Live Stats vs. UW-La Crosse |
Live Stats vs. UW-Platteville
MENOMONIE (April 7, 2013) - The late winter weather is playing havoc with the schedule. The UW-Stout at UW-La Crosse softball game scheduled for Saturday, April 6 has been postponed, tentatively to Monday, April 8. The Blue Devils are scheduled to now open the conference season Sunday, April 7 at UW-Platteville with a doubleheader to begin at 3 p.m.
This crazy winter weather will simply not go away. The Blue Devils (12-4, 0-0 WIAC) had a game with Northwestern College scheduled for Thursday moved to the April 24, and now the game with La Crosse tentatively (depending on the forecast) moved to Monday, April 8. While weather may cause a problem, field conditions at Platteville should not be a problem. The Pioneers have laid out a softball diamond on the artificial surface of Pioneer stadium.
THIS WEEK'S GAMES: After an offensive explosion against Macalester last Friday,tThe Blue Devils are scheduled to open WIAC play at UW-Platteville (5-5, 0-0 WIAC), Sunday, April 7 at 3 p.m., then at UW-La Crosse (12-4, 0-0 WIAC) on Monday, April 8 possibly as early as 11 a.m. (Note the time change in the Platteville doubleheader. The majority of conference schools will be playing Platteville over the weekend, returning to a form of the past cluster tournaments) The La Crosse games have been moved to the
Omni Center in Onalaska. Here are
the directions to the Omni Center. In all likelihood, the Platteville games will played on the artificial surface of Pioneer Stadium, the school's football field.
THE BLUE DEVILS: Stout improved their record to 12-4 with a pair of wins against Macalester on Friday. Stout eight-run ruled the Scots, 9-1 in five innings in the first game before using 16 hits to score 13 runs to win the second game, 13-7. Stout's 16 hits in the second game were their second-most this season, just two shy of the 18 they put up against Benedictine in Florida. Their run total of 13 was also their second-highest this season, three short of the 16 they scored against St. Olaf, March 8. On the season, Stout is averaging 6.75 runs per game and have scored at least nine runs on six occasions. In addition to a potent offense, Stout has been very good on the mound all season. Primarily two pitchers have accumulated a team ERA of 1.90 through just over 100 innings pitched.
PITCHING STAFF: The Blue Devils have leaned on the pitching arms of
Laura Vanderhoof and
Tori Workman so far this season. Vanderhoof is 6-0 in her seven starts while posting an ERA of 1.34. She has recorded 31 strikeouts in 41+ innings of work. Workman has mowed through more innings, racking up nearly 60 on the season so far. Her ERA is 2.04 and her record is 6-4. Both pitchers have struck out exactly 31 batters. Workman has pitched five complete games while Vanderhoof has gone the distance four times on the season. Each pitched a complete game win against Macalester and both have one shutout on the season
. Emily Wegscheid pitched one scoreless inning in Florida and
Nicole Rogers saw action against St. Olaf, allowing three runs in two innings.
HITTING THE BALL: For as much as
Tori Workman has helped Stout on the mound, she has been equally effective at the plate. Workman is hitting .441 on the season and has collected 11 runs and 10 RBI in 34 at-bats.
Erin Moss, who has started all 16 games at shortstop, is hitting .463 after a very good night against Macalester. Moss went 7-for-8 against the Scots with four runs and two RBI. She hit a home run in each of the team's first two doubleheaders and leads the team with three triples and seven walks, making her a very reliable leadoff option.
Alison Gray is hitting .429 and leads the team with four home runs. Gray also has three doubles and 18 RBI's, which match
Sam Hastings for the team high. Gray has two multi-home run games this season, and hit a grand slam against St. Olaf. Hastings also has a grand slam this season and has a team-high four doubles. She has also scored a team-best 19 runs.
Taylor Workman also has four doubles and is hitting .379 with 13 RBI. She also added her second home run of the season against Macalester.
Lynzi Knudtson hit .440 in Florida and has a season average of .341. Six other Blue Devils are batting over .300, but only
Sam Stout has recorded more than 20 at-bats. She is hitting .314 in 35 at-bats.
THE COMPETITION: UW-La Crosse: The Eagles (12-4, 0-0 WIAC) are coming off a pair of shutout wins at the University of Dubuque, 3-0, 1-0, Wednesday.
Lauren Beres scattered three hits in the first game, while
Heather Grelle tossed a one-hitter in the nightcap.
Alie Meyer leads the Eagles in both average (.365, 19-for-52) and for power with four doubles, and three home runs for 16 RBI. Beres is posting an ERA of 1.66 with a 6-3 record and 38 strikeouts. Grelle has thrown in four games, but made her first start in the win over Dubuque and has an ERA of 1.02.
Megan Nelson is 4-1 overall with an ERA of 3.57 and 17 strikeouts.
UW-Platteville: The Pioneers (5-5, 0-0 WIAC) have managed to get a few games in by playing at Pioneer Stadium. Platteville is coming off a two-game sweep of Clarke College, 10-9, 12-7, April 5. The Pioneers rapped out 26 hits over the two games. Freshman
Carley Rote blasted a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth for the game winner in the opener and was 4-for-8 on the day with five RBI. Becca Lowe leads the Pioneers in average (.483), going 14-for-29.
Colleen Lowe has 10 RBI to lead the Pioneers. Platteville is utlizing three pitchers:
Jeni Frieburger (2-2, five appearances, 2.52 ERA, 16K),
Melissa Anderson (2-3, five appearances, 6.85 ERA, 21K) and
Keri Treml (1-0, four appearances, no starts, 3.89 ERA, 2K). Platteville is scheduled to host UW-River Falls, Saturday, April 6.
AWARDS AND HONORS: Alison Gray was selected as the WIAC position player of the week and the UW-Stout athlete of the week after the Blue Devils got off to a 12-4 overall start.
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# (258-349, overall; 240-324, at UW-Stout) enters her 15th season at Stout and her 16th season overall. LaCrosse is coached by
Chris Helixon, who is in his eighth year with the Eagles. Helixon is a Menomonie native and his father, Pat Helixon, was
Chris Stainer's high school softball coach. Platteville is coached by
Lee Negrelli, who is in her second year with the Pioneers.
DOWN THE ROAD: While the weather this spring makes any scheduled games tentative, Stout is scheduled to open the home portion of their schedule when they host UW-Eau Claire Wednesday, April 10 at 4 p.m. The Blue Devils will then host UW-Stevens Point, Sunday, April 14 at noon.
