Steve Gerstenberger Class: Senior Hometown: Fort Gratiot, Mich. High School: Port Huron Northern Height / Weight: 6-2 / 190 Position: INF Experience: 3L B/T: L/R

Career Stats

Scouting Gerstenberger: Tremendous competitor with the ability to come through in the clutch...will be in lineup primarily at first base but will also provide depth at other infield positions...offensively, hits for both average and extra-base power along with putting pressure on the defense with his speed.

2007: Captured second team All-Big Ten accolades...started all 51 games at second base, batting .378 in Big Ten games and .368 overall...his team-best .368 batting average ranked 10th in the Big Ten...finished fifth in the Big Ten with 77 hits, which tied for eighth most in an MSU season...led the Spartans in runs (37), doubles (14) and total bases (100), plate appearances (228) and at-bats (209)....ranked second on the team with 31 RBI...had 12 three-hit games and a pair of four-hit games...went 3-for-5 and scored twice versus St. Joseph's (3/4)...went 4-for-5 with a double and home run and scored three runs at South Florida (3/10)...had three hits - including a pair of doubles - and had three RBI against Quinnipiac (3/11)...went 3-for-4, walked and scored three runs at Oklahoma (3/16)...went 9-for-17 in four-game series at Indiana, including a 4-for-4 effort in game one (3/30)...finished series with a 3-for-5 day, scoring twice and driving in a run (4/1)...had three hits, scored twice and collected a pair of RBI versus Penn State (4/15)...finished the season by hitting safely in 15 of the last 16 games...went 9-for-19 in four-game series against Northwestern, including a 3-for-6 performance in the first game (5/11)...went 10-for-19 in season's final series at Illinois, picking up at least two hits in each game...went 5-for-10 - including a home run - and scored four runs in doubleheader against Illini (5/19).

2006: Improved upon his strong freshman season with a solid sophomore campaign...was fourth on the team and ranked 22nd in the Big Ten with a .331 batting average...led the Big Ten and ranked 14th in the nation with seven triples, which tied a MSU single-season record...tied for third on the team with four home runs...fourth on the team in runs (36) and slugging (.518) and fifth in RBI (30)...nine stolen bases in 10 attempts...hit .318 in conference play and was first in league games with six triples...a clutch hitter, he hit .383 with runners on base and .373 with runners in scoring position...fourth on the team with seven multi-RBI games...started 45 games at first base and one at second base...posted a .991 fielding percentage and his 406 putouts were the most in MSU single-season history...had a career game against Indiana March 31, going 5-for-5 at the plate with a homer, two triples, two doubles, three runs scored and six RBI...drove in four runs on three hits, including a solo homer and a three-run triple, to fuel the Spartans' 9-5 win over Penn State April 15...blasted a grand slam and collected two hits vs. Central Michigan (4/19)...registered four hits, three RBI, three runs, a double and a triple in rout of Toledo (4/26)...homered in back-to-back games (Central Michigan, 5/16; Illinois, 5/19)...delivered five hits, four RBI and four runs in Illinois series (5/19-21).

2005: Played in 47 games, starting in 39, while splitting time between second and third base...owned a .254 batting average...hit 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI in his collegiate debut at Centenary (2/25)...went 4-for-5 with a double and RBI vs. Indiana Tech on April 26...hit 2-for-5 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored at Indiana (5/8)...was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, hitting his first collegiate home run while adding a double, two RBI and two runs at Northwestern (5/20).

High School: A three-year letterwinner at Port Huron Northern...batted .410 as a senior with 25 RBI and 43 stolen bases...earned all-area, all-league, all-district and all-region honors...won league Player of the Year honors in 2004...named the 2004 Times Herald Player of the Year...set single-season school records for hits, stolen bases, doubles, walks and runs scored...played in the 2004 Michigan High School All-Star Game...team captain in junior and senior years...also lettered in golf and hockey...member of the student council.

Personal: Born July 22, 1985 in Port Huron, Mich...son of Steve and Kristee Gerstenberger...human resources major...enjoys watching and playing hockey, volleyball, poker, basketball and video games...names his father as his biggest baseball influence...favorite team is the Boston Red Sox, and favorite player is Cal Ripken Jr...earned a spot on MSU baseball's "Top 9 Club" for third year in a row...helped lead Columbus All-Americans to the Great Lakes League title in summer of 2006...played for the Wisconsin Woodchucks in the Northwoods League in 2007.