Softball

April 20, 2001

MENOMONIE - The UW-Stout fastpitch softball team will participate in a "Strike Out Cancer" event when they host UW-River Falls, Tuesday, April 24 at 4 p.m. at Wakanda Park.

"Strike Out Cancer" is a group effort with the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) where more than 50 college and high school softball teams are raising funds in a one-day event to donate to the American Cancer Society.

UW-Stout will donate all proceeds from program and concession sales that evening and will also pass a hat to collect funds.

"One-quarter of women contract breast cancer," Blue Devil coach Chris Stainer said, "and that is a significant number. We feel we would like to help the cause in the fight against cancer."

All proceeds from the Stout event will be donated to the local American Cancer Society.

April 19, 2001

EAU CLAIRE - After dropping a five-inning, 8-0 conference opening loss to UW-Eau Claire, the UW-Stout softball team rebounded to earn a 5-4 nail-biting decision in the second game, Thursday, April 19, at Carson Park.

The Blue Devils (17-15, 1-1 WIAC West Division) committed two costly errors that led to three Blugold runs in the second inning of the first game.

Eau Claire scored in every inning against three Stout hurlers who gave up seven hits and eight walks in a game shortened to five innings by the 8-run rule. A two-run single by Danyell Smith and a run-scoring single by Becky Bourne were the only runs that scored on hits. Two Stout errors plus a passed ball allowed four unearned runs to score. An illegal pitch and a delayed double steal also allowed Blugold runs to score.

Tracy Kokke (Fr, Galesville), who finished the first game, came back to pick up the win in the second game as Eau Claire (18-10, 3-3) committed four errors.

Stout took a 5-1 lead into Eau Claire's final at bat in the nightcap. But a hit batter, three consecutive walks and a two-run single by Emilee Planert allowed Eau Claire to pull within one run. With runners on second and third, Jenni Bostrom, (Fr, Circle Pines, Minn) pitching in relief of starter Kokke, got a called third strike on a full count pitch for the final out of the game.

Lindsay Mechelke (Fr, Lake Elmo, Minn) and Angie Pinnow (Sr, Bruce) had three hits apiece for Stout which totaled nine against Blugold starter Jessie Sharpe. Mechelke gave the Blue Devils a 3-1 lead with a two-run homer in the fifth. She capped a two-run seventh with a run-scoring double. Pinnow, who led off the first game with a double, reached base seven straight times in the doubleheader.

Eau Claire stranded 10 runners in the nightcap after getting six hits and six walks.

Stout is scheduled to travel UW-La Crosse, Monday, April 23 in a make-up game, then host UW-River Falls, Tuesday, April 24 at 4 p.m. and UW-Superior, Thursday, April 26 at 4 p.m.

April 17, 2001

LADYSMITH - The UW-Stout softball team virtually handed Mt. Senario the first game on a silver platter, then barely allowed the Saints to the table in the second game as the Blue Devils earned a split, Tuesday, April 17 in Ladysmith.

Leading 4-0 into the fourth inning, Stout (16-14) committed a number of costly errors allowing Mt. Senario to score five unearned runs and notch the 5-4 win.

In the nightcap, Jenni Bostrom (Fr, Circle Pines, Minn) struck out 12 batters and tossed her first collegiate no-hitter for a 3-0 shutout. Bostrom (7-5) faced only four batters over the minimum with only four runners advancing as far as second base. Bostrom had come on in relief in the first game to record eight strikeouts.

Angie Pinnow (Sr, Bruce) led the way offensively, smashing out two doubles to go 3-for-4. Jessie Ustby's (Sr, Onalaska) sacrifice fly drove in one run and Kim Caswell (Fr, Stanley) had another RBI.

April 21, 2001

OSHKOSH - Hitting the ball wasn't the problem for UW-Stout. Scoring runs was as the Blue Devils dropped their third and fourth consecutive conference games, falling 12-5 and 12-2 at UW-Oshkosh, Saturday, April 21.

Stout (15-5-1, 0-4 WIAC) looped 12 hits in the first game and 11 hits in the second game, while the Titans (22-3, 6-0) recorded 18 hits in the first game and 17 in the second.

Brad O'Connell (Sr, Elk Mound) had a solid two games at the plate, leading off the double header with a lead-off solo home run, then cracked another over the fence in the ninth. O'Connell went 3-for-5 in both games games, recording three RBI.

O'Connell's home run held up until the third inning when the Titans scored twice, then tacked on four more runs in the fourth. Stout pulled to within in two runs, 6-4, with a three-run fifth as Dave Rueber's (Sr, Afton, Minn) bases loaded double cleared the bases in front of him.

The Titans added a solo run in the fifth, two in the sixth and three in the seventh.

In the nightcap, Stout again took a 1-0 lead in the first when Eric Lund (Sr, Ashland) doubled in JW Dachel (Jr, Bloomer). Oshkosh scored twice in the bottom of the inning and held the lead until O'Connell doubled to bring in Josh Johnson (Sr, Oregon).

Dachel and Lund were 2-for-5, while Justin Biever (So, South Milwaukee) was 2-for-4.

Stout goes from the frying pan to the fire when they travel to No. 1 nationally ranked St. Thomas, Tuesday, April 24. Stout will host UW-River Falls, Friday, April 27 at 1 p.m. and travel to UW-La Crosse, Saturday, April 28.

April 20, 2001

STEVENS POINT - It was a battle of one run games and UW-Stout came out on the short end of both in their conference baseball opener as the Blue Devils dropped a 7-6 opening game decision, then fell 6-5 to UW-Stevens Point in 10 innings in the nightcap, Friday, April 20 in Stevens Point.

In the opener, the Blue Devils (15-3-1, 0-2 WIAC) loaded the bases in the top of the ninth, but came up short as Matt Lunde (Jr, Eau Claire) suffered his first loss of the season.

Except for a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, Stout trailed most of the game, but pulled to within one run in the ninth when Nick Kalina (Jr, Potosi) led off with a single then, following a fly out, moved to second after Brad O'Connell (Sr, Elk Mound) was hit by a pitch. One strikeout later, Dave Rueber (Sr, Afton, Minn) loaded the bases when he reached on an error. Kalina scored as everyone moved on a passed ball.

The Pointers (17-8, 2-2) elected to walk Eric Lund (Sr, Ashland), who hit a two-run home run in the sixth. Pointer pitcher Justin Szews forced Eddie Young (Jr, La Crosse) to end the game on a fly out to second base.

Lunde (5-1), who had entered the game with an ERA of 0.64 and only two earned runs, was hit for six runs, four earned. The Blue Devils did not help their own cause, committing five errors.

Young was 2-for-5 with an RBI and Lund was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Matt Hoeft (So, Elk Mound) hit a two-run double in the eighth.

In the second game, Stout jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third when Lund drove in JW Dachel (Jr, Bloomer), who led off the inning with a single. Justin Biever (So, South Milwaukee) hit a two-run single to close out the scoring in the stanza.

Starter Clyde Tedrick (Sr, Midland, Texas) allowed only one over the minimum heading into the fourth inning when the Pointers measured him for two runs after Paul Molitor singled and Jon Jagler cleared the bags with a shot over the centerfield fence.

Stout scored in the seventh when Rueber brought in O'Connell from third on an infield out.

The Pointers roughed up Tedrick for a run apiece in the eighth and ninth, and Ryan Jensen (Jr, Cylinder, Iowa) came in for the final out of the ninth inning.

Stout took the lead after Biever singled to right and Hoeft beat out a throw from third. Brad Barneson (Jr, Eleva) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners. Kalina's hard ground out to shortstop brought Biever in from third.

The Pointers got to Jensen with a lead off single, then moved the runner to second on a sacrifice bunt. An infield error moved the lead runner, who would score to tie the game on a wild pitch. The Pointers' Eric Bennett ended the game with a single to center field.

Tedrick worked 8.2 innings, giving up four runs, three earned. Jensen gave up two runs, one earned and was saddled with the loss.

Biever was 2-for-5 with two RBI. O'Connell was 2-for-5, Dachel was 3-for-5 and Hoeft was 2-for-4.

April 21, 2001

NORTHFIELD, Minn - Laura Verdegan (Fr, Tony) was a double winner as UW-Stout placed ninth of 24 teams at the Manitou Track Classic, Saturday, April 21 at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn.

Verdegan won the triple jump by more than a foot, leaping 37-feet, 5.75-inches and also won the long jump with a jump of 17-6.25. The second place competitor in the triple jump finished with a jump of 36-4. Verdgegan's long jump measured three inches longer than second place.

Jenney Luer (Jr, Colfax won the discus with a toss of 148-7, but was actually bested in the event by former Olympic Trials qualifier, Nicole Chimko who threw 158-5 and was competing unattached. Luer was fifth in the shot put (40-0.75).

Lisa Sorvala (So, New Brighton, Minn) was fifth in the 3000-meter run (10:46.58), Jennie Rosinsky (Fr, Green Bay) was seventh in the triple jump (34-7.50) as was Sara Pivec (Jr, Coon Rapid, Minn) in the hammer throw (133-10).

Stout will compete at the UW-La Crosse Invitational, Saturday, April 28.

April 21, 2001

NORTHFIELD, Minn - UW-Stout's Jesse Hunter (Sr, La Farge) notched a personal best and won the 400-hurdles by almost a second at the Carleton Relays to pace the Blue Devils, Saturday, April 21.

Hunter finished the trip around the oval in 53.95 seconds, with the second place finisher clocking a time of 54.75. Teammate Dave Hanson (So, Sun Prairie) was third (55.54).

The Blue Devil pole vault crew had another solid performance, taking four of the top six spots. Jamie Buchholtz (Sr, Bloomer) took the top prize, winning on misses over teammate Jeff Rotering (Jr, Waumandee) as both cleared 15-feet, 7-inches. Bob Cahow (Sr, New Brighton, Minn) cleared an NCAA Division III provisional height when he went 15-2.25 to place fourth. Corey Knudsen (Sr, Elk Mound) was sixth (14-5.25) and also was fifth in the javelin (144-1).

Joe Sracic (So, Deerfield) tossed the shot 47-6.25, placing sixth and Zac Weber (Jr, Blue Ridge, Mo) was sixth in the discus (136-3).

The Blue Devil relay teams shined with the 4X400 team winning the event (3:20.99) and the 4X200 placing second (1:30.73).

Dave Huber (So, Mendota Heights, Minn) was second in the 5000 with a career-best 15:04.97. Mike Twining (Jr, Clear Lake) was sixth in the 100-meter dash (11.29) and Brad Vick (Jr, Rhinelander) was sixth in the 200 (23.10).

The Blue Devils will be at the UW-Eau Claire Invitational, Saturday, April 28. Some members of the squad will participate in the Drake Relays, April 27-28, in Des Moines, Iowa.

April 17, 2001

MENOMONIE - For the the second time this season, UW-Stout's Jamie Buchholtz (Sr, Bloomer) has been named the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) field athlete of the week.

Buchholtz broke the school record in winning the pole vault at the Phil Esten Challenge, Friday, April 13 at La Crosse. Buchholtz broke the five year mark of 17-feet, 0.25-inches when he leapt 17-0.75. The mark is an NCAA automatic qualifying mark, and is his career best, which previously was 16-8.25 set during his freshman year. Buchholtz also holds the school record for the indoor pole vault at 16-2, hitting that mark twice in his career.

Buchholtz will compete at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships for the fourth consecutive year. The Championships are set for May 24-26 at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill. He is currently seeded second nationally in the event.

Buchholtz was named the WIAC indoor field athlete of the week in February after winning the pole vault event at the Minnesota-Wisconsin Challenge.