Spring Rundown: Track, Tennis and Softball
Ben Johnson
Issue date: 4/1/09 Section: Sports
Track
Last weekend the Bulldogs opened their outdoor track and field season in Collegeville, Minn., at the St. John's/St. Ben's Invitational. With temperatures in the 40s, sunny skies and little wind, it was better than usual weather for the outdoor opener.
Freshman Morgan Place, dominant in her rookie indoor season, shattered the school 10K record by an astounding 41 seconds with a time of 36:09.60. Even more remarkable is the fact that it was Place's first 10K race, according to head coach John Fulkrod.
Sophomore Whitney Hines won the 5K, and senior Taylor Hartje took first in both the 100-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles for the Bulldogs, according to the UMD Web site.
On the men's side, senior Eric Atkinson had a fine day, easily winning the 5K with a time of 15:20, and sophomore Brian Ott captured second place in the 200 at 22.71.
UMD had an impressive showing from its throwers, despite not having an outdoor practice this year.
Senior Tom Soldner set a personal record in shot put, winning the event with a throw of 51' 4 ΒΌ." He also took second in the discus and fourth in the hammer throw. Winning the hammer throw was fellow Bulldog junior Ben Martinson.
Senior Maria Swanson placed first in women's shot put and hammer throw.
Next weekend, UMD heads to Pella, Iowa for the Central College Invitational. The Bulldogs hope to replicate the success they had there last year, with the women winning their meet and the men placing second.
Tennis
UMD tennis was dominated by Michigan Tech this weekend in Duluth, Minn.
They lost 8-1 in singles play and were swept 3-0 in doubles.
One bright spot for the Dogs was senior Kelly Rosengren. She scored UMD's lone victory, defeating Caitlin Hartley, 6-3, 6-2.
The Bulldogs will try to bounce back next weekend when they travel to St. Cloud to take on the Huskies, along with University of Mary and Southwest Minnesota State University.
Softball
UMD went 3-1 in the opening weekend of NSIC conference play this weekend, sweeping St. Cloud State on Saturday and splitting a doubleheader with Concordia-St. Paul on Sunday.
In the first game against St. Cloud (14-21, 1-3), the Bulldogs went up 6-4 off of a seventh-inning solo shot by sophomore Casey Moore. In the bottom half of the inning, the Huskies fought back, cutting the lead 6-5 before junior pitcher Kristin Danielson got Lizzy Dwyer to ground out to end the game, stranding two runners on base.
Saturday's nightcap against the Huskies was shaping up to be another nail-biter, when the teams took a 2-2 tie into extra innings. Then the Bulldogs blew the game open with a five-run, eighth-inning rally to win 7-2. Danielson pitched four 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for the win, notching eight strikeouts along the way. Sophomore catcher Ashley Johnson went 2-4 with a homer and three RBIs in the victory.
Sunday, the Bulldog offense fell flat, not managing a hit until the fifth inning and mustering only three singles all game. Danielson picked up the loss, going six innings and giving up only one earned run as the Bulldogs were blanked by Concordia-St. Paul 3-0.
In Sunday's second game, UMD's bats were awakened, smacking in 10 runs on 13 hits as the Dogs won 10-5. Danielson, who pitched in every game last weekend, had a big day at the plate, going 3-5 with three RBIs. On the weekend she pitched 21 2/3 innings, giving up seven earned runs while striking out 22. On the season, she is 8-6 with a 2.71 ERA and has 67 Ks in 85 IP.
Next, UMD (12-12, 3-1) continues its conference play, facing Northern State in Aberdeen, S.D. on April 1.
Last weekend the Bulldogs opened their outdoor track and field season in Collegeville, Minn., at the St. John's/St. Ben's Invitational. With temperatures in the 40s, sunny skies and little wind, it was better than usual weather for the outdoor opener.
Freshman Morgan Place, dominant in her rookie indoor season, shattered the school 10K record by an astounding 41 seconds with a time of 36:09.60. Even more remarkable is the fact that it was Place's first 10K race, according to head coach John Fulkrod.
Sophomore Whitney Hines won the 5K, and senior Taylor Hartje took first in both the 100-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles for the Bulldogs, according to the UMD Web site.
On the men's side, senior Eric Atkinson had a fine day, easily winning the 5K with a time of 15:20, and sophomore Brian Ott captured second place in the 200 at 22.71.
UMD had an impressive showing from its throwers, despite not having an outdoor practice this year.
Senior Tom Soldner set a personal record in shot put, winning the event with a throw of 51' 4 ΒΌ." He also took second in the discus and fourth in the hammer throw. Winning the hammer throw was fellow Bulldog junior Ben Martinson.
Senior Maria Swanson placed first in women's shot put and hammer throw.
Next weekend, UMD heads to Pella, Iowa for the Central College Invitational. The Bulldogs hope to replicate the success they had there last year, with the women winning their meet and the men placing second.
Tennis
UMD tennis was dominated by Michigan Tech this weekend in Duluth, Minn.
They lost 8-1 in singles play and were swept 3-0 in doubles.
One bright spot for the Dogs was senior Kelly Rosengren. She scored UMD's lone victory, defeating Caitlin Hartley, 6-3, 6-2.
The Bulldogs will try to bounce back next weekend when they travel to St. Cloud to take on the Huskies, along with University of Mary and Southwest Minnesota State University.
Softball
UMD went 3-1 in the opening weekend of NSIC conference play this weekend, sweeping St. Cloud State on Saturday and splitting a doubleheader with Concordia-St. Paul on Sunday.
In the first game against St. Cloud (14-21, 1-3), the Bulldogs went up 6-4 off of a seventh-inning solo shot by sophomore Casey Moore. In the bottom half of the inning, the Huskies fought back, cutting the lead 6-5 before junior pitcher Kristin Danielson got Lizzy Dwyer to ground out to end the game, stranding two runners on base.
Saturday's nightcap against the Huskies was shaping up to be another nail-biter, when the teams took a 2-2 tie into extra innings. Then the Bulldogs blew the game open with a five-run, eighth-inning rally to win 7-2. Danielson pitched four 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for the win, notching eight strikeouts along the way. Sophomore catcher Ashley Johnson went 2-4 with a homer and three RBIs in the victory.
Sunday, the Bulldog offense fell flat, not managing a hit until the fifth inning and mustering only three singles all game. Danielson picked up the loss, going six innings and giving up only one earned run as the Bulldogs were blanked by Concordia-St. Paul 3-0.
In Sunday's second game, UMD's bats were awakened, smacking in 10 runs on 13 hits as the Dogs won 10-5. Danielson, who pitched in every game last weekend, had a big day at the plate, going 3-5 with three RBIs. On the weekend she pitched 21 2/3 innings, giving up seven earned runs while striking out 22. On the season, she is 8-6 with a 2.71 ERA and has 67 Ks in 85 IP.
Next, UMD (12-12, 3-1) continues its conference play, facing Northern State in Aberdeen, S.D. on April 1.
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