Baseball Begins Fall Practice
9/12/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Sept. 12, 2011
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The defending Big Ten Champion Michigan State baseball team begins fall practice this week in preparation for its exhibition at Notre Dame on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 10:30 a.m.
The Spartans defeated the Irish in a seven-inning scrimmage, 4-2, last year at McLane Baseball Stadium before the football game in Spartan Stadium, and the two teams will meet again this season in South Bend, Ind., before Saturday's 3:30 p.m. football game at Notre Dame Stadium.
On Friday, Sept. 23, the Michigan State baseball program will host its annual golf outing at Forest Akers West Golf Course, beginning at 9 a.m. The cost is $125 per person or $500 for a group of four; for more information and to register for the event, please click here. Following the outing, the Spartans will host a Green vs. White scrimmage at McLane Baseball Stadium, with first pitch set for 3:30 p.m.
Michigan State will conclude fall practice with the five-game Green-White World Series beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 11 and finishing on Sunday, Oct. 16. All games will be held at McLane Baseball Stadium.
The Spartans return several key players from last season's team that won the program's first Big Ten title in 32 years. Numerous players shined during the summer, including second baseman Ryan Jones and right-handed pitcher Tony Bucciferro, who both were named to the Cape Cod League All-Star Team while playing for the Brewster Whitecaps.
Bucciferro was fourth in the Cape Cod League with a 1.90 ERA, tied for eighth with 37 strikeouts, and only walked eight in 47.1 innings pitched. For his efforts, Bucciferro was also named to the 25-man Cape Cod All-League Team.
Jones finished 17th in the Cape Cod League with a .283 average during the 44-game regular season. He also had 16 runs, six doubles and 11 RBIs.
In the Cape Cod League All-Star Game at Fenway Park on July 29, Jones had a hit and scored a run, while Bucciferro threw a scoreless inning.
Third baseman Torsten Boss also played in the prestigious Cape Cod League for the Cotuit Kettlers.
Closer Tony Wieber, who recorded a team-best eight saves in 2011, continued his impressive year with seven more saves for the Wilson Tobs in the Coastal Plain League. Wieber ranked seventh in the league with a 1.31 ERA and fanned 28 in 20.2 innings pitched. The Grand Ledge, Mich., native also picked up the save in the Coastal Plain League All-Star Game.
In limited action playing for the Southern Ohio Copperheads in the Great Lakes Collegiate League, right-hander David Garner struck out 20 batters in 14 innings and collected four saves with a 1.29 ERA. Garner's strong performance was noticed, as he was named the No. 2 prospect in the Great Lakes Collegiate League by Baseball America and the No. 3 prospect by Perfect Game CrossChecker.
Three other Spartans played for the Copperheads: first baseman Jared Hook was second on the team with 19 RBIs and hit .301, catcher Joel Fisher hit .272 in 31 games, and right-hander Andrew Waszak was 3-1 in eight starts with a 2.88 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 34.1 innings.
Also in the Great Lakes Collegiate League, left-handed reliever Ryan Martin was named an all-star as he compiled a 1.88 ERA and collected 21 strikeouts in 24 innings pitched for the Cincinnati Steam.
Right-handed pitcher Chad Nielsen was named to the Horizon Air Summer Series "All-Series" Second Team after striking out 41 batters in 40.2 innings while pitching for the Redding Colt 45s. Right-hander Cody Huge also pitched for the Colt 45s and was 2-1 with a 2.51 ERA in nine appearances. Opposing Nielsen and Huge in the Horizon Series was right-hander Chase Rihtarchik, who was 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in 18.2 innings pitched for the Marysville Gold Sox.
For a complete listing of Spartans in collegiate summer leagues, please click here.
In addition, four incoming freshmen who signed National Letters of Intent with the Spartans last November - Ryan Krill, Jimmy Pickens, Blaise Salter and Mick VanVossen - and were also selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft in June, have elected to enroll at Michigan State University and continue their baseball careers in East Lansing.
