This spring has been a very cooperative one for getting the diamond sports in. The Cougars have been busy. The men and women came out of April 10 (Tuesday) with reason for satisfaction. Both played a twin bill.
The men had a split, winning game #2 of their competition vs. the Presentation Saints. Game #1 got away from everyone in terms of fragile defense, as UMM lost in a football-like score. UMM dropped game #1 in a 21-10 final. Whew!
Then came game #2 in which the Cougars bore down in a more conventional type of game, winning 3-2.
The softball women were on the road against Bethany Lutheran on the 10th. This location was Mankato. The women won throughout this competition, 7-2 in game #1 and 7-3 in the closer.
Baseball
The men, playing at home, completed a demanding stretch of seven games in six days. They have a breather now and will return to the diamond Friday, 4/14, against Northwestern. Game-time is 3 p.m. Friday against the Eagles.
The same two teams will vie beginning at noon Saturday, this time to play two.
The UMM men remain in the hunt for qualifying for the UMAC post-season tournament. The Cougars and Presentation are both 4-5 in league.
The 4/10 twin bill began with the players getting perhaps a little taxed circling the bases. You might say it wasn't a showcase for the best baseball. The Cougars would have felt better about this had they won. The two teams combined for 37 hits.
UMM plated four runs in the bottom of the first to take a 4-2 lead. A three-run rally in the second was good for giving UMM a one-run advantage, 7-6. Presentation was on the attack pretty effectively too.
It was Presentation shining in the fourth and fifth frames, plating 13 runs to three by the Cougars.
Eric Terres was a bright spot with his acceleration on the basepaths. He built his reputation further in this category, stealing two bases to make his season stats 14 of 16.
Mike McGill showed a robust bat with four hits in five at-bats and four RBIs. Jordan Gegen drove in two runs.
Jake Johnson was given the pitching assignment for game #2. Johnson tossed his fifth complete game of the season in as many starts. He allowed four hits and two runs in UMM's 3-2 win.
McGill's bat stayed hot, this time with three-for-three numbers and two RBIs. So for the day, this Cougar was a sizzling seven-for-eight with six RBIs.
The offense of both teams was much more restrained than in game #1.
Softball
Mercedes Klimek was a standout at bat for the UMM women in their sweep over Bethany on 4/10. Klimek's bat resounded with five hits in eight at-bats on the day. She crossed home plate three times and drove in five runs. Her hits included a home run and double.
Six total Cougars had multiple hits, helping the squad to its 7-2 and 7-3 wins. These were UMAC games.
The Cougars pounded out 20 total hits - their season-best for a twin bill.
Jordan Iverson got back in the groove after having a hitting streak stopped. Against Bethany she had a hit in each game, making it seven of the last eight games in which she has hit safely.
Jordan Iverson got back in the groove after having a hitting streak stopped. Against Bethany she had a hit in each game, making it seven of the last eight games in which she has hit safely.
The two wins got UMM back over .500 in UMAC play.
The success was made especially sweet by remembering the sweep loss UMM was dealt last season by Bethany. It was UMM's only such sweep setback of the 2011 spring.
The Vikings were humbled this time around.
The Vikings were humbled this time around.
The Cougars came out of Tuesday at 4-12 in overall and 3-2 in league.
The all-important starting pitching duties were handled by Mariah Essig and Kelli Hamilton. Both went the distance. Each picked up her second pitching win. They did well scattering hits (nine each by Bethany Lutheran in the two games). Essig fanned six batters in game #1.
Hamilton notched a career-best five strikeouts in game #2. The hurlers allowed just two earned runs between them.
UMM broke open game #1 with a six-run fifth, buoyed by six hits including a Klimek grand slam.
Game #2 was tied 3-3 after three innings. In the fourth, Klimek connected for a two-out double down the line, scoring Heather Brown. Up to bat came Molly Olson who hit UMM's second home run of the day.
UMM is part of a logjam in the UMAC standings.
More action on the road is presented Friday and Saturday, April 13 and 14, with Northwestern and Crown to provide the opposition.
Viva UMM Cougar softball and baseball!
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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