DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica softball team will play the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Hamline University on Saturday at the RCTC Dome in Rochester to open the 2014 season.
Game Schedule:
Saturday vs. UW-Eau Claire – 1 p.m.
Saturday vs. Hamline – 7 p.m.
- The Saints won their fifth straight UMAC regular season title in 2013, but for the first time since 2008 they failed to capture the UMAC Tournament championship.
-CSS did not play a single game on its home field of Kenwood Field. The only games played in Duluth last spring was the final regular season doubleheader against Northland on the artificial turf of Saints Field.
-The UMAC Tournament ended up being moved from Duluth to Morris days before the start of the tournament and CSS ended up dropping its first two games in being eliminated.
-The Saints return a majority of their squad from last year. However, key components gone due to graduation are pitcher
Darcy Roach (East Grand Forks, Minn./Sacred Heart HS) and catcher
Bonnie Kowalczyk (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls HS). Roach, who joins Coach Walter's staff this season, was a two-time first team All-UMAC selection, while Kowalczyk was a two-time all-region selection, including first team honors as a junior.
-Back for the Saints is First Team All-UMAC performer and senior captain
Tiff Hudack (Ashland, Wis./Ashland HS). Hudack led the UMAC with 36 runs scored and 14 stolen bases last season. She led the team with 13 multi-hit games and tied for a team-high eight multi-RBI games.
-Also back is UMAC Freshman of the Year
Rendi Johnson (Bonney Lake, Wash./Bonney Lake HS). The pitcher/corner infielder led the team at the plate in hits (41), RBIs (32), total bases (70) and slugging percentage (.707). She had a league-high nine doubles and led the UMAC with a 1.36 earned run average.
-The infield remains in tact for the Saints. Sophomore
Kasandra McCabe (St. Peter, Minn./St. Peter HS) will be back at third base, but could also see time in the middle infield. McCabe was an honorable mention All-UMAC performer last season and finished second in the league with six home runs.
-Junior
Sydney Gordon (International Falls, Minn./Falls HS) is back at shortstop. Gordon took over at the position midway through the year. Gordon led the team with 61 assists and finished third on the squad with a .397 batting average.
-Senior
Ally Sweeney (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Central HS) returns at second base. Sweeney was named to the UMAC All-Defensive Team as a sophomore.
-Sophomore
Kara Warren (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Denfeld HS) will see time at first base and catcher this season. She will share time with Hudack at catcher.
-The outfield will be the biggest question mark for the Saints this season. Returning is senior captain
Shauney Moen (Oak Grove, Minn./St. Francis HS). Moen will probably play center for the saints. Sophomore
Micah McGuiness (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake HS) also returns and will see time in the outfield. Junior
Molly Jazdzewski (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Central HS), senior
Emily Schiro (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Armstrong HS) and freshman
Hannah Borgeson (Woodville, Wis./Baldwin-Woodville HS) will also fight for time.
-Joining Johnson on the pitching staff will be fellow sophomore McGuiness and freshman
Chrisi Mizera (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East HS). Mizera, a native of Illinois, is expected to make an immediate impact for the Saints. McGuiness was 4-4 last season toeing the rubber.
-The Saints have been predicted to win the UMAC again this season, according to the preseason coaches' poll. The Saints are also scheduled to host the UMAC Tournament in May.
-The Blugolds earned the WIAC regular season title last season, but fell in the WIAC Tournament championship game to UW-Whitewater.
-Eau Claire advanced to the Whitewater NCAA Regional, but saw its season come to an end after a 2-2 record.
-Returning for the Blugolds is WIAC Position Player of the Year in junior Amanda Fischer. Fischer was also a third team NFCA All-American. She led the WIAC in stolen bases with 31, which is fourth best in school single season archives and was 13th best in the nation. She led the Blugolds in runs scored with 38, second most in the league, and also led the team with six home runs.
-Also back for Eau Claire is senior pitcher Emma Wishau and sophomore pitcher Zana Lorbetske. Both were first team All-WIAC performers last season.
-UWEC lost senior first baseman Sarah Fern, who was a second team All-WIAC choice.
