National Training Center College Spring Games |
WIAC Preseason Poll
MENOMONIE (March 15, 2013) - When the UW-Stout softball team lands at the Orlanda, Fla., airport this Friday, the forecast calls for 75 degrees and sunny temperatures. The forecast also calls for increasing temperatures throughout the week as the Blue Devils embark on their annual spring break trip to the National Training Center Spring Games in Clermont, Fla.
And the heat will rise on the field for the Blue Devils as they will take their 3-1 overall record and play some extremely tough competition during the nine days they are in Florida - especially over the first two days.
On Saturday, March 16, and Sunday, March 17, Stout will meet three NCAA Division III teams that advanced to the NCAA tournament, including Tufts University, which advanced to the NCAA Division III finals.
The Blue Devils will open with Farmingdale State, which went 26-15 last year and advanced to the NCAA Regionals. Later in the day, Stout will square off against NCAA Division II Minot State, which is off to a 14-1 start after coming off a 34-12 record in 2012, including a 13-5 win over Stout in Florida.
As if the first day isn't tough enough, Stout will meet Benedictine University of Illinois, an in-region team that went 33-11 last year and advanced to the NCAA tournament. Stout will close out Sunday against eighth-ranked Tufts University, which went 41-7 last year.
All told, Stout's first four opponents posted a combined 134-45 record last season or, looking at it a different way, those first four teams averaged 33 wins last year, compared to 11 losses.
"We have talked about it in practice," coach
Chris Stainer said. "We have got to come ready to play. We can't afford to have a slow start."
While the rest of the schedule does not look as fearsome, Stainer does not discount the rest of the schedule.
"You look at that schedule, and there is not a bad team in there," Stainer said.
The Blue Devils will play Oswego State (16-23 last year) and Manchester Univeristy (21-23), Monday, March 18, before getting a two-day break from competition.
The Blue Devils resume play Thursday, March 20 by facing Trinity (Conn) University (15-18) and Allegheny College (27-11-1). Stout will close out the week, Friday, March 21 by meeting the University of Dubuque (18-22) and Ramapo College (26-13).
THE BLUE DEVILS: Stout is off to a 3-1 overall start, playing their first four contests on domed field. The Blue Devils opened by splitting with then fourth-ranked Luther College, dropping the season opener, 9-2, before coming back with a 7-4 win over the Norse at Rochester, Minn. Two days later, Stout got off to a slow start, but recovered to sweep St. Olaf, 6-3, and 16-3, in five innings. On the day, the Blue pounded out five home runs, including grand slams by
Alison Gray and
Sam Hastings. Gray had another two-run shot and
Hannah Sweet and
Erin Moss had home runs.
PITCHING STAFF: The Blue Devils have the luxury of having six legitimate pitchers to chose from. Junior
Laura Vanderhoof and freshman
Tori Workman have split the two starts. Vanderhoof is posting a 2.00 earned run average (ERA), has a 2-0 overall record and has recorded 10 strikeouts. Workman started the season opener against Luther College and got pounded around a bit, but settled down to get her first collegiate win over St. Olaf. Workman has an ERA of 4.90 and has eight strikeouts.
Nicole Rogers saw a couple of innings of work against St. Olaf, working her way out of a couple of jams. The Blue Devils can also call on sophomore
Denise Sawdey and freshmen
Emily Wegscheid and
Sara Mueller.
HITTING THE BALL: Pitchers Vanderhoof and Workman lead the Blue Devils in batting average, and they have both had meaningful trips to the plate. Workman is posting a team-high .625 with three RBI, including her first career home run, getting that against Luther College. Workman is hitting 5-for-8 and also has the team's only triple. She leads the team in runs scored with six. Vanderhoof is hitting .571 with a pari of RBI. Five-foot, 4-inch shortstop
Erin Moss has been crushing the ball this year. She has a pair of lead-off home runs and has five RBI. Moss is 6-of-11 (.545) and with her two home runs and a double, has a slugging percentage of 1.182.
Alison Gray and
Sam Hastings each have six RBI and both have cracked a grand slam this year. Hastings is hitting .385 (5-of-13) and Gray is hitting .333 (4-of-12).
Sam Stout is hitting .500 (2-of-4) and freshman
Kaitlin Stark is hitting .429 (2-of-7).
AWARDS AND HONORS: Erin Moss was named the UW-Stout Athlete of the Week after the Blue Devils started at a 3-1 overall record.
COACHES: Blue Devil coach
Chris Stainer (249-346, overall; 231-321, at UW-Stout) enters her 15th season at Stout and her 16th season overall.
DOWN THE ROAD: After their return from Floriday, the Blue Devils are scheduled to host Macalester College, Friday, March 29 at 4 p.m. at Alumni Field, weather and field conditions permitting.
