Lansing Sun

Michigan State University pitcher Dominic Pianto faced a significant decision two years into his college baseball career. Originally enrolled at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, Pianto enjoyed the small college atmosphere and its baseball team until May 2020 when Furman decided to cut its baseball program. This left him with the choice of staying without a team or transferring to another university.

"At first my initial reaction was definitely disappointed and saddened by all my friends that I wasn't going to be with anymore," said Pianto. His mother, Candice Pianto, saw it as a "blessing in disguise," noting that while he loved his teammates and coaches, Furman was not an ideal fit for her son.

Despite the abrupt end to his time at Furman, Pianto valued the experience. "Furman is a much smaller school than MSU... It was the culture of the baseball program that was the highlight of my entire time there," he explained.

The situation was complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, making his transfer process challenging. "This caused a lot of stress of trying to get recruited again within a three-month window," he recalled.

Pianto's transfer brought him back to familiar territory—East Lansing, where he was born. "It was like a full circle moment for me," he said about returning to Michigan State University (MSU).

His return also rekindled family connections in East Lansing. "Attending MSU allowed us all to rekindle those connections," Candice noted.

Another significant moment came when MSU traveled to Greenville for games this season, allowing Pianto to play before his grandparents unexpectedly present in the stands. "I literally saw them, and I was completely caught off guard," he recounted.

Pianto's journey included overcoming adversity such as Tommy John surgery on his right elbow during the 2021 season which forced him to redshirt. Since then, he's improved on the mound with decreasing earned run averages over recent seasons.

"The challenge of coming back from injury has been something that has taken a little bit of a toll on the mental side," said Pianto. He credits his support system for helping him through recovery: "The mental fortitude... especially my teammates really helped me get through it."

In addition to athletic achievements, including Academic All-Big Ten honors and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar recognition, Pianto emerged as a leader on MSU's team during Coach Mark Van Ameyde's absence due to kidney transplant surgery.

Currently in Minneapolis for games against Minnesota, MSU will soon return home for final regular-season matches including Senior Day celebrations.

Fans can follow Spartan baseball via various online resources provided by MSUSpartans.com with updates available on Twitter @MSUBaseball.