Michigan State University Athletics
Baseball To Face Western Michigan At Fifth Third Ballpark
4/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 10, 2006
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State (14-13) baseball team will play host to Western Michigan (15-12) on Wednesday, April 12 at Fifth Third Ballpark, home of the West Michigan Whitecaps. Joe Chiaramonte, President of the West Michigan MSU Alumni Club, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. Tickets will be available at the gate on game day only. Admission prices are as follows: Adults - $5, youths and senior citizens - $3, students and children eight years & under - free!
"Just as Tom Izzo has done with basketball and Rick Comley has done with hockey, I wanted to showcase the Michigan State baseball team to our fans and alumni on the west side of the state," head coach David Grewe stated. "That is why I have scheduled this game at Fifth Third Ballpark. Our West Michigan Alumni Club and President Joe Chiaramonte are big supporters of the MSU baseball program and I felt it was important to bring our team to their home area. I'm looking forward to this game and to see the Spartan pride to the Grand Rapids area."
Arriving in East Lansing last July, Grewe has been focused on taking the Michigan State baseball program to the top of the Big Ten standings and establishing it as one of the premier programs in the Midwest. Previously serving as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Notre Dame (2003-2005), Grewe understands what it takes to build a winning program.
"It's my goal to implement a system where the players understand their responsibility and have accountability for their actions when they take the field." Grewe stated. "One of the goals of our coaching staff is that our players can look back every day and say, `I gave everything I had to win, and to win the right way.' We want everyone who comes out and watches Michigan State play baseball to say that our team plays hard, they play smart, and they play together."
Fans have more than one opportunity to watch the Spartans in a professional setting. Taking advantage of Michigan's minor league baseball facilities, Grewe also has his Spartan team scheduled for 12 games at Oldsmobile Park in Lansing this season. Signing a five-year extension on its contract with the City of Lansing earlier this year, MSU will continue to use the facility through 2010.
