May 2, 1998

BLUE DEVIL SOFTBALL SO CLOSE, BUT YET SO FAR

EAU CLAIRE – Living on the edge was a way of life for the UW-Stout softball team all season. The Blue Devils played in 11 one-run games and winning seven of those prior to the conference tournament. At the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championships last weekend in Eau Claire, the Blue Devils didn't keep their percentage up in one-run games, dropping 2-of-3 games, all one-run games.

The Blue Devils (21-20) started out the thrillers with a 3-2 win over UW-La Crosse, Friday, May 1, then were tripped up in nine innings, 2-1, by UW-Stevens Point later that afternoon. Stout was eliminated on a soggy Saturday, May 2, morning, falling to UW-Eau Claire, 3-2.

Cara Fenhouse (So, Superior), who was earlier named the WIAC West Division player of the year, went 3-for-4 and scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh when she singled to center field, then advance to second on a sacrifice by Charysse Minder (Fr, Ellsworth). The Eagles' pitcher put Fenhouse in better scoring position when Fenhouse moved to third on a wild pitch. Fenhouse scored the winning run when Tanya Petrie (Jr, Menomonie) was safe on an error.

Both teams scored two runs in the fifth inning. Carolyn Bare (Sr, Superior) recorded the win, allowing eight hits, two unearned runs and chalking up five strikeouts.

Tied 1-1, in the bottom of the ninth, the Pointers moved a runner to third via two fielder's choices, then scored the winning run when, with two outs, the Blue Devils' firstbaseman dropped the ball for what would have been the third out.

Stout drew first blood when Molly Wagner (Fr, Altoona) doubled to lead off the third inning. Rebecca Zimmerman (So, Fall Creek), in as a pinch runner for Wagner, moved to third and scored on an error by the pitcher.

The Pointers came back with an earned run in the fifth.

Both teams had opportunities, with Stout stranding six and Stevens Point leaving eight.

Eau Claire's JoDell Bendickson scattered two RBI across the third and fourth innings to give the Blugolds a 3-0 lead, but Stout answered back with two runs in the bottom of the fourth.

WIth two outs, Petrie beat out an infield hit, then scored when Bare smacked a double. Bare stretched out the double to third on an error, then scored when Deanna Johnson (Sr, Rochester, Minn) sent a single down the third base line.

Stout got a chance to at least tie the game in the bottom of the seventh when Minder singled with two outs, but then was caught stealing.

Eau Claire, which had lost their opening game, went on to win the tournament, which was delayed one day because of rain. The Blugolds will also host the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Region Saturday. UW-Whitewater and Stevens Point will also be in the regional.

MENOMONIE – UW-Stout's Cara Fenhouse (So, Superior) was named as the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) West Division player of the year and was joined on the 1998 all-conference team four of her teammates.

Pitcher Carolyn Bare (Sr, Superior), catcher Deanna Johnson (Sr, Rochester, Minn) and third baseman Angie Pinnow (Fr, Bruce) joined Fenhouse on the first team. Designated player Tanya Petrie (Jr, Menomonie) was named to the honorable mention squad.

Fenhouse, the teams' second baseman, hit at a .431 clip, smacking out 47 hits in 109 at-bats. Generally the team's lead off hitter, Fenhouse scored 25 runs, collected 10 RBI, a team high 10 doubles, three triples and two home runs. Fenhouse also led the team in stolen bases, picking off 15 in 17 attempts. She also fielded at a .911 pace.

Bare finished up her career with her third consecutive selection to the all-conference team. Bare posted a 15-8 overall record on a team that finished 21-20 overall and won the West Division title. A hard thrower, Bare set a new school single mark for best ERA (1.00). She is also the winningest pitcher in Stout softball history, winning 64 games. At the plate, Bare hit .330, going 35-for-106, with 20 RBI. Bare also became the career leader in most RBI (85) and most games played (169). The first baseman when not pitching, Bare had a .947 fielding percentage.

Johnson was named for the first time to the all-conference squad, picking off 15 runners attempting to steal. Johnson batted .295, going 33-for-112, but it was the timeliness of Johnson's bat, driving in several game-winning-runs. She finished the season with 17 RBI.

Pinnow found a home in the Blue Devil infield, starting at shortstop, then moving to third. A powerful hitter, both of Pinnow's home runs were over-the-fence. Pinnow finished second on the team in batting average, hitting .366 going 45-for-123, but leading the team in RBI with 23. Pinnow had eight doubles, three triples and tied Fenhouse for the team lead in stolen bases, nabbing 15 in 20 attempts.

After a year off the all-conference team, Petrie returned as an honorable mention pick, playing in the outfield, at third base and as a designated hitter. Petrie hit .351, going 39-for-111, with 19 RBI, seven doubles, one triple and two home runs.

Stout: Cara Fenhouse, 2B; Carolyn Bare, P; Deanna Johnson, C; Angie Pinnow, 3B; Eau Claire: JoDell Bendickson, OF; Heidi Bergstrom, P; Reece Krings, P; Jill Schoenike, 1B; Lisa Schueler, C; Sara Weinke, 3B; River Falls: Amy Benoy, P; Michelle Hosfield, OF; Cindy Ostertage, OF; La Crosse: Amy Huchthausen, 2B;

Stout: Tanya Petrie, DP; La Crosse: Steph Eberhart, P; Katie Johnson, 3B; Sara Severson, DP; Superior: Bree Hicken, C/SS; Eau Claire: Julie Hinzman, OF; Karri Meinen, OF; River Falls: Michelle May, C.

West Division Player of the Year: Cara Fenhouse, UW-Stout

Platteville: Becky Ahlbrecht, SS; Tracy Domaszek, P; Whitewater: Anna Basile, SS; Angela DelMonte, 3B; Laura Hering, P; Megan Kerkman, OF; Valerie Kerkman, OF; Angela Sheehan, 2B; Stevens Point: Kelly Blaha, P; Charity Czappa, 1B; Jamie Lowney, P; Kari Rowekamp, OF; Dena Zajdel, DP; Oshkosh: Robin Schmidt, C; Mendy Wikan, 2B;

Stevens Point: Sarah Berg, OF; Michelle Gerber, C; Jill Kristof, OF; Kelly Rutta, 2B; Whitewater: Terri Bierbaum, P; Sarah Kraus, OF; Platteville: Jen Kneeland, DP; Molly Miller, C; Jodi Nelson, OF; Oshkosh: Ann Kolberg, P; Amy Smith, 3B.

East Division Player of the Year: Robin Schmidt, UW-Oshkosh

Scholar Athlete: Angela Sheehan, UW-Whitewater

Coach of the Year: Irv Madsen

WINONA, Minn. – Trailing 3-2 heading into the top of the fifth, Angie Pinnow (Fr, Bruce) clubbed out a two-run triple to give UW-Stout a lead over Winona State they would not relinquish as the Blue Devils went on to a 5-3 win over the Warriors Tuesday, April 28 at Winona. Stout could not find any way to come back in the nightcap, and fell, 5-0.

Melanie Dubnicka (Fr, Cameron) stroked a single to get things started in the fifth, then moved to second on Cara Fenhouse's (So, Superior) sacrifice. Charysse Minder (Fr, Ellsworth) moved Dubnicka to third with a double, and Pinnow hit her third triple of the season to give Stout the lead.

Stout (20-18) added a single run in the sixth. Stout jumped on top in the first inning when Fenhouse singled, then moved to second on a sacrifice. Pinnow put runners on the corners with a single, then both came home when pitcher Carolyn Bare (Sr, Superior) helped her own cause with two-run double.

The Warriors got to Bare in the third inning, scoring three runs after two outs.

Pinnow went 3-for-3 with two RBI in the game and Fenhouse was 2-for-3.

Stout recorded only four hits in the second game, and had runners in scoring position once.

The Warriors scattered their runs around – only two were earned – with one run in the second, two in the third, one in the fourth and one in the fifth. Tiffany Wulf (Jr, Prior Lake, Minn) picked up the loss.

Baseball

May 3, 1998

BLUE DEVIL BASEBALL BOWS OUT IN FINAL HOMESTANDS

MENOMONIE-If you want to be the best, you have to be able to play with the best and the UW-Stout baseball team did just that last weekend when they played host to two of the top teams in the NCAA Division III, but still dropped all four games to UW-Stevens Point, 9-7, 8-6, and UW-Oshkosh, 3-1, 5-0.

Oshkosh, who the Blue Devils played Sunday, May 3, after a one-day rain-forced postponement, were ranked second nationally, and Stevens Point, who Stout faced Friday, May 1, were ranked fourth in the Midwest Region.

The Blue Devils went into the weekend series with the opportunity to earn a berth in in the conference playoffs. Stout (19-19, 5-9) finished the season in a two-way tie for sixth place with UW-Platteville.

Oshkosh 3, 5, Stout 1, 0

Down 3-1 and with two outs in the final inning in the first game with the Titans, Troy Gustafson (Sr, Grand View) singled, then advanced to third when Ryan Hanson (Jr, Austin, Minn) hit a double to put runners at second and third. Andy Guden (So, Medford) worked Oshkosh pitcher Brian Taschner for a full count, then lifted a fly ball to right field to end the game.

Stout which needed to sweep Oshkosh to have an outside chance at a conference playoff berth, out-hit the Titans, 11-8, but also stranded 13 runners.

Scott Meyer (So, Austin, Minn) picked up the complete game loss, allowing eight hits, three unearned runs and five strikeouts. Taschner went the distance, striking out nine.

Hanson went 3-for- 4 with a double to lead Stout at the plate.

The Titans claimed the outright Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) regular season title and earned the right to host the conference tournament Saturday, May 9, by shutting Stout down in the second game, 5-0.

The Titans (32-2, 13-1) took a 2-0 lead in the second inning, then broke the game open with a two-run home run in the eighth. The Titans added another solo home run in the ninth.

Jesse Miller (Jr, Forestville) picked up the loss, but allowed only four hits. Two Stout errors did not help the Blue Devils' cause.

The meeting between Stout and Oshkosh was the first meeting between the two since 1993 and the first regular meeting between the two at Nelson Field since 1973.

The Blue Devils entertained playoff thoughts coming into the series with the Pointers, but the Pointers were looking at the conference title and held off Stout in both games – barely.

Heading into the bottom of the eighth, Stout trailed 9-4, but scored two unearned runs in the eighth to tighten the score, then JR Dachel (So, Bloomer) gave Stout a better chance in the ninth with a one-out solo home run to deep centerfield before the Devils ran out of opportunities to fall, 9-7.

Stevens Point used a four-run third inning to take a 4-2 lead, but Stout bounced back with a run in the inning. The Pointers added two in the seventh and three in the eighth.

Stout began their comeback in the seventh with a single run.

Stout made an even better comeback in the nightcap, tying the score at 6-6 with five runs in the eighth.

Reliever Brad Ipavec (Fr, Cedarburg) would get saddled with the loss when he gave up a single in the ninth with one out. The Blue Devils went to Gustafson, who had been a very effective closer, giving up only two hits all season.

The first batter Gustafson faced unloaded a home run to win the game, 8-6.

Hanson gave Stout an opportunity in the bottom of the ninth when he doubled, but the remaining Blue Devils went quietly.

Men's Track & Field

May 3, 1998

JASON LEHMAN NAMED FIELD ATHLETE OF THE MEET; DEVILS 4TH AT WIAC

PLATTEVILLE- UW-Stout's Jason Lehman (Sr, Bruce) won two events and placed second in another and was named the Field Athlete of the Meet at the 1998 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Track and Field Championships May 2-3 at UW-Platteville where the Blue Devils placed fourth.

Lehman easily won the discus in an NCAA Division III automatic qualifying distance of 168-feet, 11-inches and also topped the field shot put with a toss of 51-4.25. Lehman's discus toss was more than six feet in front of his second place opponent. Lehman was the defending conference champion in both events and qualified to the nationals last year in both events.

Lehman finished second in the hammer throw with a toss of 165-3. Lehman has automatically qualified to the national meet in all three events.

Paul Gilles (Sr, Plum City) and the 4 X 400-relay team were the only other Blue Devil events to record first place finishes.

Gilles took the 3000-meter steeplechase in an automatic qualifying time of 9-minutes, 9.20-seconds, six seconds in front of the runner-up. Gilles finished second last year in the steeplechase at the NCAA championships. Teammate Tim Hamill (Jr, Brookfield) finished fifth in the event and qualified provisionally in the event in a time of 9:22.30.

The 4 X 400-relay team of John Boldt (Sr, Hartland), Chris Valois (Sr, Anoka, Minn), Ryan Geier (Fr, McFarland) and Billy Busch (Jr, Dickeyville) edged out UW-Oshkosh, coming in at 3:19.47, nipping the second place Titans, who recorded a 3:19.91.

Jamie Buchholtz (Fr, Bloomer) finished fourth in the pole vault, tying with two other vaulters at 15-feet, but dropping down due to number of misses. Buchholtz's older brother, Josh, won the event with a jump of 15-5.75.

Corey O'Donnell (Jr, Chippewa Falls) was third in the discus, tossing the plate 141-9, and was fifth in the hammer (153-10). Busch had the best qualifying time in the 400-meter, a provisional qualifying time of 48.78, but placed fifth in the finals.

The Blue Devils will participate in four last chance meets between now and the NCAA Division III championships, May 21-23, in St. Paul, Minn.

1. UW-La Crosse 244; 2. UW-Stevens Point 159; 3. UW-Oshkosh 107; 4. UW-Stout 102.5; 5. UW-Platteville 86.5; 6. UW-Eau Claire 78; 7. UW-Whitewater 70; 8. UW-Superior 10

100: Shawn Moretti (SP) 10.90; 7. Dan Reinert 11.27; 11. Joe Verstgen 11.74; 13. Joe Johnson 11.75; 200: 1. Greg Knight (LX) 21.99; 4. John Boldt 22.47; 13. Joe Johnson 22.98; 14. Billy Busch 23.03; 17. Ryan Geier 23.14; 18. Dan Reinert 23.16; 26. Chris Valois 23.77; 30. Joe Verstegen 24.12; 32. Brian Francis 24.30; 400: 1. Marc Patefield (LX) 48.48; 5. Billy Busch 49.15(48.78p); 6. John Boldt 50.23; 8. Chris Valois 51.06; 11. Ryan Geier 50.96; 22. Brian Francis 53.07; 26. Scott Shilha 55.18; 800: 1. Joe Kelsey (Osh) 1:52.21; 27. Jeff Gross 2:08.41; 31. Todd Johnson 2:11.25; 1500: 1. Brett Altergott (LX) 3:54.10; 11. Eric Hanson 4:08.80; 15. Bryan Ott 4:12.48; 22. Josh Webb 4:19.73; 5000: 1. Jason Finch (EC) 14:52.42; 10. Paul Gilles 15:29.15; 23. Mike Schumann 16:14.40; 26. Chad Pallansch 16:26.00; 27. Ethan Webinger 16:30.27; 28. Jason Donovan 16:45.08; 29. Joe Anderson 17:00.80; 10,000: 1. Josh Metcalf (SP) 31:05.12; 10. Jason Petersohn 32:14.08; 21. Jamie Block 33:43.87; 22. Joshua Peters 35:55.87; 100-hurdles: 1. Shawn Moretti (SP) 14.66; 9. Aaron Scheffer 16.23; 11. Travis Fliehr 17.44; 400-hurdles: 1. Stuart Ely (WW) 54.41; 5. Troy Wyatt 56.26; 13. Travis Fliehr 59.54; 3000-steeplechase: 1. Paul Gilles (Stout) 9:09.20a; 5. Tim Hamill 9:22.30; 14. Chris Stevens 9:59.60; 4X100-relay: 1. Stevens Point 41.77; 4. Stout 42.85; 4X400-relay: 1. Stout 3:19.47; 4X800-relay: 1. La Crosse 7:34.54; 6. Stout 7:55.85;

High jump: 1. Jason Slaikeu (EC) 6-10.75; 12. Steve Quackenbush 6-1.25; 14. Aaron Scheffer 5-11.25; Pole vault: 1. Josh Buchholtz (LX) 15-5.75; 4. Jamie Buchholtz 15-0; 6. Chad Beiler 14-0; 8. Cory Grenier 13-0.25; Bob Cahow, Aric Hanusa NH; Long jump: 1. Ben Dean (PV) 22-9.75; 9. Sean Fagan 21-5.50; 19. Aaron Scheffer 19-9; Triple jump: 1. Tommy Ngo (EC) 48-4.75; 8. Sean Fagan 42-1.25; 11. Steve Quackenbush 41-1.50; Shot put: 1. Jason Lehman (Stout) 51-4.25p; 8. Jim Nehring 46-4; 10. Kevin McCulley 45-2.50; 17. Shane Swope 42-4.25; Discus: 1. Jason Lehman (Stout) 168-11a; 3. Corey O'Donnell 141-9; 19. Shane Swope 108-2; Hammer: 1. Mike Seifert (LX) 176-7; 2. Jason Lehman 165-3p; 5. Corey O'Donnell 153-10; Javelin: 1. Larry Aschebrock (SP) 177-0; 10. Jim Nehring 151-8; 15. Aric Hanusa 143-6; 19. Kevin McCulley 123-5; Decathlon: 1. Travis Rogers (Osh) 6365; 6. Jesse Hunter 5120.

PLATTEVILLE Both Katie Jacobson (Jr, Eau Claire) and Katy Olsen (Rice Lake) recorded a second and a third as the duo led the UW-Stout women's track and field team at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Track and Field Championships at UW-Platteville May 2-3. As a team, Stout placed seventh.

In the events they placed second, both runners met automatic qualifying times to the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships.

Jacobson set a personal season best in the 1500-meter run, finishing in 4-minutes, 39.24-seconds. Olsen finished second in the 10,000-meter run, making the automatic qualifier by three-one hundredths of a second. Olsen had bested that time earlier in the season.

Jacobson took a third in the 800 (2:15.86) and Olsen was third in the 5000 (18:04.96). Both were provisional qualifying times.

Michelle Abramczak (Fr, Stanley) finished third in the 400-meter hurdles (1:08.21) and Gretchen Sommerfeldt (Sr, Hartland) was fifth (1:10.98). Sommerfeldt placed eighth in the 100-hurdles (16.86) and was eighth in the javelin (98-8). Jamie Schwabenlender (Jr, Bristol) finished sixth in the heptathlon.

Stout will participate in four last chance meets between now and the NCAA Division III national meet, May 21-23.

1. UW-La Crosse 260; 2. UW-Oshkosh 212; 3. UW-Stevens Point 79; 4. UW-Whitewater 68; 5. UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls 60.5; 7. UW-Stout 49; 8. UW-Platteville 46; 9. UW-Superior 23

100: 1. Misty Gorski (LX) 12.33; 16. Alisa Zimmerman 13.85; 200: 1. Misty Gorski 25.65; 400: 1. Lace VanZeeland (LX) 58.19; 800: 1. Shamaine Martin (LX) 2:13.41; 3. Katie Jacobson 2:15.86; 1500: 1. Rachel Milligan (Osh) 4:34.83; 2. Katie Jacobson 4:39.24; 9. Katie Kuffel 4:59.91; 17. Jennifer Bahr 5:10.05; 3000: 1. Tiffany Ebensperger (Osh) 10:15.84; 5000: 1. Tiffany Ebensperger (Osh) 17:35.98; 3. Katy Olsen 18:04.96; 10,000: 1. Sarah Anderson (Sup) 36:41.20; 2. Katy Olsen 37:10.71; 100-hurdles: 1. Klara Elsner (LX) 14.90; 8. Gretchen Sommerfeldt 16.86(16.23); 12. Michelle Abramczak 16.70; 400-hurdles: 1. Katie O'Leary (LX) 1:05.87; 3. Michelle Abramczak 1:08.21; 5. Gretchen Sommerfeldt (1:10.98); 4X100-relay: 1. La Crosse 48.68; 6. Stout 53.03; 4X400-relay: 1. La Crosse 3:57.16; 8. Stout 4:17.24; 4x800-relay: 1. La Crosse 9:41.05; 8. Stout 10:29.66; 1600 sprint medley; 1. Oshkosh 4:16.02; 8. Stout 4:49.15;

High jump: 1. Katie Arnes (LX) 5-5; Long jump: 1. Kenya Moore (Osh) 17-11.50; 16. Laura Froehling 15-0; Triple jump: 1. Kenya Moore 38-4.25; Gretchen Patterson foul; Shot put: 1. Jenny Rider (LX) 43-11.75; 15. Jennifer Gjertsen 33-6.5; 18. Jennifer Turner 29-11.25; Discus: 1. Patti Frankowiak (LX) 139-0; 13. Jennifer Gjertsen 104.7; Hammer: 1. Patti Frankowiak (LX) 171-0; 15. Jennifer Turner 114-0; 20. Jessica Gjertsen 99-6; Javelin: 1. Julie Drexler (LX) 125-8; 8. Gretchen Sommerfeldt 98-8; Heptathlon: 1. Sarah Peterson (RF) 4367; 6. Jamie Schwabenlender 3519; 10. Gretchen Patterson 3064.