Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Carrie Embree, St. Thomas, 1B-Pitcher, SO, Waukee, Iowa
Embree batted .533 (8-for-15) with seven runs and seven RBI in five games to help the Tommies go 6-0 and claim the MIAC championship. Embree, who raised her season average to .429, had three doubles, three hit-by-pitch and five steals and was 20-for-20 on defensive chances. She also retired all six batters (three strikeouts) as a pitcher to close out a shutout win over Carleton. Emb ree finished third in the MIAC in batting at .491. The 13th-ranked Tommies improved to 33-6 and won their fifth conference championship in six seasons.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Maria Bye, St. Thomas, Pitcher, FR, Maple Plain, Minn. (Orono HS)
Bye threw two five-inning no-hitters (Macalester and Carleton), went 3-0 with a 1.05 ERA, and had 30 strikeouts and four walks in 17 innings to help the Tommies go 6-0 and claim the MIAC championship. Bye also went 3-for-13 at the plate with five runs and three RBI. In MIAC stats Bye went 9-1 with an 0.67 ERA and 84 Ks in 53 innings. The 13th-ranked Tommies improved to 33-6 and won their fifth conference championship in six seasons.
Jim Cella, Concordia SID
Gretta Stritesky, Sr., RHP, Ogilvie, Minn.
Concordia senior Gretta Stritesky picked up a complete-game victory against St. Mary's in the last start of her career on Saturday. It was Stritesky's only outing of the week, and it marked the first time this season that the Cardinals have been beaten by an MIAC team other than regular season champion St. Thomas. The win also snapped a 10-game losing streak that Concordia had at the hands of St. Mary's.
In the game against St. Mary's, Stritesky continually worked out of jams as she was able to get key outs in four of the seven innngs with runners on either second or thid base.
Her stat line, while not impressive, proves how hard she battled to beat the 19-3 Cardinals. In the end, she allowed eight hits and two earned runs while striking out two. Her most impressive stat was her ability to get ous with runners on third base. She did not allow a hit with a runner on third (0-for-3) and was the main cause behind St. Mary's leaving nine runners on base.
Troy Mallat - Hamline University
Sara Mickelson, Fy., OF/3B, L-R, 5-9, West St. Paul, Minn. (Cretin-Derham Hall)
Sara Mickelson hit four home runs and knocked in 13 runs to help Hamline clinch its second consecutive playoff berth by going 5-1 last week. Mickelson went 8-for-19 at the plate (.421) and scored five runs.
Against St. Olaf on Tuesday, the first-year was 6-for-8 at the plate with three homers and 10 RBIs. Mickelson had five RBIs in each contest for the Pipers. She was 3-for-4 in Hamline's game one win with a three-run homer in the fifth and two-run bomb in the sixth. Mickelson was 3-for-4 with solo homer and two-run single in the fifth inning alone.
Mickelson came up with the biggest hit of the season to secure the Pipers' playoff bid on Saturday. With the score tied at 1-1 with St. Benedict, Mickelson hit a three-run homer in the fourth that provided Hamline with all the runs they would need.
The first-year set the Hamline single season record for home runs in a season with nine. The old record was held by Marion Zillhardt, who hit eight in 2003.
Donny Nadeau, SID, Saint Mary's
Jenny Schipp (Jr., Pitcher, Oakdale, Minn. / North St. Paul H.S.)
Schipp went 3-0 and did not allow a run in helping the Cardinals to a 5-1 record last week.
The Cardinals' junior - who has now pitched 25.1 scoreless innings - threw three complete-game shutouts and added 2.1 innings of scoreless relief as the Cardinals locked up the No. 2 seed for the upcoming MIAC Tournament.
Schipp opened her weekwith a complete-game, two-hit shutout against Bethel last Tuesday. She dod mpt wa;l a batter and struck out 12. Schipp followed that up with a 16-strikeout, three-htter in SMU's 4-0 win over Carleton on Wednesday, then completed her week with a three-hit, nine-strikeout effort in SMU's 1-0 Game 1 win over Concordia. Schipp also delivered an RBI double in the sixth inning to account for the game's only run.
For the week, Schipp threw 23.1 shutout innings, allowing just 10 hits, while walking four and striking out 41. She also hit .316 (6-for-19) with two doubles and an RBI.
For the season, Schipp boasts a career-best 18-4 record, and has won 13 straight decisions. During that 13-game span, the SMU junior has allowed just seven earned runs (0.65 ERA) and struck out 90.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Janet Nagle, St. Thomas, LHP, Junior, Minnetonka, Minn.
Nagle went 2-0 with an 0.00 ERA in 15 innings and held foes to an .082 batting average with no walks and 24 strikeouts in the first-place Toms' 3-1 week. She faced 22 batters in a one-hit shutout of title conteder Gustavus, a 2-0 win, with 12 Ks. In game two with the Gusties, a 3-2 loss, she pitched an inning of hitless, scoreless relief and worked out of a jam in the seventh inning with runners at second and third with none out getting two pop outs and a strikeout. In a 7-0 shutout of Concorida, Nagle allowed three hits and fanned 11. Nagle is now 29-0 in MIAC games on her career including an 8-0 record with an 0.73 ERA this season. The sixth-ranked Tommies are 27-6 overall and 15-1 in the MIAC and are looking to repeat as conference champs.
Troy Mallat - Hamline University
Rachael Young, Jr., OF, L/R, 5-5, Buffalo, Minn.
Junior outfielder Rachael Young helped the Pipers to a 4-0 week in conference play by hitting .615. Young went 8-for-13 at the plate as Hamline swept Bethel and St. Catherine. Young went 4-for-4 including her first home run of the season in Hamline's 7-4 win over the Wildcats on Saturday. She knocked in two runs and scored three times. She was 3-for-5 and scored three runs in a 12-5 win over Bethel. For the week, Young scored eight runs with three RBIs.
Stats for the week: 4-0 record, .615 BA (8-13), 1 HR, 8 Rs, 3 RBIs
Donny Nadeau, SID, Saint Mary's
Mandy Tschernach (So., SS, Rice Lake, Wis.)
Tschernach batted .412 with seven hits - including her first collegiate home run - in leading the Cardinals to a 5-1 week, including MIAC sweeps of St. Olaf and Augsburg.
Tschnerach collected two hits in four at-bats in SMU's 10-2, 10-6 sweep of St. Olaf, then picked up three of SMU's 12 hits — 2-for-3 and 1-for-3 — in the Cardinals' 1-0 win, 1-0 loss at UW-La Crosse. Tschernach closed out the week with a pair of hits against the Auggies, including an inside-the-park, grand slam home run in SMU's 9-1 Game 2 win.
For the week, Tschernach went 7-for-17 (.412) with three runs scored and 5 RBIs.
Donny Nadeau, SID, Saint Mary's
Jenny Schipp (Jr., Pitcher, Oakdale, Minn.)
Schipp went 3-0 with a 0.93 ERA as SMU went 5-1 last week. Schipp allowed five hits and two earned runs, while striking out 12 in SMU's 10-2, six-inning Game 1 win vs. St. Olaf. She followed that up with a four-hit shutout in a 1-0 win vs. UW-La Crosse, then closed out the week by scattering four hits, and not allowing a run, in three innings of a 11-3, six-inning Game 1 win vs. Augsburg.
For the week, Schipp pitched 15 innings, allowing 13 hits — 11 of which were singles — and just two runs (both earned). She walked four and struck out 20.
Tim Kennedy, Gustavus SID, April 25
Julie Mahre, First Year, Second Base, White Bear Lake, Minn., White Bear Lake High School
Julie Mahre, a first year second baseman from White Bear Lake, Minn., hit. 428 and fielded .944 to help the Gusties post a 5-1 record on the week including a key doubleheader split with league leading St. Thomas. Mahre opened the week going 5-for-6 with a triple and a stolen base in the Gusties 2-0, 6-0 sweep of Bethel in St. Peter. Then on Wednesday, Mahre went 1-for-7 against St. Thomas. However, that one hit was an important one as she drove in two runs with a bases loaded double with two outs to help Gustavus defeat the Tommies 3-2 and end their 44-game MIAC unbeaten streak. Mahre finished the week going 3-for-6 with one RBI and two stolen bases as the Gusties swept Carleton 8-0 and 8-0. She finished the week 9-for-21 at the plate (.428) with 4 RBI, a double, a triple, and 3 stolen bases (in three attempts). In the field, Mahre recorded 9 putouts and 8 assists with one error for a .944 fielding percentage. The Gusties are currently in third place in the league standings with a record of 19-13 overall and 13-3 in the MIAC.
College of St. Catherine Jeremy Driver - SID Angie Johnson Sophomore Third Base Wadena, MN / Wadena-Deer Creek HS
For the week 15-25 .600 BA / 9 singles / 3 doubles / 3HR / 11 RBI
Wildcats were 4-4 for the week
Angie batted 6-7 / 4 singles / 1 double / 1 HR / 5 RBI vs. Hamline on Saturday (Wildcats lost 10-8 and 7-4)
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas
Kristi Huegel, St. Thomas, Senior, SS, Alta Vista, Iowa/New Hampton HS
Huegel led the Tommies to a 6-0 week (sweeps of St. catherine, St. Ben's and Hamline) as she drove in 14 runs, scored 10 runs, and batted .500 (11-for-22) with no errors in 19 defensive chances at shortstop. She had seven RBI with a homer and double in a five-inning win over St. Catherine. She leads the MIAC in RBI with 19 in 12 games. A four-year starter, the Co-SIDA Academic All-American has 168 hits, 133 RBI, 106 runs, 18 homers and 33 doubles in 156 games. In her era, UST is 140-24 (78-3 MIAC). UST has won 43 consecutive MIAC games (38 consecutive MIAC road wins).
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Maria Bye, St. Thomas, Freshman, RHP, Orono, Minn.
Bye went 4-0 in four appearances (three starts) with an 0.86 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 16.1 innings to help the Tommies go 6-0 last week. She shut out St. Ben's and a strong-hitting Hamline team and allowed just two runs (both to St. Catherine). She allowed 15 hits and eight walks. She also swang a hot bat at the plate and went 10-for-18 (.450) with six runs, five RBI, two walks and a double. She leads the MIAC in ERA at 0.48 with 45 strikeouts in 29.1 innings and a 6-0 record and is second in hitting at .469.
Donny Nadeau, SID, Saint Mary's
Jenni Gutterman (Jr., 3rd Base, Shoreview, Minn.)
Gutterman hit a team-leading .522 in leading the Cardinals to a perfect 6-0 record last week – including sweeps of Gustavus and Hamline, which entered the week with a combined one MIAC loss.
The Cardinals' junior, who has reached base safely in 25 of SMU's 26 games, picked up at least two hits in five of the Cardinals' six games last week.
Gutterman opened the week with a 1-for-3, 3 RBI and 2-for-3, 1 RBI, 2-run effort vs. Gustavus, then followed that up with five hits in nine at-bats in SMU's sweep of Hamline. Gutterman's week eneded with back-to-back 2-for-4 efforts vs. St. Benedict.
For the week, Gutterman hit 522 (12-for-23) with five runs, a triple and five RBIs. She also walked twice, stole eight bases (in nine attempts), and boasted a slugging percentage of .609.
For the season, Gutterman is hitting .404 (36-for-89) and leads the team in runs (19), total bases (.41), on-base percentage (.459) and stolen bases (15).
Donny Nadeau, SID, Saint Mary's
Jenny Schipp (Jr., Pitcher, North St. Paul, Minn.)
Schipp picked up four wins in four pitching performances as the Cardinals completed a perfect 6-0 week — including MIAC sweeps of Gustavus and Hamline, which entered the week with a combined one MIAC loss.
Schipp tossed back-to-back complete games in leading SMU to Game 1 wins over Gustavus and Hamline. The SMU righthander allowed three earned on four hits, while striking out eight in the Cardinals' 5-3 win over Gustavus on Wednesday, then followed that up by scattering seven hits, and allowing one earned run in a 2-1 Game 1 win over Hamline the next day. Schipp earned the pitching win in both SMU victories over St. Benedict, throwing five innings of shutout ball in the Cardinals' 4-0 Game 1 win, then came in and pitched four innings of shutout ball, allowing three hits, as SMU completed the sweep with a 3-2 win.
For the week, Schipp pitched 23 innings and boasted a 1.22 earned-run-average. She allowed 16 hits, four earned runs and struck out 15. She also helped her own cause at the plate, hitting .316 (6-for-19) with two doubles and an RBI.
Troy Mallat - Hamline University
Amanda Gage, Sr., 2B, R-R, 5-5, Forest Lake, Minn.
Senior second baseman Amanda Gage had a batting average of .567 (17-for-30) as the Pipers went 6-2 in eight games last week. Gage scored 11 runs and knocked in six out of the leadoff position. She added four doubles, two triples, and a home run for a slugging percentage of .933.
In conference play, Gage batted .500 (8-for-16) with six runs and three RBIs. Gage went 3-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI in Hamline's 8-5 game two win over Concordia on Wednesday. She had an RBI triple in Hamline's 4-1 game one win versus Carleton on Saturday.
The senior led off Sunday's loss to St. Scholastica with a home run. She finished the game 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Stats for the week: 6-2 record (3-1 in MIAC), .567 BA (17-for-30), 11 Rs, 6 RBIs, 4 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 1 HR, 5-6 SBs
Tim Kennedy, Gustavus SID - April 10
Joyce Dewitz, Sophomore, Pitcher, Good Thunder, Minn., Maple River High School
Gustavus sophomore pitcher Joyce Dewitz helped the Gusties compile a record of 6-0 on the week. Dewitz was the winning pitcher in all six games for Gustavus as she allowed three earned runs in 32.0 innings of work while striking out 47 and walking seven. Dewitz pitched 3.0 innings and allowed one hit and struck out 7 as the Gusties defeated Bethany Lutheran 8-0 in game 1 on Monday, April 4 and then pitched three more innings allowing no hits and no runs while striking out three as Gustavus won game 2 8-0. On Wednesday against St. Olaf, Dewitz pitched five innings allowing two runs and six hits, while striking out 11 and walking three in the the Gusties 8-2 win in game one. In game two, Dewitz allowed four hits and no runs while striking out three and walking none in five innings as the Gusties beat St. Olaf 10-2. The sophomore standout saved her best for last as she picked up two more wins at Concordia on Saturday. In game one, Dewitz allowed two hits and one unearned run while striking out 20 and walking 2 in the Gusties 6-1 win in 11 innings. Dewitz's 20 strikeouts tied an NCAA Division III record for strikeouts in a game, while breaking the MIAC and Gustavus record. In game two, Dewitz allowed four hits and one run, while walking one and striking out three in five innings as the Gusties defeated the Cobbers 6-1 for their eighth straight win. Gustavus is currently 12-10 overall and 6-0 in the MIAC, while Dewitz is 9-6 overall with a 1.87 earned run average.
Stats for the week: Record: 6-0, IP 32.0, Hits: 17, Runs: 4 Earned Runs: 3, Walks: 7, Strikeouts: 47, Batters Faced: 117, ERA: 0.65
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Nikki Conway, St. Thomas, Junior, Catcher, Mendota Heights, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall
Conway hit .630 (7-of-11), reached base in 10 of 14 plate appearances and helped the sixth-ranked Tommies go 4-0 last week, including a key sweep of MIAC title contender St. Mary's. She homered three times and tied the MIAC career record of 26 set in 2001 by St. Mary's Jill Hocking. Conway reached 26 homers in 111 games while Hocking's record came in 178 games. Conway went 6-for-8 vs. St. Mary's with homers in each game of a 7-0, 8-2 sweep, and was 1-for-3 with three walks in a sweep of Augsburg. The All-American scored six runs, had six RBI, added two steals and a double, and had no errors in 36 chances at catcher. The Tommies are 18-5 and have won 37 consecutive games vs. MIAC foes and 36 MIAC road games in a row. They play four key MIAC doubleheaders in the next 10 days.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Janet Nagle, St. Thomas, Junior, LHP, Minnetonka, Minn.
Nagle won all three starts last week and beat MIAC contender St. Mary's twice and improved to 25-0 on her career vs. conference foes. In 14 innings she struck out 24 and allowed two runs, three walks and seven hits and opposing batters hit .149 against her. She also had a key two-run homer vs. St. Mary's and was 3-for-10 with three runs and three RBi at the plate. The Tommies moved to 18-5 overall and 6-0 in the MIAC.
Tim Kennedy, Gustavus - April 4
Joyce Dewitz, Sophomore, Good Thunder, Minn., Maple River High School
Gustavus sophomore Joyce Dewitz allowed only one earned run and six hits in 14 innings of work to help the Gusties pick up an important MIAC sweep against St. Ben's (8-6, 4-1) in St. Joseph last Saturday. The day started out tough for Dewitz as the Blazers scored five unearned runs in the first inning on one hit, however she shut the Blazers down the rest of the way allowing only three hits and one earned run in the next six innings as the Gusties rallied for an 8-6 win. Dewitz struck out six and walked two in the game. In the second game, Dewitz limited St. Ben's to only two hits and one unearned run as the Gusties claimed the 4-1 win. She struck out four and walked five in seven innings.
Stats: 14 innings pitched, 7 runs/1 earned run/6 hits/10 strikeouts/7 walks
College of St. Catherine/Jeremy Driver
Callie Bobseen / First Year / OF Elk River, MN / Elk River HS
vs. St. Olaf W 9-4, L 4-3 Combined 5-7 .714 BA, 4 RBI, 3 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 SB
College of St. Catherine/Jeremy Driver
Jessica Lewandowski / Sophomore / P Mounds View, MN / Mounds View
vs. St. Olaf W 9-4, L 4-3 12.2 IP, 14 SO, 3 ER, 1.72 ERA
.500 BA, 1 RBI
Troy Mallat - Hamline University
Sara Mickelson, Fy., 3B/OF, L/R, 5-9, West St. Paul, Minn. (Cretin Derham Hall)
First-year Sara Mickelson led the Pipers to a 3-1 record on the week. Mickelson went 6-for-12 at the plate with a triple and six RBIs. She also scored three runs. In Hamline's 10-2 win over Augsburg, Mickelson was 2-for-3 with a run-scoring triple and scored a run. She added a 1-for-3 effort with an RBI, run scored, stolen base in the Pipers' 10-5 win in game one against the Auggies. Mickelson currently has a seven-game hitting streak.
For the season, Mickelson is batting .529 (18-for-34) with a triple, three home runs, and 17 RBIs. She has also scored nine runs. Mickelson is batting .667 (8-for-12) with runners in scoring position.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Michelle Wong, St. Thomas, Senior, 2B, Golden Valley, Minn./Hopkins HS
Wong reached base in all seven plate appearances Saturday to lead an 8-0, 7-0 sweep of Bethel. She was 5-for-5 with two walks, three steals, four runs and two RBI including her first home run of the season. She also had no errors in three defensive chances. In 68 career conference games Wong is batting .447 with 100 hits, 72 runs and 43 steals and has helped UST post a 64-4 record in those games. The sixth-ranked Tommies improved to 14-5 overall and ran their MIAC winning streak to 33 games. They host St. Mary's Wednesday.
Eric Sieger, Carleton SID Caitlyn Cornell, Jr., RHP, Mankato, Minn. (Mankato East) Cornell struck out a school-record 15 batters in leading Carleton to a 5-3 victory over host Concordia in the MIAC opener for both squads on Saturday. Cornell's 15 strikeouts broke the school record held jointly by Fauna Smith '01 and Andrea Carroll '03 with 13 strikeouts. Cornell rebounded from a tough spring break trip in a major way, fanning 15 while scattering five hits and walking four. She worked out of a jam in the third, fanning the final two hitters with a runner on second. She struck out all three batters in the fifth and got the final two outs in the six via the strikeout. Needing one strikeout in the final inning to break the record, she fanned the first two batters she faces and induced a flyout from the final batter, notching her third win of the season. She made a relief appearance in game two, allowing one hit in 2.1 innings with three strikeouts and two walks.
Stats for week: 1-0, 9.1 IP, 6 hits, 3 runs, 2 ER, 6 BB, 18 K, 1.50 ERA, 40 batters faces
Donny Nadeau, SID, Saint Mary's
Jenny Schipp (Jr., Pitcher, North St. Paul, Minn. / North St. Paul H.S.)
Schipp tossed her first no-hitter of the season Saturday, facing just 19 batters in the Cardinals' 8-0, six-inning Game 1 win over Macalester.
Schipp led off the game with a walk, then retired the next 18 batters she faced - 14 by strikeout - in posting her third career no-hitter. After surrendering a flyout to center to open the second inning, Schipp struck out 12 straight batters, before closing out the game with pop outs to third and second.
Schipp then went 3-for-3 from the plate with a pair of RBIs as SMU completed the sweep with a 10-0, five-inning win in Game 2.
For the season, Schipp has appeared in eight of SMU's 14 games, striking out 50 in 42.1 innings, while boasting a 2.15 ERA and a 5-3 record.
2005 Seasons Starts Here
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Katie Wiberg, St. Thomas, DP, Junior, Plymouth, Minn/Robb. Armstrong High
Wilberg batted .588 and reached in 13 of 20 plate appearances to help the Toms go 6-0 and secure the MIAC championship for the fourth time in five seasons. Wiberg was 10-for-17 with seven runs, five RBI, three walks, a home run, and two stolen bases, as she raised her batting average to .381. She ranks fourth in hitting in MIAC games at .466. The 11th-ranked Toms take a 34-4 overall record and 2-0 MIAC slate into Monday's games at Bethel.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Janet Nagle, St. Thomas, Sophomore, LHP, Minnetonka, Minn.
Nagle went 6-0 with no runs allowed and 48 strikeouts in 24 innings last week to help the Toms clinch the school's fourth MIAC softball title in five seasons. Nagle hasn't allowed a run in 27 innings. She allowed eight hits and seven walks with the 48 strikeouts in the sweeps of St. Olaf, Macalester and Concordia. She improved to 21-2 on the season. The Toms are 34-4 overall and 2-0 in the MIAC heading into Monday's games at Bethel.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Katie Wiberg, St. Thomas, DP, Junior, Plymouth, Minn/Robb. Armstrong High
Wilberg batted .588 and reached in 13 of 20 plate appearances to help the Toms go 6-0 and secure the MIAC championship for the fourth time in five seasons. Wiberg was 10-for-17 with seven runs, five RBI, three walks, a home run, and two stolen bases, as she raised her batting average to .381. She ranks fourth in hitting in MIAC games at .466. The 11th-ranked Toms take a 34-4 overall record and 2-0 MIAC slate into Monday's games at Bethel.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Janet Nagle, St. Thomas, Sophomore, LHP, Minnetonka, Minn.
Nagle went 6-0 with no runs allowed and 48 strikeouts in 24 innings last week to help the Toms clinch the school's fourth MIAC softball title in five seasons. Nagle hasn't allowed a run in 27 innings. She allowed eight hits and seven walks with the 48 strikeouts in the sweeps of St. Olaf, Macalester and Concordia. She improved to 21-2 on the season. The Toms are 34-4 overall and 2-0 in the MIAC heading into Monday's games at Bethel.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Janet Nagle, St. Thomas, Sophomore, LHP, Minnetonka, Minn.
Nagle went 6-0 with no runs allowed and 48 strikeouts in 24 innings last week to help the Toms clinch the school's fourth MIAC softball title in five seasons. Nagle hasn't allowed a run in 27 innings. She allowed eight hits and seven walks with the 48 strikeouts in the sweeps of St. Olaf, Macalester and Concordia. She improved to 21-2 on the season. The Toms are 34-4 overall and 2-0 in the MIAC heading into Monday's games at Bethel.
Troy Mallat - Hamline University
Rachael Young, So., OF, 5-5, Buffalo, Minn.
Rachael Young batted .474 (9-for-19) with five RBIs and 10 runs scored as the Pipers clinched the third seed in the conference playoffs by going 6-0 on the week. Young went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs in the Pipers' 9-1 game one win over St. Olaf on Saturday. In game two, Young ended the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth as Hamline won by an identical 9-1 score.
Niki Seal, Jr., P, 5-7, Bloomington, Minn. (Bloomington-Kennedy)
Junior pitcher Niki Seal was a perfect 6-0 with a 0.94 ERA as the Pipers clinched a spot in the MIAC playoffs. Seal pitched 29.2 innings, allowing 13 hits. She walked just four and struck out 20. Batters hit .126 off Seal last week. Seal has set the Hamline school record with her 21st win of the season. At the plate, Seal batted .400 (8-for-20) with 12 RBIs. Seal belted a three-run homer, her seventh of the season against Augsburg on Friday as part of a 10-RBI day. She also added three doubles for a slugging percentage of .700.
Donny Nadeau, SID, Saint Mary's - 4/26
Jenny Schipp, So., P, North St. Paul, Minn. / North St. Paul
Jenny Schipp tossed her first career perfect game in SMU's 8-0 Game 1 win vs. Augsburg last Wednesday. Schipp struck out a career-high 13, and allowed just five balls to be put in play, all groundouts. … Schipp extended her hitless string to 11 2/3, before UW-Eau Claire got its lone hit in the bottom of the sixth inning of SMU's 4-0 win last Thursday. … After her perfect game, Schipp tossed back-to-back one-hitters vs. UW-Eau Claire and Bethel. … For the week, Schipp boasted a 4-0 record and a 0.28 ERA, allowing just eight hits and one earned run in 32.1 innings.
For hte season, Schipp owns a 2.20 ERA and a 13-8 record. She has pitched 143.1 innings, allowing 35 earned runs, while striking out 160.
Greg Peterson, Bethel College Angela Vedders Sophomore, Pitcher Milaca, Minn. Milaca H.S.
Vedders went 2-1 on the week with wins over Concordia and St. Mary's with a loss to St. Olaf.
In an 11-4 win over Concordia, Vedders pitched 7.0 innings, giving up 9 hits and 4 runs, striking out 9 batters.
In the 4-1 loss to St. Olaf, Vedders again pitched a complete game (7.0 innings), giving up 4 runs (just 2 earned) on 7 hits. She struck out 4 batters.
In a 6-4 win over St. Mary's, Vedders went 7.0 innings, giving up 4 runs on 11 hits, striking out 3.
Weekly stats: 2-1 record, 27 hits, 12 runs (7 earned), 16 strikeouts.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Michelle Wong, St. Thomas, JR, 2B, Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins HS
Wong continued her torrid hitting and led the 11th-ranked Tommies to a 6-0 week with sweeps of second-place St. Ben's, third-place Gustavus, and fourth-place Hamline. Wong batted .652 with 15 hits in 23 AB, nine runs, eight RBI, one walk, 7-7 in steals, with two home runs and a double and no errors in 22 infield chances. Wong went 6-for-8 in the sweep of Gustavus and homered in each game of the sweep of St. Ben's. She's hit safely in 10 consecutive games and 17 of the last 18 games. The Tommies are 28-4 with 23 consecutive wins, 20 consecutive MIAC wins and 28 consecutive conference road victories.
Troy Mallat - Hamline University
Amanda Gage, Jr., 2B, 5-5, Forest Lake, Minn.
Junior second baseman Amanda Gage hit .536 (15-for-28) with five RBIs on the week as the Pipers went 4-4. Gage scored 11 of the team's 29 runs during that span. She added three doubles and two home runs. In the Pipers' 6-0 win over Gustavus on Sunday, Gage was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate and scored three runs. Gage scored another run in Hamline's 3-0 game two win over Gustavus. She was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored in Hamline's 7-6 loss to Bethel. After the Pipers fell behind 6-1, Gage started a rally with her fourth home run of the season. On Monday, Gage hit a solo homer in the Pipers' 5-0 win over St. Mary's.
Greg Peterson, Bethel College Angela Vedders Sophomore Pitcher Milaca, Minn. Milaca H.S.
Vedders went 1-1 on the week as she gave up a combined 3 runs over 13.1 innings.
In a 7-2 win over St. Catherine, Vedders gave up 4 hits and 1 run with 2 strikeouts over 6.1 innings.
In a 2-0 loss to Gustavus, she pitched a complete game (7.0 innings), giving up 2 runs on 7 hits with 6 strikeouts.
She did not walk any batters over the two games.
Donny Nadeau, SID, Saint Mary's - 4-19
Amy Edge, Jr., Catcher, Mineral Point, Wis. / Mineral Point H.S.
Amy Edge hit a team-leading .435 in the Cardinals' eight games last week. Seven of Edge's 10 hits were for extra bases — four doubles and two home runs. She also drove in a team-high nine runs and scored five times.
Edge opened the week going 3-for-5 (.600) with a double and a home run in SMU's split with Hamline. She followed that up with a hit in six plate appearances in the Cardinals' two losses to St. Benedict. In SMU's sweep of St. Olaf last Saturday, Edge collected two doubles and her second HR of the week in seven plate appearances (.429), before closing out the week by going 3-for-5 (.600) with two more doubles and two runs scored in the Cardinals' sweep of Carleton on Sunday.
For the season, Edge is batting .432 (35-for-81) and leads the team in virtually every offensive category, including doubles (11), home runs (3), RBIs (25), walks (10) and on-base percentage (.495). Her three-RBI performance in Game 2 vs. St. Olaf marked the fourth time this season that she has driven in three runs in a game.
April 19, 2004
Jim Cella, Concordia SID
Kelli Niess, Fr., OF, Rice, Minn./Sauk Rapids HS
Kelli Niess hit .555 in helping Concordia go 5-1 over the past week. The first-year outfielder collected ten hits, scored nine runs and drove in six as the Cobbers vaulted all the way into sixth place in the MIAC. She also stole four bases and did not commit an error in the field. She hit safely in the final five games, and had multiple-hit games in four of the six Cobber contests.
Niess' stats for the week: GP:6, H:10, AB:18, RS:9, RBI:6, BB:2, 3B:2, SB:4, CS:3, PO:7, BA:.555, OBA:.600, SLG:.722
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Janet Nagle, St. Thomas, Sophomore, LHP-IB, Minnetonka, Minn.
Nagle reached base in all six plate appearances with three home runs, a single and two intentional walks in the Tommies' sweep of St. Catherine. She also allowed two hits and one run with six strikeouts in five innings as the game-one winning pitcher. She Drove in five runs on the day with two two-run homers in game one and a solo home run in game two. The Toms take a 22-4 record (8-0 MIAC) into Monday's home twinbill vs. St. Ben's.
Eric Sieger, Carleton SID
Kari Christianson, So., SS, Twin Valley, Minn. (Norman Co. East) Christianson batted .636 and tallied five RBIs to lead Carleton to four straight victories last week. In Tuesday's sweep of Northwestern, Christianson played in the second game only but made her presence felt, ripping the game-winnign RBI on a single to left field. In Wednesday's sweep of Augsburg, the sophomore was a combined 6-for-7 with four RBIs and five runs scored. For the week she slugged .818 and was perfect on 11 chances in the field.
Michelle Boys- St. Ben's Jr. Shortstop- Eden Praire, MN and Minnetonka HS. CSB- 5-1 MIAC record. 6 games- 12-24, .500 BA, 9 Runs, 2 RBI, 2 Double, 3/3 SB, 8 Putouts, 15 Assists and 0 Errors- 1.000 Fldg. %. Michelle had and outstanding week as our lead-off hitter with 12 hits and 3 times on base from errors because of her speed. Defensively she was errorless.
Christina Gardner- St. Ben's FY Pitcher and DP-Arvada, CO and Holy Family HS. CSB- 5-1 MIAC record. 5 games- 12-20, .600 BA, 2 Runs, 5 RBI, 1 Double, 5 Assists, 1.000 Fldg.%. Pitching 3-0 record, 19 Innings, 1.47 ERA, 20 hits, 6 runs, 4 ER, 3 BB, 12 K's. Christina has done a remakable job as our # 2 pitcher. She's 6-0 overall for the season. Also, she had a tremendous week at the plate.
TIm Kennedy, Gustavus SID
Molly Biehn, Senior, Pitcher/First Base, Mankato, Minnesota, Loyola High School
Gustavus senior pitcher Molly Biehn did not allow a run in 28 innings of pitching last week as the Gusties posted a record of 8-0. Biehn, the 2003 MIAC Player of the Year, was in top form as she helped the Gusties claim wins over St. Olaf (3-0), Buena Vista (7-0), Concordia (2-0) and St. Catherine (1-0). She allowed only 18 hits in the four games including six toSt. Olaf, five to Buena Vista, three to Concordia and four to St. Kate's. Biehn struck out 23 batters in the four games including 13 against Concordia. Biehn is now 3-0 in MIAC play with an earned run average of 0.00. Molly also hit .473 during the week with nine hits in 19 at-bats including 10 rbi and three runs scored. The Gusties are currently 10-8 overall and 6-0 in the MIAC.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Kaja Martinson, St. Thomas, 3B, SR, Burnsville, Minn./Eastview HS
Martinson helped the Toms go 6-0 and outscore foes 44-11 with road sweeps of St. Mary's and Carleton and a home sweep of Augsburg. Martinson batted .474 (9-for-19), with eight RBI, six runs, two two-run homers vs. Carleton, three doubles, two walks, two HBP and a .565 on-base percentage. She also had 14 putouts in the field without an error. St. Thomas has won 24 consecutive MIAC road games; 12 straight MIAC games; and 15 games in a row this season.
Le Ann Finger, St. Olaf College, Lindsay Weier, So., C, Menomonie, Wis.
St. Olaf sophomore, Lindsay Weier, from Menomonie, Wis. went 10-for-25 at the plate (.40) with three doubles, one triple and seven RBIs and seven runs to help the Oles post a 4-4 week in five days. Weier went 4-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and scored one run as the Oles defeated St. Benedict 8-4 on Saturday. On Sunday, she went 4-for-5 with a walk, a double, a triple, three RBIs and scored four runs as St. Olaf swept Macalester6-1 and 3-2. Earlier in the week against Gustavus, Weier went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI and went 1-for-7 against UM-Morris getting on on an error, hit in an RBI and scored a run. For the week Weier went 10-for-25 (.40) with seven runs scored and seven runs batted in.
Troy Mallat - Hamline University (4-5-04)
Niki Seal, Jr., P, 5-7, Bloomington, Minn. (Bloomington-Kennedy)
Niki Seal had an outstanding week at the plate as the Pipers went 6-2, 4-2 in conference play. Seal hit .433 (13-for-30) with a double and five home runs. She also knocked in 15 runs and had a slugging percentage of .967. Seal hit at least one home run in each of the four doubleheaders the Pipers played last week, including two against St. Benedict on Sunday. Against Carleton, Seal broke open a close game with a two-run homer in the eighth. Seal hit her first career home run on Wednesday in a 9-1 win against Concordia. Seal did not have a collegiate at bat until this season.
Stats for the week: 6-2 record, .433 BA (13-for-30), 1 2b, 5 HR, 15 RBI, .967 Slug %, 6 R.
Troy Mallat - Hamline University (4-5-04)
Niki Seal, Jr., P, 5-7, Bloomington, Minn. (Bloomington-Kennedy)
Niki Seal allowed one hit through 13 innings of work against Carleton on Saturday. Seal gave up just one hit in five innings during the Pipers 11-0 win. Seal topped it by throwing an eight-inning no hitter in the Pipers' 4-0 win. Seal went 4-1 on the week with a 2.08 ERA. She struck out 20 and walked four in 34.2 innings of work. Seal opened up conference play by scattering five hits in a 9-1 victory over Concordia on Wednesday.
Stats for the week: 4-1, 2.08 ERA, two shutouts, one no hitter, 20 K, 4 BB
Donny Nadeau, SID, SMU
Jenny Schipp (So., Pitcher, North St. Paul, Minn. / North St. Paul H.S.)
Schipp came within two outs of tossing back-to-back no-hitters in the Cardinals' 8-0, 5-0 sweep of Concordia on Sunday. The SMU junior threw a six-inning no-hitter in Game 1 vs. the Cobbers, then followed that up with 6 1/3 innings of no-hit ball, before Concordia's Mandy Pearson broke up her bid for a second straight no-no in the seventh.
Combined with her five innings of shutout ball in last Saturday's 5-0 Game 2 win over St. Catherine, Schipp ran her streak of scoreless innings to 18 innings.
For the Week, Schipp pitched 23.0 innings, allowing 11 runs — all in an 11-3 loss to St. Thomas — and 17 hits, while striking out 30 and walking nine.
Tim Kennedy, Gustavus SID Ingrid Olson, Jr., Outfielder, White Bear Lake, MN, White Bear Lake High School
Gustavus leftfielder Ingrid Olson, a junior from White Bear Lake, Minnesota, went 13-for-22 at the plate (.591) with two doubles, one triple and two home runs to help the Gusties compile a perfect 6-0 record and clinch the MIAC title outright with a record of 21-1. Olson went 4-for-8 with two doubles and three runs scored as the Gusties swept Concordia 12-0 and 2-1 last Monday. On Thursday, she went 5-for-8 with three runs scored and four rbi with two home runs as Gustavus swept St. Olaf 4-1 and 10-2. On Saturday, Olson went 4-for-7 with two runs scored and a triple as the Gusties clinched their first MIAC title since 1990 with a sweep of Carleton, 3-2 and 4-0. For the week, Olson went 13-for-22 (.591) with eight runs scored and five runs batted in. She also had a slugging percentage of 1.054. Gustavus which has won 22 of its last 23 games finished the regular season with a record of 26-9 overall. The Gusties will open NCAA Tournament play in Waverly, Iowa on Friday, May 9.
Tim Kennedy, Gustavus SID Sara Medved, Jr., Pitcher, Shoreview, Minn., Totino-Grace High School
Gustavus pitcher Sara Medved, a junior from Shoreview, Minn., compiled a record 3-0 an allowed only three earned runs in 20.0 innings pitched to help the Gusties win their first MIAC title since 1990 with a league mark of 21-1. Medved started the week pitching seven innings and allowing six hits and one earned run in the Gusties 2-1 win at Concordia. On Thursday, she scattered 10 hits in six innings of work and allowed two earned runs as Gustavus claimed a 10-2 win over the Oles. Then on Saturday, Medved completed her week with a four-hit seven-inning shutout of Carleton (4-0) to allow the Gusties to claim the MIAC title outright. She struck out five and did not walk a batter in the game. For the week, Medved allowed 20 hits in 20.0 innings of work, while allowing three earned runs and compiling an earned run average of 1.05. She walked three and struck out 12 batters. On the season, Medved has compiled a record of 10-3 with an earned run average of 1.53. Gustavus which has won 22 of its last 23 games finished the regular season with a record of 26-9 overall. The Gusties will open NCAA Tournament play in Waverly, Iowa on Friday, May 9.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Stacy Tamble, St. Thomas, LHP, Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview HS
Tamble went 4-0 with an 0.54 ERA and pitched 26 of the 27 innings of sweeps vs. MIAC top-tier teams Hamline and St. Ben's. In the four wins she allowed 11 hits, one run and three walks with 16 strikeouts. She threw a two-hit shutout of Hamline (8-0 win) and allowed one hit (solo HR) in a 7-1 win over the Pipers. She threw a four-hit shutout of Saturday's 2-0 win over St. Ben's and came back to allow one run and four hits in a 4-1 game-two victory. Tamble finished her career 64-13 with 452 strikeouts and 27 shutouts. In MIAC career games she finished 41-3 with 19 shutouts and an 0.70 ERA. The Tommies went 82-6 in MIAC play in her four-year era. The Tommies missed the NCAA field for the first time in seven seasons despite a 32-6 record (20-2 MIAC).
Nominated by Andy Johnson (May 5)
Caitlin Adams – Macalester (Jr., 3B, Monona, Wis. / Monona Grove H.S.)
Caitlin Adams hit .444 in four MIAC games last week as the Scots went 1-3 in league play. Adams went 4-for-9 with four runs, four RBI and a 1.222 slugging percentage in games with St. Mary's and St. Catherine. She belted her second and third home runs of the season and also had a double. In Macalester's 5-3 win over St. Catherine in the season finale she went 2-for-3 with a homer, two runs scored and two RBI.
Troy Mallat - Hamline University (4-28-03)
Marion Zillhardt, Jr. SS, Andover, Minn. (Anoka HS)
Marion Zillhardt was 14-for-28 at the plate with three homers and 19 RBIs as the Pipers went 6-2 on the week and set a school record with 26 victories with six games left on the schedule. The junior knocked in eight runs in both the Bethel and Carleton doubleheaders. Against Bethel on Thursday, Zillhardt hit two homers. She hit a grand slam to end the first game as the Pipers won 11-0. She also added a three-run bomb to the opposite field in the Pipers' 8-3 win over the Royals in game two. Zillhardt added a two-run homer in the top of the first against Carleton in the first game of the doubleheader on Friday. She went 4-for-5 at the plate in game two, knocking in six runs, in which Hamline won 12-5. Zillhardt also knocked in the game-winning run in the seventh inning of the Pipers' 4-3 win over Concordia on Tuesday.
Stats for the week: 6-2 record, 14-for-28 (.500), 7 Rs, 19 RBIs, 1 2B, 3 HR, 2 BB, 1 SAC, .857 slugging %, .533 OB%
Troy Mallat - Hamline University
Niki Seal, So., P, Bloomington, Minn. (Bloomington-Kennedy HS)
Niki Seal picked up four wins as the Pipers went 6-2 on the week to break the school record for wins in a season with 26. Seal pitched seven shutout innings as the Pipers earned their first victory against St. Benedict in head coach Janelle Tieken's five-year tenure. She also earned wins over Concordia, Bethel, and Carleton. Her only loss of the week came in relief as the Pipers dropped a 4-3 decision to Carleton. Seal is now 11-3 on the season.
Stats for the week: 4-1, 2.83 ERA, 16 K, 8 BB
Eric Sieger, Carleton SID Vickie Gunderson, So., C/DP, Elk Grove Village, Ill. Gunderson hit .577 with four doubles, two homers and 10 RBIs as Carleton won six of eight games this past week. The sophomore, an All-MIAC pick last season, broke out of her slump in a big way, slugging at a .962 percentage on 15 hits. In Saturday's sweep of St. Olaf, Gunderson was 5-for-6 with two RBIs and two runs scored, helping the Knights sweep the Oles for only the third time in school history. Her homer in game two accounted for the only scoring in a 1-0 victory. In a sweep of Concordia the catcher was 3-for-6 with two doubles, a homer and four RBIs. She was 3-for-3 in a victory over Hamline on Friday, tallying a double and two RBIs in a 4-3 win.
Stats for week: 15-for-26 (.577 BA), 4 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBIs (.962 Slg%), 1 BB, 1 SO
Eric Sieger, Carleton SID Andrea Carroll, Sr., P, Bloomington, Minn. (Jefferson) Carroll capped an amazing week by tossing a one-hit shutout to lead Carleton to only its third sweep of archrival St. Olaf, 1-0, on Saturday. Carroll fanned 10 in notching her second shutout of the season and the 11th of her career. It marked her sixth career double-digit strikeout game. She started the week by tossing 10 innings in picking up the win over Bethel. She fanned a career-high 14 batters in allowing only three earned runs. In Wednesday's sweep of Concordia she worked the final two innings of game one, allowing only one hit, in picking up the save before fanning eight in game two to pick up the victory. In Friday's win over Hamline the senior worked the final four and one-third innings, not allowing a hit against a potent Piper attack.
Stats for week: 4-1, 1 save, 2.38 ERA, 4 starts, 2 CG, 1 shutout, 35.1 IP, 32 hits, 12 earned runs, 42 strikeouts, 8 walks, .225 opp. batting average
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Shannon Moore, St. Thomas, SR, Shortstop, Kenilworth, Ill.
Moore helped the Tommies go 4-0 in MIAC games and 5-1 on the week as she batted .555 (10-of-18) with four runs and seven RBI. Her bases-loaded single in the seventh inning scored the tying and winning runs in a 6-5 comeback win over Buena Vista. She also went 4-for-6 vs. both St. Olaf and St. Catherine. Moore has 10 doubles among her 37 hits on the season. The Tommies, ranked 15th in Division III, are 24-4 overall and 12-0 in the MIAC.
Nominated by Andy Johnson (April 21)
Alisha Seifert - Macalester (So., Pitcher / Mahtomedi, Minn - Mahtomedi H.S.)
Alisha Seifert pitched both ends of a doubleheader sweep Friday (April 18) over Augsburg, tossing a five-hit shutout in game one and winning the nightcap 4-3 to even the team's record at 6-6 in the league. On the day she pitched 14 innings, giving up 12 hits, three earned runs and six walks while striking out three.
Troy Mallat - Hamline University (4-21-03)
Marion Zillhardt, Jr., SS, Andover, Minn. (Anoka HS)
Marion Zillhardt had an outstanding week as the Pipers went 3-1 in a pair of doubleheaders against Northwestern College and UW-Stout. The junior went 6-for-12 at the plate with two homers, two triples, and a double. Against Northwestern on Monday, Zillhardt was 3-for-4 from the plate as the Pipers won both games by a score of 10-0. In the first game, she made her only official at bat count as she launched a two-run homer in the fourth. Zillhardt was 2-for-3 in the second game including a solo shot in the third. Against Stout, Zilhardt went 3-for-8 with a pair of triples. For the week, she knocked in seven runs and scored seven times.
Stats for the week: 3-1 record, 6-12 (.500 BA), 2 HR, 2 3B, 1 2B, 7 RBI, 7 R
Troy Mallat - Hamline University (4-21-03)
Chris Hodroff, So, P, Plymouth, Minn. (Wayzata HS)
Chris Hodroff pitched a five inning perfect game as the Pipers beat Northwestern 10-0 in the first game of the a doubleheader on Monday. Hodroff struck out 11 of the 15 batters she faced as she didn't allow a base runner. Hodroff also pitched an inning of scoreless softaball against UW-Stout on Friday.
Greg Peterson, Bethel College (April 21, 2003)
Kara Wager Junior 3B Arlington Heights, Ill.
In Bethel's lone double-header last week, Wager led the Royals to their first sweep of the season over Augsburg. In Bethel's 5-4 and 7-2 victories, Wager finished 4 for 7 batting (.571) with one double and three RBI's. In the field (3B) she had a 1.000 fielding percentage as she had seven putouts and eight assists.
Donny Nadeau, SID, Saint Mary's
Jennifer Gonerka (Sr., St. Paul, Minn.)
Gonerka was a perfect 3-0 during the Cardinals' six games last week, posting a 0.00 ERA. The senior righthander tossed 17 innings in helping the Cardinals to a 5-1 week. She did not give up a run — earned or otherwise — and allowed just 14 baserunners, while walking one and striking out 14.
Tim Kennedy, Gustavus SID (4-14-03)
Audrey Lenoch, FY, Catcher/1B, Pine Island, Minn.
Audrey Lenoch hit .592 (16-for-27), scored 12 runs, and recored 10 runs batted in to help lead the Gusties to a perfect 8-0 mark last week. In addition, nine of Lenoch's 16 hits were for extra bases including four doubles, four triples and one home run. Against St. Kate's, Lenoch went 1-for-3 with a double in the Gusties 8-2 win in game one and then she went 3-for-4 with a double and a home run in game two. Against Martin Luther, Lenoch went 5-for-7 in the two games with five runs scored and four RBI as the Gusties won 11-0 and 9-0. Against Hamline, Lenoch went 2-for-3 in game one and then 1-for-4 in game two as Gustavus claimed an important sweep over the Pipers, 1-0 and 6-4. Against Macalester, Lenoch wrapped up the week going 4-for-7 with two runs scored and three RBI in a sweep of the Scots, 13-0 and 8-0. Lenoch leads the team in hitting with a .393 average (24-for-61). She has belted seven doubles, four triples and two home runs and has a slugging percentage of .738. Gustavus is currently 13-8 overall and 8-0 in the MIAC.
Tim Kennedy, Gustavus SID (4-14-03)
Molly Biehn, Junior, Mankato, Minn. (Loyola H.S.)
Junior pitcher Molly Biehn recorded five wins including a five-inning perfect game as the Gusties posted eight wins during the week. Biehn allowed five hits and two earned runs in a 8-2 win over St. Kate's on Tuesday and then fired a perfect game facing only 15 batters and striking out nine in the Gusties 11-0 win over Martin Luther College on Thursday. On Saturday, Biehn allowed four hits and struck out five as Gustavus defeated Hamline 1-0. She also pitched the final three innings of the second game against the Pipers allowing six hits and three earned runs as the Gusties claimed a 6-4 win in eight innings. On Sunday, Biehn wrapped up the week with her third shutout as she limited Macalester three hits while striking out 8-0 as Gustavus won 13-0. For the week, Biehn pitched 27 innings giving up 18 hits, allowing five earned runs, while walking two and striking out 24. Her perfect game against Martin Luther is the first ever recorded in the history of the Gustavus women's softball program. Biehn is 8-4 on the season (5-0 in the MIAC) with an earned run average of 1.94 in 69.2 innings pitched. Gustavus is currently 13-8 overall and 8-0 in the MIAC.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Nikki Conway, St. Thomas, Freshman, RF, Mendota Heights, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS
Conway batted .548 (17-of-31) with four doubles, two triples and a home run to help the Tommies go 8-0 last week, including six road wins and six MIAC victories. In the closest game of the week, a 2-0 win over Augsburg, she scored both runs and hit a solo HR. She scored 16 runs and added five RBI and three stolen bases. In eight MIAC games she's batting .583. The Tommies, 19-3 overall and winners of 11 in a row, are in first place with Gustavus at 8-0 and are 31-1 in their last 32 conference games dating back to May 2001.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Stacy Tamble, St. Thomas, Senior, LHP, Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview HS
Tamble contributed to two no-hitters Saturday at Carleton and on the week went 5-0 with a save, no earned runs in 27.2 innings with 35 strikeouts and seven walks. That helped the Tommies go 8-0 last week, including six road wins and six MIAC victories. She started game one at Carleton and retired all 12 batters she faced. She started game two and retired 30 of the 32 batters she faced, allowing just two walks. The Tommies, 19-3 overall and winners of 11 in a row, are in first place with Gustavus at 8-0 and are 31-1 in their last 32 conference games dating back to May 2001.
Jim Cella, Concordia SID (4-14-03)
Jill Flatau, Sr., OF, Perham, Minn./Perham HS
Jill Flatau went 16-for-32 (.500) in Concordia's 10 games last week. The Cobbers finished the marathon week by going 5-5 against Augsburg, St. Ben's, Bethel, St. Olaf and St. Catherine.
Flatau hit safely in 8 of the 10 games, collected 6 RBI's and scored 10 runs. Of her 16 hits, 8 were for extra bases which included two home runs and six doubles. Her week-long slugging percentage was .875. She had multiple-hit games on six different occasions. She raised her team-leading batting average to .429 and is currently hitting .500 inconference games which places her fifth among starting players.
Her line: AB 32, H 16, RS 10, RBI 6, Extra-Base Hits 8, 2B 6, HR 2, Multiple-Hit Games 6
Troy Mallat - Hamline University (4-14-03)
Rachael Young, Fr., RF/DH, Buffalo, Minn. (Buffalo HS)
Freshman Rachael Young had a breakout week as the Pipers went 3-3 on the week. The right fielder and designated hitter went 7-for-17 at the plate in six games. Young was 3-for-6 including a double with three runs and two RBIs in the Pipers sweep of Macalester on Tuesday. Young scored the eventual game-winning run in Hamline's 3-1 victory over St. Mary's in the second game of the doubleheader. She also sparked the Piper's 3-run seventh inning which forced extra innings.
Stats for the week: 3-3 Record, 7-17 (.417), 1 2B, 5 R, 2 RBIs
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID 4-7-03
Nikki Conway, St. Thomas, RF, FR, St. Paul/Cretin-Derham Hall
Conway homered in her first and second career MIAC games and batted .800 (4-for-5) with two HRs, a double, six RBI and four runs scored in Wednesday's sweep of Concordia (9-0, 12-4, both five innings). She reached base in all six at-bats on the day and hit a twi-run homer in each game. She has five HRs in her first 12 career games. The Tommies are 11-3 overall and 2-0 in the MIAC with four scheduled doubleheaders this week.
Nominated by Andy Johnson, Macalester SID
Alisha Seifert – Macalester (So., Pitcher / Mahtomedi, Minn / Mahtomedi H.S.)
Alisha Seifert lifted Macalester to a split Wednesday (April 2) with Carleton by tossing a three-hit shutout in the nightcap in a 4-0 win. Seifert's shutout in helped the Scots snap a 27-game MIAC losing streak. In game one she lost an 8-0 decision to the Knights.
Stats for the week (2 games) - 12 IP, 15 hits, 8 runs, 6 ER (3.50 ERA), 4 BB, 4 SO.
Troy Mallat - Hamline University Amanda Gage, So., 2B, Forest Lake, Minn. (Forest Lake HS)
Second baseman Amanda Gage had a great week as the Pipers went 6-0 on the week, 4-0 in the MIAC. For the week, Gage was 11-for-22 (.500), 8-for-15 (.533) in the conference, including a pair of doubles and a home run. She also scored nine runs and knocked in seven during the span. Gage scored three runs and had six RBIs in the Pipers' MIAC opening doubleheader against St. Catherine on Wednesday. In the first game, Gage was 2-for-3 with a double and a home run as the Pipers won 8-2. Gage scored the game-tying run in 10th inning as the Pipers beat Augsburg 8-7 in the second game against the Auggies on Saturday. During the week, Gage was also 3-for-3 in stolen bases. The Pipers swept non-conference foe Martin Luther. They also took two from St. Catherine and Augsburg
Troy Mallat - Hamline University
Beth Bisciglia, Jr., P, West St. Paul, Minn. (Sibley HS)
Beth Bisciglia won three games and saved another as the Pipers completed a perfect going 6-0, 4-0 in the MIAC. For the week, the junior pitched 16 innings, allowing two earned runs (1.13 ERA) while fanning 14 and walking just two. Bisciglia earned a win and save in the Pipers' doubleheader sweep of Augsburg on Saturday. In the first game, she got the Pipers out of a jam by not allowing an earned run in the seventh inning in the team's 6-4 win. In the second game, Bisciglia hurled seven innings of relief to earn the victory as Hamline won 8-7 in 10 innings.
4/7/03
From Don Stoner, Augsburg SID
Kristen Lideen, Augsburg shortstop (Jr. , Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park HS) -- Augsburg's leadoff hitter, Lideen hit .429 (6 of 14) with four doubles, two RBI and scored three runs in Augsburg's four losses this week, including two close losses to MIAC leader Hamline on Saturday. In Saturday's 6-4, 8-7 (10-inning) losses, Lideen went 6-for-8 at the plate with four doubles, two in each game. She also stole three bases, including a steal of home. This season, Lideen is hitting .540 (34-for-63) with 12 doubles, 14 RBI, 16 runs scored, an .825 slugging percentage and a .597 on-base percentage. She is also 6-for-6 in stolen bases.
This week -- 4 games, .429 BA (6-for-14), .714 slugging percentage, .500 on-base percentage, 3-for-3 stolen bases.
Test ---- 2003 Season Starts Here
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Shannon Moore, St. Thomas, JR, SS, Kenilworth, Ill/New Trier HS
Moore batted .500 (9-for-18) with six RBI and six runs in six games and led the Tommies to a 5-1 week which let them secure their third consecutive conference championship. In Wednesday's second game vs. Hamline, her three-run HR with two out in the top of the seventh rallied UST from a 4-3 deficit in a 6-4 victory. She had an RBI single in Saturday's 2-1 win over St. Ben's that ran her hitting streak to 13 games. She had RBI hits in both games as St. Thomas swept St. Mary's 5-1 and 5-0. Moore has played all 40 games and is batting .417 with 25 RBI and 17 extra-base hits. The Tommies, ranked ninth nationally, are 34-6 and begin play in the NCAA regional tournament Friday in Pella, Iowa.
Daniel McMahon, SID, Hamline University.
Emily Deuth, Junior Centerfielder, Northfield, MN.
Deuth had yet another excellent week as she led the Pipers against conference foes St. Ben's, St. Thomas and St. Olaf. She batted .560 (14-25), scored 5 runs, hit 3 doubles and tallied 5 RBI's as the Pipers went 2-4 on the week against stiff conference competition. On the defensive side, Deuth had 13 Put outs with 1 assist and no errors. Currently, Deuth leades the conference in batting average(.527), on-base percentage (.550), runs scored (41), and total hits (69). She is eigth in RBI's (26), and 11th in slugging percentage (.611).
Daniel McMahon, SID, Hamline University.
Emily Deuth, Junior Centerfielder, Northfield, MN.
Deuth had yet another excellent week as she led the Pipers against conference foes St. Ben's, St. Thomas and St. Olaf. She batted .560 (14-25), scored 5 runs, hit 3 doubles and tallied 5 RBI's as the Pipers went 2-4 on the week against stiff conference competition. On the defensive side, Deuth had 13 Put outs with 1 assist and no errors. Currently, Deuth leades the conference in batting average(.527), on-base percentage (.550), runs scored (41), and total hits (69). She is eigth in RBI's (26), and 11th in slugging percentage (.611).
Eric Sieger, Carleton SID
Ly Nguyen (lee wee-en), Sr., 2B, Golden Valley, Minn. (Hopkins)
Nguyen was 9-for-19 with a double and her first career homer as the Knights won four of six games on the week. Nguyen's home run, an inside-the-park job, gave Carleton an 11-0 win over Augsburg on Wednesday. She slugged .684 and had an on-base percentage of .524. The four wins allowed Carleton to post its third straight season of at least a .500 MIAC record, which is unprecedented in school history.
Stats for week: .474, 9-for-19, 1 2B, 1 HR, 6 runs, 3 RBI
Eric Sieger, Carleton SID
Andrea Carroll, Jr., P/ Bloomington, Minn. (Jefferson)
Carroll won three of five starts and posted an ERA of 0.81 as the Knights finished their season by winning four of their last six games. Carroll tallied five complete games, giving her a school-record 22 for the season. She shut out Augsburg 11-0 on Wednesday, scattering five hits and fanning seven with no walks. She also shut out Gustavus on Saturday, again allowing five hits and striking out a career-high 12 batters with no walks. Her 1.89 ERA is a new Carleton record, as she finished the season with a 15-11 record and 150 strikeouts with only 21 walks.
Stats for week: 3-2, 0.81 ERA, 34.2 IP, 9 runs, 4 earned, 40 SO, 4 BB, 5 GS/5 CG
(this nomination is for her overall performance)
Rachael Ekholm, Augsburg pitcher (Sr., Richfield, Minn.) -- Ekholm had the best hitting week of her career in a six-game stretch this week, as she went .500 (9-for-18), including four home runs, six extra-base hits (4 HR, 1 2B and 1 3B), with 10 RBI. Her 24 total bases gave her an amazing slugging percentage of 1.333, with an on-base percentage of .526. In addition, she pitched all but three of the 40 innings for Augsburg in the six games, striking out 22 while walking six and recording a 2.27 ERA. Against St. Olaf on Friday, she went 5-for-7 in the two games, hitting two homers (tying her school record set earlier this season) in the second game, while collecting single-game school records of 6 RBI and 12 total bases. In Monday's second game, 10-7 loss to St. Catherine, Ekholm stroked two homers again, a solo shot and two-run shot. She now has school records of 10 HRs this season and 17 in her career.
Daniel McMahon, SID, Hamline University
Emily Deuth, Hamline, Junior, OF, Northfield,MN/Northfield H.S.
Emily had an outstanding performance as she batted .665 (16-24)and led the Pipers offensively in a 3-3 effort last week. Emily scored 8 runs, hit 8 RBI'S, had 2 stolen bases and one walk from her leadoff position in the Piper lineup.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Heather Martin, St. Thomas, Senior, 3B, Minneapolis/Blake HS
Martin, the leadoff hitter, batted .533 (8-for-15) in the Tommies' 4-0 week, leading the Tommies to road victories at Macalester (7-1, 6-1) and Gustavus (8-0, 5-1). She had one RBI, scored six times, had three doubles and a triple, was 3-for-3 in steals, walked once and converted all nine defensive chances in the field. She went 4-for-4 in the game-two win at Gustavus. Her leadoff single in the sixth started a four-run rally that produced a 4-1 lead, and her one-out triple in the seventh led to an insurance run. The Tommies, ranked 25th nationally in Division III, are 16-0 in the conference and 29-5 overall, with 16 consecutive wins. In Martin's four-year career, the Tommies are 77-5 in conference play.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Sracy Tamble, St. Thomas, Junior, Apple Valley/Eastview HS
Tamble threw two shutouts and went 3-0 in the Tommies' 4-0 week, leading the Tommies to road victories at Macalester (7-1, 6-1) and Gustavus (8-0, 5-1). In 19 innings she allowed no earned runs, 11 hits, one walk and struck out 12. In Friday's crucial doubleheader sweep at Gustavus, she threw a three-hit shutout in the five-ining opener then allowed an unearned run in a 5-1 game-two win. She fanned eight ad allowed four hits and one walks in a 7-0 win at Macalester. She improved to 15-2 on the season. The Tommies, ranked 25th in Division III, are 29-5 overall and 16-0 in the MIAC.
Kristen Lideen, Augsburg shortstop (So., Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park HS) -- Augsburg's leadoff hitter hit .538 on the week (7-for-13), including two triples and a double, as Augsburg went 2-2 with two close losses at St. Mary's on Wednesday (1-0 and 4-0) and a sweep of Macalester on Saturday (4-0 and 11-1). In the second game win over Macalester, Lideen hit two triples and a double, driving in two runs. She set a school single-game record with eight total bases, and tied a single-game mark with two triples. On the season, Lideen leads Augsburg with a .494 batting average,.
Week stats -- .538 AVG, 13 AB, 3 R, 7 H, 1 2b, 2 3b, 3 RBI, 12 TB, .923 SLG%, .538 OB%.
Donny Nadeau, SID, Saint Mary's
Jackie Huegel, Jr., SS, Alta Vista Iowa /New Hampton H.S.
Huegel hit .545 in leading the Saint Mary's University fastpitch softball team to a 5-1 record last week. The Cardinals' junior collected 12 hits in 22 at-bats — including six doubles and a triple — and drove in seven runs as SMU split a nonconference doubleheader with UW-La Crosse and swept conference twinbills against Augsburg and Bethel.
Huegel concluded her week with a pair of outstanding performances against Bethel, in which she went 3-for-5 with three RBIs in Game 1, then matched that feat in the nightcap, going 3-for-5 with 3 RBIs and three runs scored.
Huegel finished the week with a .909 slugging percentage and a .545 on-base percentage, while also stealing one base and scoring four times.
Donny Nadeau, SID, Saint Mary's
Jackie Huegel, Jr., SS, Alta Vista Iowa /New Hampton H.S.
Huegel hit .545 in leading the Saint Mary's University fastpitch softball team to a 5-1 record last week. The Cardinals' junior collected 12 hits in 22 at-bats — including six doubles and a triple — and drove in seven runs as SMU split a nonconference doubleheader with UW-La Crosse and swept conference twinbills against Augsburg and Bethel.
Huegel finished the week with a .909 slugging percentage and a .545 on-base percentage, while also stealing one base and scoring four times.
Daniel McMahon, SID, Hamline University
Amanda Gage, FY., 2B, Forest Lake, MN, (Forest Lake, MN)
Amanda had an outstanding week at the plate as she batted .550 (11-20) in six games played. She scored eight runs, hit two doubles, 1 triple, 1 homerun and racked up 5 RBI's (3 sacrifice flys). She walked once and also had 3 stolen bases.
Mike Durbin- St.Ben's Ani Jordan, Soph.,Vadnais Hgts., MN. White Bear Lake HS. Ani was 3-0 this wek with 3 shutouts. She had a 7 Inn., 1-0 win over St. Kate's, pitched 6 Inn. in a 5-0 win over Carleton and pitched 5 Inn. in a 11-0 win over St. Olaf. She gave up 13 hits, walked 5 and had 11 strikeouts.
Eric Sieger, Carleton SID
Andrea Carroll, Jr., P/DP, Bloomington, Minn. (Jefferson)
Carroll posted four pitching victories as Carleton opened the MIAC season with four straight wins for the first time in school history. The Knights swept St. Kate's and Macalester to run their winning streak to six games, the third-longest in school history. Carroll tosses a three-hit shutout in the St. Kate's opener, striking out nine, and pitched the final four innings of the second game for the win. Against Macalester, she scattered eight huts in the opener in notching her 10th complete game of the season, and pitched the final 4.2 innings, allowing only one hit, in moving her record to 10-3 on the season. She had 19 strikeouts with no walks and allowed only 16 hits in 22.2 IP for the week, with an ERA of 1.24.
Gene McGivern, St. Thomas SID
Andrea Sweeney, St. Thomas, Junior, RHP, Inver Grove Heights/Simley HS
Sweeney went 3-0 with a save, allowing just one run in 21.2 innings, to help the Tommies move into sole possession of the MIAC lead at 6-0. She threw a one-hit shutout with no walks (one HBP, 3Ks) in Friday's 3-0 win at St. Olaf (0-0 game through six innings). In Saturday's sweep of Augsburg, she came on with one out in the bottom of the seventh and the bases loaded with UST leading 3-1 and got a ground out (force at home) and a strikeout to end the game. She then pitched a six-hit shutout (four walks, five Ks) in the Tommies' 7-0 game-two victory. In a 5-1 win over Bethel, she allowed one run and five hits with one walk and five Ks. Her 8-2 season record includes a shutout win over nationally-ranked Coe. St. Thomas improved to 19-5 overall and 6-0 in the MIAC.
Le Ann Finger, SID, St. Olaf College
Kelly Frederick Junior Catcher Woodland, MN Breck High School
Kelly had a great week at the plate as she hit .444 and went 8 for 18 in conference play during the first week of April. Kelly led the Oles in two wins over Macalester 2-0 and 7-1, as the designated player/catcher in MIAC conference play.
Daniel McMahon, SID, Hamline University.
Joane Sheedy (FY., 1B, Austin, MN. Austin HS.)
Sheedy had an outstanding week at the plate as she led the Pipers to a 6-2 record in conference play. In the batters box, Sheedy went .500(8-16)with 4 RBI'S. On that hitlist she tallied 2 doubles, 1 triple and one home run. In Saturday's second game with St. Mary's she connected on a 3-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to secure an 8-5 win for the Pipers.
Donny Nadeau, SID, Saint Mary's
Jill Hocking (Sr., P/1B, Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley H.S.)
Hocking hit a remarkable .667 (8-for-12) with three doubles and a home run, while also driving in seven runs and scoring four as the Cardinals locked up a share of their fourth MIAC title in the last five years with a 4-1 record last week. Hocking extended her hitting streak to six games by collecting at least one hit in each of SMU's five games - including 2-for-3 and 2-for-2 performances in the Cardinals' title-clinching sweep vs. Bethel on Saturday. Hocking helped herself on the mound, as well, boasting a 0.50 ERA in 14.0 innings. She did not walk a batter and struck out 10.
Eric Sieger, Carleton SID Laura Espinosa, Sr., SS, St. Paul, Minn. (Central) Espinosa hit .529 (9 for 17) in four MIAC games last week, as Carleton split a pair of doubleheaders with Hamline and St. Olaf. Espinosa knocked in six runs and slugged .647 for the week, and was four for nine with five RBIs and a triple against the Oles. Including the two non-conference losses to NSIC-regular season champ Concordia-St. Paul, Espinosa hit .522 (12 for 23) with eight RBIs and five runs scored. She ended the season as Carleton's top hitter at .387, and had 151 career hits, tops at Carleton all-time. Her career .367 average is third all-time, and her 80 RBIs ranks her second.
Donny Nadeau, SID, Saint Mary's
Gina Rizzardi (So., 3B, Woodbury, Minn.)
Rizzardi hit a team-leading .500 as the Cardinals ran their winning streak to 21 straight with a perfect 6-0 record last week. A sophomore third baseman, Rizzardi collected 9 hits in 18 at-bats, scored three times and drove in four runs as SMU beat Hamline (4-1, 10-0), St. Catherine (2-0, 8-0) and Concordia (8-0, 9-1).
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas
Avery Heidenreich, St. Thomas, CF, Senior, Whitewater, Wis.
Heidenreich became just the second NCAA Division III player to homer twice in an inning during Saturday's 17-0, five-inning win over St. Ben's that completed a doubleheader sweep and ran UST's win streak to 15 games. Heidenrecih led off the bottom of the first inning with a homer, then hit a two-run homer to cap an eight-run first-inning. In the 1-0 win in game one, she ledoff the first with a single, stole second and third base, and scored the game's only run on a single by Sarah Grudnowski. In Thursday's 14-3, 4-3 sweep of Bethel, she was 2-for-6 with three RBI and three runs. In game two, she reached on a fielder's choice and stole a base to start a four-run sixth-inning rally that erased a 3-0 Bethel lead. On the 4-0 week, she was 5-for-11 (.450), with five RBI and six runs and was 4-for-4 in stolen bases. Heidenreich, who ledoff the season with a home run vs. St. Ben's in the March 9 UST Invite, broke the school record for season homers with five. In the Toms' 28-6 start, she's batting .455 with 45 hits, 34 stolen bases and 37 runs.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas
Casey Curson, St. Thomas, SR, RHP, Spring Park/Mound-Westonka
Curson threw a three-hit shutout and worked out of a seventh-inning jam in Saturday's 1-0 win over St. Ben's. She also threw three shutout innings and allowed no hits in Thursday's 14-3 win over Bethel. She fanned five and walked three in the 10 innings of work and improved to 13-3 on the season and 8-0 in the MIAC. As a DH, she was 4-for-12 with four RBI and three runs. She's helped the Toms compile a 15-game MIAC winning streak and build a 28-6 record.
Eric Sieger, Carleton SID Player: Fauna Smith Senior, Pitcher Willits, Calif. (Willits HS) Smith posted four wins during the week, as the Knights snapped an eight-game losing streak by winning seven of eight contests, and all four in which Smith started. She tallied four complete games [28 innings] and allowed only one unearned run. She fanned 25, including a high of eight in a win over Bethel. She allowed only seven hits in three games [I don't know how many hits allowed vs. csb
4-0, 0.00 ERA, 3-game totals, not including CSB game, 20 K's in 3 g, 10 bb, 7 hits.
We never received stats from CSB from Sunday's game, but I know we won both games 2-0, and assume we used Smith in one game and Andrea Carroll in another.
Nominated by Andy Johnson - Macalester SID
Cristin Beach - Macalester College (Jr., First base, Colton, CA / Alta Loma H.S.)
Cristin Beach hit .474 (9-for-19) in six MIAC games last week to boost her team-leading batting average on the season to .338. She went 3-for-6 in a pair of losses to Augsburg, 3-for-6 in a doubleheader loss to St. Benedict, and 3-for-7 with an RBI in a sweep over St. Olaf. Beach helped force extra innings in the nightcap at St. Ben's by leading off a two-run seventh with a single. She fielded 1.000 in 55 chances at first base.
Nominated by Andy Johnson - Macalester SID
Jaclyn Chaves - Macalester (Sr., Santa Fe, NM / Santa Fe H.S.)
Jaclyn Chavez posted a 1.87 ERA in 30 innings in five Macalester games last week, allowing just a couple runs in 10 innings of a doubleheader sweep Saturday over St. Olaf. Chavez battled St. Benedict before losing a 4-3 nine-inning decision and went the distance in game one with the Oles in a 3-1 victory. In 30 innings for the week, she struck out 14, walked five and allowed 37 hits.
Daniel McMahon--Hamline University SID
Emily Deuth, Hamline University, Sophomore, CF, Northfield, MN.
Deuth had another explosive week of fielding, hitting and running bases in competitive conference play against Bethel, Macalester and Gustavus. As lead-off hitter for the lady Pipes, Deuth batted .545(12-22)as they finished the week with a 3-3 record. She smacked a triple and double, was 5-for-5 in stolen bases, knocked in 7 RBI's and touched home 8 times herself as she led the youthful Pipers in the same great fashion as she has done for the past 2 seasons. On the season, the speedy Deuth is batting .416 and leads the Pipes in batting average, slugging percentage, RBI's, runs scored and steals.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Avery Heidenreich, St. Thomas, Senior, CF, Whitewater, Wis.
Heidenreich continued her sparkplug role as the Toms' leadoff hitter as she batted .615 (8-for-13) in the Toms' 4-0 week. She had a triple and a double among her eight hits, was 5-for-5 in stolen bases, scored three runs and had an RBI in sweeps of Augsburg (8-0, 3-0) and St. Olaf (5-0, 3-0). In 30 games she's batting .450 with 40 hits and 30 stolen bases, and has raised her batting average more than 160 points from 2000 (.286). The Toms, 24-6 overall and 11-1 in the MIAC, are tied for first place with St. Mary's with 10 conference games to play.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas
Stacy Tamble, St. Thomas, Soph., LHP, Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview
Tamble threw a pair of three-hit shutouts of Augsburg and St. Olaf winning each game 3-0 in the Toms' 4-0 week. She struck out eight Auggies and six Oles, with no walks in 14 innings. She improved her career record vs. MIAC foes to 14-1 with an 0.21 ERA. On the season, Tamble is 11-3 with a 1.23 ERA and 84 strikeouts and 19 walks in 91 innings. The Toms have won 11 in a row to climb to 24-6 overall and 11-1 in the MIAC.
Greg Peterson, Bethel College Kari Lallemont, Junior, Pitcher, Catawba, Wis/Catawba
In Lallemont's first three games of the year, she went 2-1 with wins over Hamline and St. Ben's.
In Bethel's 6-4 win over Hamline, Lallemont pitched 5 innings, giving up 10 hits and 4 runs while striking out 2.
In Bethel's 2-0 win over St. Ben's, Lallemont pitched all 7 innings and gave up just 5 hits as she recorded Bethel's first shutout of the year.
In a 4-3 loss to Northwestern, Lallemont gave up 2 runs on 3 hits in 5 innings.
On the season, Lallemont has pitched in 3 games and is 2-1 overall with a 1.65 ERA.
Donny Nadeau, Saint Mary's University
Jill Hocking (Sr., Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley H.S.)
Hocking started three of the Cardinals' four games last week, throwing 16.0 innings, while not allowing a run - including a complete-game one-hitter against Carleton (a 3-0 win) and nine innings of three-hit ball in Saint Mary's sweep of Gustavus - as SMU improved to 11-1 in the conference and 21-5 overall with a perfect 4-0 record last week. In her three appearances, Hocking walked three and struck out 16, while opponents managed a meager .080 batting average. The senior helped her own cause at the plate as well, collecting 5 hits in 12 at-bats (.417). She belted a pair of triples, scored twice and drove in a team-leading six runs.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Sarah Grudnowski, St. Thomas, 2B, SR, Deephaven, Minn./Blake
Grudnowski batted .444 (12-for-27) in the Toms' 7-1 week which included a split with No. 11-ranked UW-Eau Claire and MIAC sweeps of Macalester, Carleton and Hamline. She scored seven runs, drove in seven RBI, walked four times and was 8-for-10 in stolen bases. She also had just one error in 38 chances in the field. She was 4-for-6 vs. both Eau Claire and Macalester. The Toms, ranked No. 22 nationally, are 20-6 overall and share first place in the conference at 7-1.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thomas SID
Stacy Tamble, St. Thomas, Soph, LHP, Apple Valley/Eastview HS
Tamble was 4-0 last week and didn't allow a run in 19.1 innings vs. three MIAC foes. She had a one-hit shutout, walked one and struck out three to beat Hamline 4-0; she fanned six and allowed five hits and no walks in a 6-0 shutout of Carleton; and in 5.1 innings she struck out seven and allowed no runs, two hits and two walks in a 21-4 victory over Macalester. She alo was the winning pitcher in a 5-4 win over No. 11-ranked UW-Eau Claire. Tamble is 9-3 on the season. On her two-year MIAC career, she's 10-0 with three saves and has allowed just three earned runs in 72.2 innings. The No. 22-ranked Tommies are 20-6 overall and share the MIAC lead at 7-1 with St. Mary's.
Jill Hocking (1b/P, Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley H.S.
Hocking hit a team-leading .556 — 10-for-18 with three doulbes, a triple and a home run - while also driving in eight runs as the Saint Mary's University fastpitch softball team posted a perfect 6-0 record last week. Currently riding an 11-game hitting streak, Hocking had three multi-hit games last week - including a 3-for-3, 3-run-scored, 4-RBI effort in SMU's most recent win (a 9-0 shutout of Augsburg).
Along with her offensive exploits, Hocking also posted a 4-0 record and an 0.44 ERA, tossing four complete-game victories on the mound - including a 10-strikeout, five-hitter in SMU's 7-3, eight-inning nonconference win over UW-La Crosse. In her four pitching performances, the senior allowed just one earned run on nine hits, while walking just two and striking out 20.
Tim Kennedy, Gustavus Julie Langenfeld, Sophomore, outfielder, Rosemount, Minnesota, Rosemount High School
Gustavus right fielder Julie Langenfeld, a sophomore from Rosemount, Minn., batted .333 with six runs scored, five rbi, three doubles and one triple as Gustavus compiled a record of 6-1 over the week including wins over previously unbeaten league rivals Concordia and St. Ben's. Langenfeld started the week going 1-for-3 in the Gusties 8-5 win over St. Olaf. Her one hit proved quite crucial as she drove in two runs to tie the game at 5-5 with a two-out double and then scored the winning run one batter later as Gustavus went on to claim an 8-5 win. In the second game against the Oles, Langenfeld went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple and scoring the team's first run as the Gusties claimed a 2-1 win in nine innings. In the Gusties 1-0 eight inning win over St. Ben's on Saturday, Langenfeld drove a one-out double into left field which scored Christina Diller with the game-winning run. Langenfeld leads the Gusties in hitting with a .458 batting average. Gustavus has compiled a record of 12-5 overall and is currently in a tie for first place in the MIAC with a record of 6-1.
Stats for the week: 7-for-21 at the plate (.333), five runs batted in, six runs scored, three doubles, one triple, one game-winning rbi, 1-for-1 stolen bases, two walks, two strikeouts
Tim Kennedy, Gustavus Molly Biehn, First year, Pitcher, Mankato, Minnesota, Loyola High School
First year pitcher Molly Biehn compiled a record of 3-0 last week while allowing only two earned runs in 23.0 innings of work. Biehn was the winning pitcher in the Gusties 2-1 win over St. Olaf as she allowed only four hits and one earned run while striking out five and walking two in nine innings of work. Two days later, she picked up an 8-2 win over Concordia allowing one earned run and four hits with no strikeouts and one walk in six innings on the mound and then on Saturday, Biehn collected the first shutout of her collegiate career as she scattered four hits in eight innings while walking one and striking out five in the 1-0 Gustavus victory. Two of her three wins last week were complete game extra inning affairs including the 2-1 nine inning win over St. Olaf and the 1-0 eight inning win over St. Ben's. Biehn has compiled a record of 4-1 overall with an earned run average of 2.41 and she is 3-0 in the MIAC with an earned run average of 0.60. Gustavus has compiled a record of 12-5 overall and is currently in a tie for first place in the MIAC with a record of 6-1.
Stats for the week: 23 innings pitched, 12 hits, three runs, two earned runs, four walks, 10 strikeouts, no hit batsmen, no wild pitches, three complete games, one shutout.
Jim Cella, SID, Concordia
This is a test - 2001
Gene McGivern, SID
Casey Curson, Junior, RHP, Mound, Minn. (Mound-Westonka)
Curson pitched two games and no hit both Gustavus and Concordia in a pair of 1-0 victories last week. She outdueled Gustavus' Hope Grover and Concordia's Erin Gunderson in the 1-0 wins. She fanneed six and walked none vs. third-place finisher Concordia and fanned nine and walked three vs. fourth-place Gustavus. Those wins helped the Toms claim the school's first MIAC outright softball championship since 1991 as they finished 21-1. The Toms, now 35-8, also secured their fourth consecutive NCAA playoff berth and ran their winning streak to 22 games.
Stacy Tamble, Freshman, LHP, Apple Valley, Minn. (Eastview HS) Tamble went 3-0 with one save and allowed one unearned run in 20.1 innings to help St. Thomas win the school's first outright MIAC championship since 1991. She allowed five hits, two walks and one unearned run in a 6-1 win over Gustavus; pitched a three-hit shutout with 15 strikeouts and one walk in a 6-0 win over Concordia; threw a five-inning no-hitter with two walks and three strikeouts to beat St. Catherine in game one; then relieved with UST leading 6-5 and the tying run on second in game two and got the final four outs for a save in a 7-5 win. She finished 7-0 in the MIAC with an 0.15 ERA.
Nominated by Andy Johnson, Macalester College
Softball Player of the Week Nomination
Kathryn Miles - Macalester College (Sr., Surrey, British Columbia / Lord Tweedsmuir H.S.)
Macalester senior infielder Kathryn Miles hit .722 last week as the Scots went 1-5 in MIAC play. Miles went 13-for-18 against Hamline, Bethel and Gustavus, with six runs and three RBI. She had three doubles, two walks and four stolen bases. Miles, a two-time All-MIAC pick, hit .480 on the season and either scored or drove in half of the team's runs this season.
5/8 Jim Cella, Concordia
Erin Gunderson, So., Princeton, MN
Erin helped Concordia finish third in the MIAC by having an outstanding week on the mound. In the 6 games she pitched, she only gave up 3 earned runs. She finished the week with a no-hitter in the first game against St. Ben's, and then picked up the win in the second game. These two victories helped Concordia finish in third place. Erin also pitched a one-hit shutout versus, Division II, Moorhead State on Thursday. In that game her bid for a no-hitter was spoiled with two outs in the seventh inning.Her MIAC stats in the week were 31 IP, 17 H, 7 R, 3 ER,16 K's.
Gene McGivern, St. Thomas
Sarah Grudnowski, St. Thomas, LF, Junior, Deephaven, Minn./Blake HS
Grudnowski helped the Toms to a 6-0 week as she batted .429 (9-of-21) with six runs scored. She had a triple, a double, an RBI, a walk, was 7-for-7 in stolen bases and made eight putouts with no errors in the field. Grudnowski, who led the MIAC in batting last season, has played in 38 MIAC contests this year in basketball and softball this season, and UST has won 37 of those. The Tommies have won 16 games in a row and have won 32 of their last 33 games against MIAC foes dating back to April of 1999.
Hope Grover, Gustavus, Junior, Pitcher, LeSueur, Minn., Minnesota New Country School
Grover compiled a record of 4-0 on the week including a 4-1 win over Concordia, a 2-1 win over St. Catherine's, a 3-1 win over Augsburg and an 8-2 win over Bethel. She struck out 21 batters in 27 innings of work and allowed just three earned runs. Grover limited Concordia to four hits and one earned run in seven innings, St. Catherine's to two hits and one earned run in seven innings, Augsburg to six hits and one earned run in eight innings and Bethel to four hits and no earned runs in five innings. The Gusties are currently 16-13 overall and 11-7 in the MIAC.
Tim Kennedy Gustavus SID
5/1/00 -- From: Don Stoner, Augsburg SID
Tully Kaiser, Augsburg 3B (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn HS) -- Kaiser became just the second MIAC player ever to reach the 100 mark in career base hits, runs scored and stolen bases with her performance in eight games this week (Augsburg went 2-6 to fall to 13-21 overall, 9-9 MIAC). With eight base hits (.276 average), six runs scored, 4 RBI and a perfect 8-for-8 performance stealing bases, Kaiser now has 159 career base hits, 126 runs scored and 104 steals. Kaiser joined St. Thomas' Jessica Boumeester (1996-99), who reached the triple-century milestone last year, and also tied Boumeester's Minnesota collegiate (all divisions) mark for career stolen bases. Kaiser is now tied for ninth place on the NCAA Division III all-time stolen base list. On the season, Kaiser, Augsburg's leadoff hitter, is hitting .339 with 38 hits, 25 runs scored and eight RBI. She is 33-for-36 stealing bases this year, tying her single-season school record set in 1998. Kaiser has the top four single-season stolen base totals in school history. Kaiser returned to the Auggies this season after being forced to miss the 1999 season battling Meniere's Disease, an inner-ear disorder that affects equilibrium and motor coordination.
From: Don Stoner, Augsburg SID
Tully Kaiser, Augsburg 3B (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn HS) -- Kaiser set Augsburg's career record for base hits in Augsburg's split with Northwestern-Roseville, winning 5-2 and losing 4-3 in 10 innings last Monday. Augsburg also swept St. Catherine 6-1 and 8-0 on Monday to improve to 11-15 overall and 7-3 in the MIAC. Kaiser now holds Augsburg's career records for base hits (151), runs scored (122) and stolen bases (96). For the week, Kaiser, Augsburg's leadoff hitter, hit .385 (5 of 13) with two walks (.467 on-base percentage), scoring three runs. She was 7-for-7 stealing bases this week. On the season, Kaiser leads the team with a .361 average (30 of 83) with 19 runs scored. She is 25-for-28 stealing bases this year.
Donny Nadeau, Saint Mary's SID
Jill Hocking (Jr., 1B/P, Apple Valley, Minn.)
Hocking batted .480 in leading the Cardinals to a 7-1 record last week. The junior collected 12 hits in 25 at-bats, while driving in 15 runs. She scored six runs, banged out six doubles and two home runs and boasted a whopping .960 slugging percentage.
Donny Nadeau, Saint Mary's University SID
Teisha Smith (Sr., P, Elma, Iowa)
Smith tossed a no-hitter in the Cardinals' 7-0 victory over Concordia last Saturday. The senior righthander was one batter away (a sixth-inning walk) from her first collegiate perfect game. The no-hitter was the fourth appearance of the week for Smith, who also picked up pitching wins against Bethel (a 10-0, five-inning three-hitter), Carleton (a 9-0, five-inning two-hitter) and Gustavus (a 4-1, seven-inning, seven-hitter). All told, Smith did not allow an earned run in 22 innings, while going a perfect 4-0. She walked just three batters, while striking out 17.
Jerry Pyle, Concordia
Erin Gunderson; So., Pitcher Princeton, MN
Erin was 4-1 last week with wins over Macalester, Bethel and nationally ranked St. Mary's. In the game against St. Mary's she threw 7 innings and recorded the shutout. In 26 innings pitched she gave up only 1 earned run.
Her statistics for the week were: IP H ER SO W-L 26.1 12 1 21 4-1
Gene McGivern, St. Thomas SID
Shannon Moore, St. Thomas, SS, Freshman, Kenilworth, Ill./New Trier HS
Moore batted .600 and hit safely in all four games last week to help the Tommies to sweeps over Macalester and Carleton in a 4-0 week. Moore was 6-for-10 with five RBI and four runs scored, including a three-run triple for the game's only runs in a 3-0 win over Carleton. She also had two doubles, was 5-for-5 in stolen bases, added a walk and two sacrifices and had just one error in 14 plays in the field. UST is 7-1 in the MIAC and 19-8 overall.
Donny Nadeau, SID, Saint Mary's University
Jill Hocking (JR., P/1B, Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley H.S.)
Hocking hit .750 in the Cardinals' four games last week, collecting six hits — including three doubles and a pair of home runs, as Saint Mary's swept conference doubleheaders from St. Olaf and Augsburg to run their record to 7-1 in the MIAC and 18-5 overall. Hocking also scored eight times, drove in five runs and was 2-for-2 in stolen bases. The junior also posted a 0.76 ERA in her two starts on the mound, allowing just seven hits and one earned run in 9.0 innings. She walked two and struck out eight.
SID and School: Greg Binstock, St. Kate's
Player:Rita Pomroy YR: First-year Pos: DP Hometown:Blaine, Minn.
Pomroy was 11 and 20 (.550) batting this past week including 7 RBI's. The Wildcats went 4-3 this past week with a doublheader sweep over Bethel (4-2, 13-7). In the sweep, Pomroy hit 6 of 8, drove in 4 runs, and scored 3 times. The Wildcats also split with St. Olaf and Northwestern, and lost to St. Ben's.
Rob Lewis, Carleton SID
Nominee: Fauna Smith (Jr./Pitcher/Willits, Calif.)
Smith went 3-1 on the mound for Carleton in four MIAC games last week. Smith picked up the win in both games of a sweep of Macalester, 9-2 and 12-1, and earned the victory in Saturday's 8-1 win over Gustavus, before taking the 8-3 loss in the second game against the Gusties. In her first three games, Smith allowed just two earned runs in 19 innings of work; she allowed four earned runs in two innings against Gustavus. In the process, she helped carry the Knights to a school-record 10-game winning streak. She scattered 10 hits in the two wins over Macalester, and conceded six hits (two in the first game and four in the second game) against Gustavus. She fanned 11 in two outings against the Gusties, and struck out 15 (10 and 5) in the sweep over Macalester. Smith also helped herself at the plate, pounding seven RBI for the four games, including a 2-for-4 showing against Macalester with a home run, and a two-double, 2-for-4 performance against Gustavus. For the season, Smith is 9-4 overall, with 99 strikeouts.
Gene McGivern -- St. Thmas
Casey Curson, St. Thomas, Junior RHP, Mound, Minn./Mound-Westonka
Curson allowed just one run on the mound in 13 innings against No. 2-rated St. Mary's in Wednesday's doubleheader split in Winona (1-0 loss, 1-0 win), then added a 5-1 complete-game victory Saturday vs. Hamline. St. Mary's -- which had won 64 of its previous 66 MIAC games -- scored the game's only run in the first inning of game one as Curson allowed four hits, four walks and struck out five. In game two, Curson threw a one-hit shutout with no walks and six Ks and shutout the Cardinals for the first time in MIAC play since April 1997, covering 52 conference games. She also scored the game's only run after hitting a fifth-inning double. Curson lost 2-0 Thursday at UW-Eau Claire (the fourth-place team in the nation in 1999) despite fanning eight and allowing no earned runs, one walk and four hits in six innings. UST is 3-1 in the conference and 15-8 on the season with five losses to teams ranked in the top seven nationally.
Nominated by Andy Johnson
Kathryn Miles - Macalester College (Sr., 1B/P, Surrey, B.C. / Lord Tweedsmuir High School)
Kathryn Miles went 6-for-9 (.667) with a double and a home run in what was otherwise a difficult week for the Scots, who were swept by Carleton and St. Mary's. Miles posted a .750 on-base percentage and 1.111 slugging percentage. A two-time All-MIAC pick, Miles is batting .451 with an .824 slugging percentage. She's scored or driven in over half of the team's runs this season.
SID and School: Don Stoner, Augsburg SID Player: Rachael Ekholm Yr: Sophomore Pos: Pitcher/Shortstop Hometown: Richfield, Minn. High School: Richfield HS Comments: Ekholm opened the MIAC season with a flurry, leading the team in both pitching and hitting as the Auggies jumped out to a 3-1 mark with a doubleheader sweep of Concordia-Moorhead on Tuesday and a split with St. Benedict on Saturday. Against the Cobbers, Ekholm scored the second-game pitching victory, striking out seven while walking just one and allowing six hits. At the plate in the doubleheader, Ekholm went 3-for-5 with a triple, driving in two runs and scoring three runs. Against the Blazers on Saturday, Ekholm struck out two and allowed just four hits, two walks and one earned run in the second-game pitching victory. At the plate, Ekholm went 4-for-6 in the doubleheader with one RBI on a solo home run. Pitching this week (14.0 innings), Ekholm has a 2.00 ERA and 2-0 record, allowing four earned runs, striking out nine while walking three and allowing 10 hits. At the plate, Ekholm leads the team with a .636 average in conference play, with seven hits, six runs, two RBI, a triple and a home run.
Pat Buresh St.Olaf College
Christina Moses Jr. Centerfield New Brighton, MN New Brighton HS
This past week Christina went 8/19 (.421), three doubles, one grand slam and 11 RBI's.
8 games (1-7)
first