Michigan State University Athletics
Going Out In Style
5/6/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 6, 2003
By Valerie Perkin Sports Information Intern
On Saturday, May 3, Sandy Lewis did a lot of things for the final time. She made her final game-day trek from the locker room at Jenison Field House. She went through her final starting lineup introductions in front of a home crowd - spinning around a circle of teammates, slapping hands with each one, as the team's echoed across Old College Field. She made her final run out to center field and took her final practice swings in the on-deck circle.
And on her last at bat in the bottom of the seventh inning, she went out with a bang.
Belting a two-run homer over the centerfield wall, Lewis led the Spartans to a stunning 2-0 victory over No. 13 Michigan - the first MSU victory over its in-state rival since 1998.
"It was awesome," Lewis beamed after the game, holding onto the prized game-winning ball. "It was great to win the last game on our home field."
But even with all of the Senior Day festivities that took place prior to the game, Lewis doesn't dwell on the fact that her Spartan career is rapidly winding down.
"It hasn't really sunk in yet that I'm going to be done playing in a few weeks," Lewis admitted earlier in the week. With that mindset, Lewis is able to focus on what still lies ahead - the Big Ten Tournament and a possible NCAA Tournament berth - and remember what brought her to this point.
The Michigan native first came to MSU four years ago from the small town of Empire, which is located on the coast of Lake Michigan and just minutes away from the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes.
Even now, Lewis can still remember the apprehension she felt as an incoming freshman moving from a town of hundreds to a campus of thousands and how the Spartan softball program helped ease that transition.
"It was incredible," the left-hander remembered. "The minute you step on campus, you have 20 best friends. That's what I am going to remember the most ... the time combined I've had with all the girls on the team and with the coaches. I'm going to remember that for the rest of my life."
Another thing that will remain with the senior is the strides that she made since her freshman campaign.
"It's been a total 180-degree turnaround for me, as a player," Lewis smiled. "Coach J (head coach Jacquie Joseph) is a great coach and all of the support staff we've had throughout my years has really helped me. It's pretty incredible to look back on what I was like as a freshman and to where I've gotten to now."
Determination and commitment caused Lewis to use a less-than-stellar sophomore season as motivation. Hard work and dedication led her to spend the past two summers training in East Lansing, instead of relaxing at home with her friends.
Lewis' improvement over the past four years has not only been evident in the stat sheet, where she now leads the team with 34 runs, a .367 batting average and a .469 on-base percentage, but in the leadership that she brings to the team.
A two-time Big Ten Player of the Week and the MVP of the Cougar Classic in Charleston, S.C., Lewis is known as a vocal leader on the team. She can often be heard offering encouragement to a teammate from the dugout or from her spot in centerfield where she has started every game this season.
Lewis takes softball seriously, but she is also able to have fun with the game she loves. While you will see her taking intense practice swings with a pair of bats in the on-deck circle, you will also catch her joking with the home plate umpire ... and standing just outside the batter's box, laughing, the one and only time the chorus of "Sandy" from Grease blasted through the speakers as her at-bat music.
But the Glen Lake High School graduate's accomplishments are not only marked on the field. They are also evident in the classroom as well. This season will be Lewis' third straight on the Academic All-Big Ten team, as she currently holds a 3.63 GPA in human biology.
"It's always a challenge," Lewis remarked on combining athletics and academics. "You get used to things, but then your classes get harder. I have definitely learned time management skills, though. Now, I can set aside a few hours to get my work done instead of doing something else."
Lewis, who will return to Michigan State next year to complete her undergraduate degree, has her post-softball days already planned out. Following graduation from MSU in May 2004, Lewis plans to enroll in a fast-track program to earn her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, spending a year as critical care nurse, before pursuing her Masters Degree in anesthesiology.
But for now, Lewis is content to see how long the final weeks of her Green and White career will last. On Saturday, with her parents and siblings watching from the stands, Lewis scored the Spartans a few more weeks of playing time.
While watching her ball sail past the outstretched hand of the Wolverines' centerfielder and then disappearing over the fence has moved itself into the number one spot on her 'Top Ten' list of memories, the senior will treasure all of her time at MSU as a member of the Spartan softball team.
"My whole experience at Michigan State has been great," Lewis said. "I'll always look back on this."
