Tommie Sports - Men's Basketball
UST Sports Notes -- Tue. April 7
April 08, 2009
St. Thomas sports notes -- Wed. April 8
General:
--New UST Photo Store feature: People can now sign up to receive an email when official St. Thomas photographers add photos to a sport of their choice. In fact, they can select up to three different sports to be notified of. You can access the form by going to http://photostore.stthomas.edu/tommiesports and looking for the link in the description text.
To protect from spam and unwanted e-mail, the email list uses UST’s Lyris system, so you have to confirm your address when you sign up and can unsubscribe at any time.
Softball
--The No. 4-ranked Tommies (20-2 overall, 4-0 MIAC) went 6-0 in a four-day stretch last week, including a sweep of MIAC contender Hamline, 9-4 and 7-0. The Toms also swept Northwestern and Macalester. In its current eight-game win streak, UST is averaging 11 runs and 15 hits a game, with nine home runs, and has raised its team batting clip to .410. In the last eight games, junior RHP Marta Radcliffe is 6-0 on the mound and Tommie starting pitchers have allowed just six runs.
--UST is scheduled to continue conference play this week with three 4 p.m. twinbills -- on Tuesday and Wednesday at home against Bethel and St. Benedict, and on Thursday at St. Olaf. The Toms have won 35 in a row at home, won 33 consecutive games in the Rosemount Dome, and have 61 straight victories vs. MIAC opposition.
--Junior Alison Wright was a repeat honoree as Co-Player of the Week in the MIAC. Wright, an All-American last season, ran her school-record hitting streak to 33 games dating back to April 2008, including all 22 games this season. The 33-game streak is the longest ever by an MIAC baseball or softball player and the third longest in Division III softball history. In six games last week, Wright homered twice and batted 11-for-19 (.579) with 14 seven RBI and seven runs.Wright now has 20 career home runs, which is tied for sixth in MIAC history. Wright is batting .549 with 39 hits, 28 runs, 32 RBI, 10 2Bs, seven HRs and a .986 slugging percentage.
Baseball:
--The Tommies (14-5 overall, 3-1 MIAC) moved up four spots this week in the D3baseball.com national poll after a 5-2, 11-5 sweep of Macalester. Sophomore Drew Cremisino’s three-run homer in the fifth inning of game two snapped a 5-5 tie to help the Toms claim the sweep. UST is now 57-10 in its last 67 home games on campus.
--The Toms have won 13 of their last 16 games. Their five season defeats have come by a combined seven runs. They play twinbills this week at home against Concordia-Moorhead on Tuesday, and on the road at St. John’s on Saturday (1 p.m.). Dennis Denning, now in his 15th season as UST head coach, now has a 495-149 record as he nears another milestone.
-- Fourteen different Toms had at least one hit on the day against the Scots. Six regulars are batting .400 or better. In his last 12 games, junior Roy Larson is batting .535 with 23 hits and 15 RBI. Junior Tom Wippler has hit safely in 15 of his last 16 games and in his last 13 games is batting .460 with 22 hits, 14 RBI and 12 runs. UST, which led Division III in fielding percentage last season at .975, is at .980 this season with just 12 errors in 19 games.
Men’s Tennis
--The Tommies (9-5) were idle last week. They are scheduled to play Iowa teams Wartburg and Luther this Friday in Waverly, Iowa.
Women’s Tennis
--The St. Thomas women's tennis team battled illness and lost an 8-1 decision Sunday against St. Ben's in a match played indoors in Sartell. The Toms (10-4 overall, 5-3 MIAC) won just one singles match on the evening.
--The Tommies are scheduled to play April 8 vs. St. Catherine.
Women’s Golf
--Junior Laura Heck won medalist honors in a field of 56 players and helped St. Thomas take third out of nine teams at Saturday's 18-hole Wartburg Spring Invite. Sunday's final 18 holes were cancelled due to an impending snowstorm. Heck and Eau Claire's Torie Ives each shot 76, but Heck won medlaist honors on the first playoff hole. It was Heck’s fifth medalist honor of 2008-09.
--No. 2-ranked Gustavus took first at 321, followed by No. 11-ranked UW-Eau Claire (326), No. 6-ranked St. Thomas (329), UST's Amy Anderson tied for ninth at 82; Stephanie Hird shot 85, and Katie Mich and Megan Owens each had an 86.
--The Toms play Friday and Saturday at the Northfield Golf Club in the Carleton Spring Invite.
Men’s Golf
--St. Thomas will play seven spring tournaments, starting this Friday and Saturday at Wartburg’s Spring Invite. Sophomore All-MIAC player Sean Barrett is among the team leaders.
Men’s Track and Field
--St. Thomas held out some athletes yet still had six top-two places and took third out of seven teams in Saturday's Wartburg Select Invitational meet in Waverly, Iowa. Augustana (Ill.) tallied 173.75 for first, and UW-LaCrosse (134.5) and St. Thomas (130.25) took second and third. At the recent NCAA indoor championships, LaCrosse shared the championship and Augustana and UST both placed in the top 15.
--The Tommies won the 4x400 relay in 3:19.00. Sophomore Andrew Brueggen won the hammer throw (167-0). Senior Kyle Brandon won the 800 meters (1:55.16). Senior Matt Boumeester won the 5,000 (14:58.12). Junior Sam Moen was second in the long jump (21-5 1-4) and third in the 100 meters (10.97). Pat Jager was second in the 400 meters (49.51). Matt Griswold was third in the 400 hurdles (55.43) and fifth in the 110 hurdles (15.64).
--UST will host the four-team Meet of Saints next Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at O'Shaughnessy Stadium. St. John's, St. Olaf and St. Thomas will compete.
Women’s Track and Field
--Nikki Arola was named MIAC Track Athlete of the Week for the fifth time in the last 14 months. She swept the 100 and 200 dashes at Saturday's Wartburg Select Invitational meet in Waverly, Iowa. Her 200 time of 25.03 hit an NCAA provisional qualifying time and is ranked fourth in the nation. UW-LaCrosse (195.5) Wartburg (193) and St. Thomas (134) took the top three teams places. At the recent NCAA indoor championships, Wartburg and LaCrosse placed 1-2 and UST placed 12th. UST will compete next Thursday at the Carleton Pre-Easter Meet.
--Katie Thiesen took second in the 1,500 in 4:38.93. Allie Metzler was second in the 5,000 (18:09.70). Thirds were scored by Jenna Ewing in the 100 (12.91 finals, 12.77 prelims); Erin Sprangers in the 800 (2:17.28); Alyssa Salomone in the high jump (5-1) and long jump (16-3); Felisha Willaert in the discus (128-6); Britney Daniel in the pole vault (10-4) and the 4x400 relay (3:59.83).
-- Junior Kyley Crotty broke the school record and hit an NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the javelin with a first-place throw at Friday's UW-River Falls Invitational Crotty, who's also a standout on the Tommies' MIAC champion volleyball team, threw 137-2 that ranks in the top 10 thus far in Division III. It broke the 2006 school record set by Erika Wetzel of 133-8.
Men's Basketball
--St. Thomas senior basketball player B.J. Viau and his family sponsored the 12th-annual Hoopathon fundraiser last Sunday in Apple Valley. The event raised awarenesss and funds for Huntington's Disease. Click here for more information:
For more Greg Smith photos from the event, click here: www.gsmithsports.com
B.J. mother, Debbie Viau, was among the people who took part in Sunday's event. (Greg Smith photo)
Tommie women's basketball player Jenni Gillard was among the volunteers. (Greg Smith photo)
The Timberwolves' Hoop Troop team were among Saturday's main attractions. (Greg Smith photo)
