DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica softball team begins its 2018 season this weekend in Marquette, Michigan where it will take part in the Finlandia University Dome Classic.
Where:
Superior Dome – Marquette, Mich.
When:
Saturday
vs. Concordia Wisconsin – 4 p.m. (ET)
vs. #23 UW-Oshkosh – 6 p.m. (ET)
Sunday
vs. Lakeland – 10 a.m. (ET)
vs. Marian – 2 p.m. (ET)
Web Site: http://www.fulions.com/sports/2018/2/18/2018-finlandia-dome-classic.aspx?id=103
Live Video Saturday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRLnXRoVHOY
Live Video Sunday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhTMdpdYal0
Social Media:
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/Csssaintsbball
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/csssaints
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/csssaints
St. Scholastica Saints
2017 Stats
2017 Record: 24-17, 14-2 UMAC
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference: Standings | Stats
Season Outlook: The Saints captured their ninth straight Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) regular season title in 2017 and once again won the UMAC Tournament title in dominating fashion to return to the NCAA Tournament … The CSS roster will look quite different in 2018 as it returns only four starters and 10 players overall … Two of those four starters 2017 honorable mention All-UMAC outfielder
Cindi Rydlund (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS) and 2017 UMAC Rookie of the Year catcher
Toni Bishop (Roseville, Minn./Roseville HS) suffered injuries in the off-season and it is unknown when they will return to the lineup … Senior shortstop
Alexa Bremer (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake HS) leads the returnees … Bremer was the only Saint to play and start in all 41 games a season ago … The Third Team NFCA All-Midwest Region choice ranked in the top five of the conference in runs scored (101), RBIs (55) and stolen bases (28) … She led the UMAC with 30 hits in league games … Bremer led the team with 17 multi-hit games last season … Also back is third baseman
Maggie Schley (Mounds View, Minn./Irondale HS) … Schley will look to bounce back after a tough sophomore season … Schley was the 2016 UMAC Rookie of the Year and was a Second Team All-Midwest Region selection that season … Gone from pitching circle is
Chrisi Mizera (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East HS) … Mizera was a three-time all-region choice and finished second in program history with 53 wins, 84 games started, 18 shutouts, 526 innings pitched and 502 strikeouts. Senior
Vanessa Kohl (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) leads the pitching staff into the 2018 campaign … Kohl started 13 games last season and won eight games … The Saints will have 15 freshmen on its roster … The largest freshmen class in program history … Coach Dawson will look to some of those freshmen to make an immediate impact.
Coach Dawson: Head Coach
Rilee Dawson begins her third season guiding the Saints … Dawson has won 50 games and is 29-3 in conference play in her first two seasons … Dawson is joined this season by assistant coach and former University of Wisconsin-Superior standout
Sarah Turcotte.
Where will the Power Come From: The Saints hit 13 home runs last season and only the player back who it one of those home runs is Bremer … Bremer is the only player on the roster to have a collegiate home run … Home runs won't happen this weekend, unless they are of the inside-the-park variety as anything hit over the fence will be a ground-rule double.
Trends: The Saints were 19-3 last season when they scored first and 24-5 when they out-hit their opponent … CSS was 0-12 when they were out-hit or the hits were tied.
Season Openers: The Saints are 1-6 in their last seven season openers.
Top 5 Games to Watch
2/24 – vs. UW-Oshkosh
The Titans are coming off a regional title and are ranked No. 23 in the preseason NFCA poll.
3/4 – vs. Ripon
The Red Hawks are guided by former long-time Northland College head coach Steve Wammer
3/5 vs. Hamline
A doubleheader against the Pipers at the West St. Paul Dome … Hamline advanced to the MIAC Tournament championship game last season
4/4 – at UW-Superior
The regular season doubleheader between the last two UMAC Tournament champions.
4/21 – vs. Crown
A doubleheader at Kenwood Field featuring the projected top two teams in the UMAC.
UMAC Preseason Poll
1. St. Scholastica - 61 points (6 First Place Votes)
2. Crown - 53 points (1 First Place Vote)
3. Northwestern - 51 points (1 First Place Vote)
4. Wisconsin-Superior - 47 points (1 First Place Vote)
5. Bethany Lutheran - 38 points
6. Minnesota Morris - 27 points
7. Martin Luther - 23 points
8. Northland - 16 points
9. North Central - 8 points
What You Need to Know about Concordia Wisconsin:
-The Falcons went 31-12 last season.
-The 31 wins were the second-most in program history.
-Concordia fell in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Tournament championship game last season.
-Junior infielder Maddie Zazas was a third team all-region choice in 2017.
-From her leadoff spot last season, she led the squad with 35 runs scored.
-CUW will have to replace pitcher Emily Brekke, who was a Second Team All-Great Lake Region selection last year.
-Brekke set a single-season program record with 152 strikeouts a season ago.
-Sophomore Molly O'Connell was a First Team All-NACC choice as a freshmen.
-O'Connell recorded 60 hits and also won nine games in the pitching circle.
-CUW has been picked to win the NACC this season.
Series Record: CSS leads 1-0
(Last Meeting: 8-3 CSS – 3/1/2009)
Series History: The Saints defeated Falcons 8-3 at this tournament in 2009.
What You Need to Know about UW-Oshkosh:
-The Titans went 33-13 in 2017 and won a regional championship for the first time since 1988.
-Oshkosh is ranked No. 23 in the preseason National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll.
-UWO defeated conference rival UW-La Crosse to advance to the Super-Regional last year were it was swept by Trine University (Ind.).
-The Titans will be led by two-time All-Great Lakes Region selections Erika Berry and Abby Menting.
-Berry, a senior third baseman, heads into her final season with a .343 career batting average.
-Menting, a junior catcher, has led the Titans during both of her two seasons in batting average, hits, home runs, runs batted in, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
-Menting was named the 2016 WIAC Co-Position Player of the Year.
-UWO has to replace pitcher Sara Brunlieb, who was named the Most Outstanding Player at the La Crosse Regional.
-Junior Bailey Smaney went 7-1 in 14 starts a season ago.
Series Record: UWO leads 1-0
(Last Meeting: 5-3 UWO – 2/26/2012)
Series History: The Titans took care of the Saints 5-3 in this tournament in 2012.
What You Need to Know about Lakeland:
-The Muskies finished with a 16-24 overall record last season.
-Lakeland will be led by first-year head coach Tammy Utley.
-The Muskies don't return a single player that earned conference postseason honors a season ago.
-Junior pitcher Taylor Bush appeared in 27 games last season and won seven games.
-Bush led the team with 44 strikeouts.
-Sophomore Niki Saviano threw five complete games and a no-hitter last season.
-Lakeland will have to replace Jessica Beaudry offensively as she led the team in hits and RBIs.
-The Muskies lost nine games last season by one run.
-Lakeland has been picked to finish ninth in the NACC.
Series Record: Lakeland leads 2-1
(Last Meeting: 9-2 CSS – 3/17/2010)
Series History: The Saints won the last meeting during the 2010 spring break trip to Tucson, Arizona … The Muskies swept the Saints in 1996 in St. Paul.
What You Need to Know about Marian:
-The Sabres were 27-16 overall in 2017.
-Marian was 13-4 in neutral site games last season.
-Ally Fox was a First Team All-NACC selection during her freshman campaign.
-Fox led the Sabres offensively with a .405 batting average and a .426 on base percentage, while ranking sixth in the NACC with 34 runs scored.
-Another freshman Gianna Esposito was a second team all-league selection.
-Esposito led the Sabres with two home runs on the year, 31 RBIs and a .507 slugging percentage.
-A third freshman, Paige Rauhut, was named the NACC All-Freshmen Team.
-Rauhut won 10 games and struck out 84 batters in her first collegiate season.
-Marian has been picked to finish sixth in the NACC.
Series Record: Tied 1-1
(Last Meeting: 6-2 CSS – 3/1/2009)
Series History: The Saints defeated the Sabres at this tournament in 2009 … Marian got the better of the Saints in the first-ever meeting in 2007 in Tucson, Arizona.
Looking Ahead: The Saints will compete at the Rochester Dome on Sunday, March 4 against Ripon College (Wis.) at 4 p.m. and Cornell College (Iowa) at 6 p.m.
