Wayne State coach Krista Unger was headed out to pull some weeds.
She wants to make sure the Pete Chapman Softball Complex has some extra sparkle this weekend when the Wildcats hold their half of the NCAA Division II Central Region tournament.
Metro State and Wayne earned host roles after finishing 1-2 in the region rankings. The winner of each of the tournaments will play in a super regional May 21 and 22.
Top Wildcat pitcher Katie Goetzinger and her teammates have been busy, too.
Goetzinger, who compiled a 0.00 ERA last weekend to help Wayne win its first Northern Sun tournament, is responsible for raking and tamping down both bullpens.
“The girls work on the field every day for us, so it's kind of nice to get some big games here and show off the complex,'' said Unger, a Missouri Valley, Iowa, native.
Wayne opens the double-elimination tournament against Minnesota-Duluth on Friday at noon. Augustana and Concordia-St. Paul meet at 2:30.
Playing at home does give Wayne an edge, Unger said, and they also are feeling more confident after getting some regional experience last season.
“Right now, we're playing solid offensively and defensively. It's not just one thing coming alive,'' Unger said. “I think that got us through the conference tournament.
“One of our strengths is our pitching, but we're also getting the job done at the plate. We're getting bunts down, moving hitters and getting clutch hits with runners in scoring position.''
Goetzinger, a junior from Harlan, Iowa, is 29-8 with an 0.92 ERA and 316 strikeouts. At the plate, Sam Earleywine is hitting .379, with Jennifer Radley, Amy Sandstrom, Blaire Kuhl and Kassie Nurton hitting around. 300. Hannah Engelkamp, who had an 11-game hitting streak, raised her average 37 points to .252.
“Right now, we're playing good,'' Unger said. “We have some different kids stepping up at the plate and getting those runs scored.''
Central Region good fit for UNK
There's no fun in the sun and surf for the University of Nebraska at Kearney baseball team this year at regionals, and that's just fine with coach Damon Day.
Instead of landing in a West Regional, with top 10 schools that can play nearly year-round, the Lopers were moved last season to the Central Region with other northern schools.
UNK faces No. 19 Minnesota-Mankato, the Northern Sun champion, in the first round on Thursday at noon in Farmington, N.M. Others in the field include Mesa State, Winona State, St. Cloud State and host New Mexico Highlands.
Day said the teams in the Central Regional have similar talent and face the same weather hurdles, such as the Lopers' not getting to practice on Monday because of the cold and rain. That won't be a problem in Farmington, Day said, where temperatures are expected to be in the 80s every day of the tournament.
“I'm excited about our team,'' Day said. “We've played good baseball in the month of April. I'm excited about how well we're playing right now.''
The Loper pitching staff has led the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in earned-run average this season, with an altitude-influenced 4.74, and Day credits the great jobs done by Jared Loschen and Roy Metter. Loschen, a first-team RMAC selection, has a 9-4 record with a 4.96 ERA and Netter is 4-4 with a 3.96 ERA.
“Our guys have competed very very well and made big pitches when they needed to,'' Day said. “They haven't gotten in trouble with walks, and they've made a consistent effort on the mound.''
Andrew Haacke (.337, nine homers, 60 RBIs), Blake Cover (.419, 18 doubles, six home runs, 59 RBIs) and Jordan Mitchelhill (.395, 13 doubles, .500 on-base percentage) lead the Lopers at the plate.
UNK already owns wins over some of the teams in the field, and Day said that gives the Lopers a different mind-set than when they've faced the challenge of going out west.
“I'm pretty happy with where we are at as a team headed into regionals,'' he said.
Bellevue baseball awaits decision
Bellevue University hopes to have an answer Thursday from the NAIA concerning its baseball appeal, Athletic Director Ed Lehotak said Wednesday.
The NAIA ruled that the Bruins had to forfeit their season for using an ineligible player.
“From past history, it's very difficult to get rulings overturned,'' Lehotak said. “We are hoping it will happen this time.''
The program also had hoped it could reach the national tournament next week by finishing in the Top 25 and earning a wild card. However, the Bruins received only one point in the rankings released Wednesday.
Top finishes for UNK, Chadron
The University of Nebraska at Kearney men won their first RMAC outdoor track and field championship this week. The women finished second.
The Chadron State men were third, also their best finish. The women were sixth.
Jumpers Marty Molina and Clifford Bodie secured the UNK title by finishing 1-2 in the triple jump, the last scored event of the meet.
Thrower Dane Tobey won the shot and discus, finished eighth in the hammer and javelin and was named the outstanding men's field performer of the meet. Senior Samantha Murphy won the shot, discus and hammer.
Chadron's Jake Gruver was selected as the male track athlete of the meet after winning the 100 and 200 meters, anchoring the winning 400 relay, running on the second place 1,600 relay and placing third in the javelin.
In other news:
• Hastings College has won the Great Plains Athletic Conference all-sports trophy for the second straight year. The Broncos finished with 185 points after winning league titles in men's soccer and tennis and women's basketball. Sioux Falls was second and Morningside third.
• The Central Community College softball team will be playing Iowa Lakes Community College (56-9) Thursday and Friday in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II District F playoffs in Estherville, Iowa. Central (24-24) advanced by winning the Region IX Division II championship.
Contact the writer:
444-1034, marjie.ducey@owh.com
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