lowell, Ind.) captured the team's Most Valuable Player award, while former Spartan standout Jerry Sutton was presented with the program's highest honor as he was named the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year.
Sutton joins Kobs, Danny Litwhiler and Robin Roberts as recipients of the award since its inception in 2002. Sutton earned three letters as a starter at first base for legendary Spartan skipper John Kobs and finished his career with the second-highest batting average in school history. The Lansing, Mich., native captured two MSU batting titles, earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 1963 and was named the team's Most Valuable Offensive Player in 1964. After completing his MSU career, he was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the Major League Baseball Draft, and played in the minor leagues for five seasons. Former MSU coach Danny Litwhiler presented Sutton with the awards and ESPN Baseball Analyst Dave Campbell made some remarks about the honoree.
Basham, who was one of three Spartans to start every game this season, earned the Offensive Player of the Year award, in addition to being named team MVP. Basham led MSU in batting average (.356) and doubles (12), tied for the team lead in home runs (eight), ranked second in slugging percentage (.545) and on-base percentage (.448) and finished fourth in stolen bases (seven).
 Sophomore right-hander Craig Brookes compiled a 6-1 record in 2004, including a perfect 4-0 mark in Big Ten games.  | |
Sophomore RHP Craig Brookes (Naperville, Ill.) captured the MSU Pitcher of the Year award after posting a 6-1 record with a 4.84 ERA in 13 starts. Brookes, who finished with a 4-0 mark in Big Ten play, hurled two complete games and struck out 39 batters in 61 and two-third innings of work.
Freshman utility player Ryan Sontag (Monroe, Mich.) captured Defensive Player of the Year honors. Sontag started 41 games this season at center field and finished the year hitting .349 with 17 RBI, 10 doubles, eight stolen bases and two triples. He tallied 98 putouts and four assists, while only making three errors in 105 chances.
MSU Baseball Hands Out Team Awards At Annual Banquet (cont'd) - Page 2
Sophomore Adam Tripp (Saugus, Calif.) earned the Most Improved Player award in his first season as an everyday starter for Michigan State. After making only seven starts in his freshman campaign, Tripp ranked among the team leaders in stolen bases (10), home runs (eight) and at-bats (218), while hitting .298 on the year.
The Craig Hendricks Sportsmanship Award was presented to red-shirt junior pitcher Tim Day (West Chester, Ohio) for displaying leadership both on and off the field. Day, who redshirted during the 2004 season due to injury, posted a 4-6 mark and a team-best 43 strikeouts in 75 and one-third innings pitched. He ranks sixth among MSU's all-time pitching leaders in career wins (18) and innings pitched (236.0).
Sophomore Kris Morris (Jenison, Mich.) was the recipient of the Bullpen Club Academic Award for posting a 3.43 grade-point average while majoring in human biology. Morris batted .264 with three doubles, two home runs and 14 RBI, while leading the team with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage (98-9-0).
The banquet also included recognition of longtime public address announcer Jerry Marshall, who has served in that capacity for the MSU baseball and hockey programs.
The Spartans finished the 2005 season with a record of 22-31, including a 10-18 mark in the Big Ten.
2005 MSU BASEBALL AWARDS
Distinguished Alumnus of the Year: Jerry Sutton
Most Improved Player: Adam Tripp
Pitcher of the Year: Craig Brookes
Defensive Player of the Year: Ryan Sontag
Bullpen Club Academic Award: Kris Morris
Craig Hendricks Sportsmanship Award: Tim Day
Offensive Player of the Year: Ryan Basham
Most Valuable Player: Ryan Basham
