The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team earned the third-seed in this weekend's NCAA North Central Region Championships held at Caswell Park in North Mankato, Minn.
SMSU, ranked No. 21 in the country, won their first two games at the regional tournament as it defeated Minnesota Duluth 6-3 and then beat Emporia State 2-1. SMSUs season was ended as they lost to University of Nebraska-Omaha 5-1 and then fell to Emporia State 4-0 in the final game which eliminated them from the tournament.
SMSU, the 2007 Northern Sun Conference regular season co-champions and tournament champions, made its second straight appearance in the NCAA regional tournament. Last season SMSU earned the No. 2 seed but lost to Augustana (S.D.) College and Missouri Western State in its first two games.
NCAA Regional Tournament Recap
SMSU had a big fourth inning scoring three runs and never looked back as they defeated University of Minnesota Duluth 6-3 in the first game of the NCAA Regional Tournament in Mankato, Minn. The win marked SMSUs first win in the NCAA Regional Tournament since becoming Division II in 1996.
Southwest finished the game with nine hits and two errors, while Minnesota Duluth had four hits and four errors. The Bulldogs had one unearned run in the first inning and scored their second two off of solo home runs.
In the second game at the regional tournament, SMSUs freshman Andrea Fennern hit her first career home run in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score at 1-1. Then, after extra innings, sophomore Amanda Tucci ended the game as she hit a bomb in the bottom of the eleventh inning to lead SMSU to the 2-1 victory over Emporia State University, who was ranked No. 2 in the North Central Region and No. 9 in the nation.
On Saturday, May 12 the Mustangs were unable to hold off University of Nebraska-Omaha as the Mavericks scored five runs in the top of the seventh to earn a 5-1 victory. SMSU held a 1-0 lead going into the seventh inning and were just one out away from the win. With two outs, Leslie Svaboda hit a RBI single to tie the score. Jenifer McDowell then hit a home run to score two more runs. The rally continued as UNO finished the inning with six hits and five runs.
On Sunday, Emporia State University's regional pitcher of the year, Courtney Reed pitched a complete game shutout earning 11 strikeouts to defeat SMSU 4-0. Emporia, last year's national runners-up, was able to take advantage of the wind blowing out as it hit three home runs in the game. Emporia scored three runs in the first inning off of two home runs and a total of four hits. They added their final run in the second inning with another home run. The Mustangs were held to three hits in the game. Erin Dickhausen, Jessica Donoho and Amanda Johnson each earned a hit for SMSU.
North Central Regional All-Tournament Team
SMSUs pitcher Amanda Johnson has been named to the North Central Regional All-Tournament team which was announced at the conclusion of the four-day long tournament on Sunday, May 13.
The squad was voted on by the regional softball committee and consists of 13 student-athletes representing six different schools. There were three seniors, six juniors, a sophomore and three freshman named to the squad.
The tournaments Most Outstanding Player award went to catcher Brianna Cataudella of Nebraska-Omaha. Cataudella finished the tournament with a batting average of .667.
Johnson, a second-team NFCA All-North Central Region selection, finished the NCAA Regional Tournament with a 2.71 ERA while striking out 26 batters. She had a 2-2 record after pitching four complete games for a total of 31 innings.
NFCA All-Region
SMSUs catcher Erin Dickhausen has been named first-team 2007 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II All-Region, while pitcher Amanda Johnson was named second team NFCA All-Region. This marks the second time each have received this accolade. Last season, Dickhausen earned First Team NFCA All-Region honors while Johnson was named second team. In 2006, the two teamed-up to become the first Mustangs to ever receive Division II All-Region honors.
Daktronics All-Region Accolades
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Daktronics All-North Central Region
SMSUs sophomore pitcher Amanda Johnson and junior catcher Erin Dickhausen have been named to the Daktronics All-North Central Region First Team, while junior shortstop Amanda Opatz and sophomore first baseman Amanda Tucci were both named to the second team. The Daktronics All-Region squad is selected by the sports information directors of the North Central Region. Its the first year that Daktronics has sponsored an all-region softball team.
2007 SMSU Letterwinners:
Seniors: Mary Sobiech, Jessica Donho, Nicole Fringer
Juniors: Erin Dickhausen, Amanda Opatz
Sophomores: Amanda Burkhart, Angie Rohne, Megan Seppmann, Amanda Tucci, Amanda Johnson, Jessica Paczosa
Freshmen: Christina Collins, Meaghan Laetsch, Emily Theno, Andrea Fennern, Sam Stout, Nikki Disel
NSIC Tournament Champions
SMSUs Amanda Johnson hit a RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning to drive the winning run to earn the 4-3 victory over Winona State University in the NSIC Tournament Championship game.
Johnson went 3-for-4 at the plate and also earned the win on the mound giving her a 25-5 overall record. With the win Johnson sets a new school record for career wins with 48.
The tournament championship is the second in school history and first since 1998. SMSU will be making its second straight appearance in the NCAA tournament.
In the first round game on Friday, Amanda Opatz drilled a two-out, three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning that erased a 2-0 Northern State lead and helped No. 23 SMSU earn a 5-2 victory in the opening round of the NSIC tournament in Marshall.
In the second round, Amanda Johnson laced a two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning to lead SMSU to a thrilling 6-5 victory over Concordia.
On Saturday, Amanda Johnson tossed a three-hit shutout while Jess Donoho and Amanda Tucci combined for five hits, two RBI and two runs scored to lead SMSU to a 6-0 victory over Minnesota State Moorhead in the winner's bracket final.
2007 Northern Sun Conference All-Tournament Team
Amanda Opatz, Southwest Minnesota State
Amanda Burkhart, Southwest Minnesota State
Mallory Olson, Concordia
Katie Hanson, Winona State
Amanda Wilhelm, Winona State
Chelsea Rosenow, Winona State
Jena Kilburg, Upper Iowa
Brittany Sinwell, Upper Iowa
DP-Amanda Tucci, Southwest Minnesota State
Pitcher-Kristen Fossell, Winona State
Pitcher-Amanda Johnson, Southwest Minnesota State
2007 NSIC Softball All-Conference Team
SMSU, NSIC regular season Co-Champions, took home three of the four specialty awards and had six players named first team all-conference.
Erin Dickhausen was named NSIC Player of the Year, Amanda Johnson was named NSIC Pitcher of the Year and Shawn Semler was named NSIC Coach of the Year. This marks the second consecutive year that Semler and Johnson have won their awards. The six members of the All-Conference First Team include; Amanda Tucci, Jessica Paczosa, Amanda Opatz, Jessica Donoho, along with Johnson and Dickhausen.
Broken Records in 2007:
Other Records Being Chased: Along with the records that have already been broken, there are a few more in danger of being broken.
Erin Dickhausen needs five more stolen bases (has 58) to break the record of 62 stolen bases by Melissa Smith (1995-98), she needs only two RBIs (has 103) to break the 104 runs batted in record held by Laura Siebenborn (1999-02), Dickhausen is only three triples away (has 17) from breaking the career record of 19 held by Lynette Zinkula (1990-91). Amanda Tucci and Erin Dickhausen both tied the single season record for home runs with 10 in a season.
Mustangs in the Record Books:
Erin Dickhausen: Ranks fifth in career batting average (..357), first in career slugging percentage (.630), seventh in career on-base percentage (.413), second in career runs scored (116), second in career triples (17), first in career home runs (24), second in career runs batted in (103), first in career total bases (288), and second in career stolen bases (58). Amanda Opatz: Ranks fifth in career batting average (.357), seventh in career slugging percentage (.516), tied for seventh in career triples (8), fourth in career home runs (12), seventh in total bases (235), and ninth in career stolen bases (26). Jessica Donoho: Ranks fourth in career doubles (30), seventh in runs batted in (84) and sixth in most games played (194). Amanda Tucci: Second in career home runs (13) and eighth in slugging percentage (.512). Jessica Paczosa: Ranks first in career times hit by pitch (14). Amanda Johnson: Ranks third in career ERA (1.46), first in career opponents batting average (.192), third in fewest walks/7 innings (1.39), first in strikeouts/7 innings (8.91), first in career wins (50), first in career saves (8), fourth in career complete games (52), first in career shutouts (16), fifth in career innings pitched (451.2), and first in career strikeouts (575). Nicole Fringer: Ranks tied for fifth in career saves (3), tied for second in career shutouts (9), and seventh in career strikeouts (186).
2007 NSIC Player of the Week
Amanda Tucci, a sophomore from Oakdale, Minn. was named NSIC Player of the Week on April 23. This is the first time this season and first time in her career she has received this honor. Tucci had 10 hits and scored nine runs over the past nine games this week. Tucci had a .345 batting average, hitting four home runs and driving in 13 RBI on the week.
Amanda Johnson, a sophomore from Fremont, Neb. was named NSIC Pitcher of the Week on April 11. This is the third time this season and the sixth time in her career she has received this honor. Johnson was awarded for her performance at the NSIC Crossover. She threw 19 innings during the weekend, allowing just one run on nine hits, while striking out 33. She earned Pitcher of the Week accolades on the week of March 9 and March 19 as well.
NCAA Statistical Rankings
SMSU softball team, along with several individuals, rank high in the NCAA national statistics. The statistics are for games through May 6.
Sophomore pitcher Amanda Johnson is ranked 28th in the country in earned run average as she has a 1.21 ERA. She also ranks 16th in strikeouts per seven innings (8.7), 16th in victories (25.0), and 16th in saves (3.0).
Junior Erin Dickhausen ranks 59th in home runs per game (0.23), 69th in slugging percentage (0..7) and 96th in RBI per game (.89). Junior Amanda Opatz ranks 62nd in home runs per game (0.23) and 86th in slugging percentage (0.679). Sophomore Amanda Tucci ranks 89th in home runs per game (0.2), and 80th in walks (0.52). Andrea Fennern ranks 8th in toughest to strike out (0.023). As a team, SMSU ranks 25th in earned run average (1.88), 19th in win-loss percentage (.766), 39th in home runs per game (0.79), 36th in triples per game (0.3) and 22nd in doubles per game (1.).
2006 All-Conference Mustangs: Southwest Minnesota State had nine players receive recognition from the NSIC. Amanda Johnson, Erin Dickhausen, Lisa VanDierendonck, Amanda Opatz, Kate Peterson and Tiffany Kogler were all named to the All-NSIC first team while Nicole Fringer, Jessica Paczosa and Amanda Burkhart were named honorable mention. This is the most all-conference honors received in a single season in school history.
Johnson Earns Post Season Honors: Amanda Johnson finished last season with 298 strikeouts in 218.2 innings pitched and had an overall ERA of 1.54. She earned various awards for her outstanding year on the mound as she was named NSIC Pitcher of the Year and NSIC Newcomer of the Year as well as being named first-team All-NSIC. She was named Second Team All-North Central Region by NFCA, the highest Division II honor for any SMSU pitcher in school history. Johnson was also a three-time NSIC Player of the Week honoree.
2006 NSIC Players of the Week: SMSU had four players throughout the 2006 season earn NSIC Player of the Week recognition. Pitcher, Amanda Johnson received the honor on March 20, April 3, and May 2. Catcher, Erin Dickhausen was award NSIC POW on the week of April 10 and pitcher Nicole Fringer was named Player of the Week on April 24.
NSIC Pre-Season Poll:
Southwest Minnesota State was picked to win the NSIC by the league coaches in their preseason poll. The Mustangs are defending NSIC regular season champions as they posted a perfect 14-0 mark last year in league play. They received seven first place votes for a total of 88 points. Winona State tallied three first place votes and a total of 84 points. Three-time defending NSIC Tournament Champions of Concordia-St. Paul were picked third in the league with 69 points.
Amanda Yurek from Concordia University-St. Paul was named NSIC Preseason Player of Year and SMSUs Amanda Johnson was named NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
NFCA All-Region Honors:
Erin Dickhausen and Amanda Johnson earned NFCA All-Region honors in 2006. Dickhausen, who earned first-team honors, and Johnson, receiving second team honors, were the first Mustangs to ever receive Division II All-Region honors.
Mustang Student-Athlete Killed in Accident
Christina Collins, a freshman catcher on the Southwest Minnesota State University softball team, was killed in a car accident late Friday night Mar. 23, while driving back to her hometown of Harrisonville, Mo.
I am sad beyond words at the news of Christinas death," said Shawn Semler, SMSU head softball coach. The Mustang softball team is a family and is an extremely close knit team. Our players are devastated. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Christinas family. We share in their grief.
