Softball 5/4/2011 3:41:09 PM

St. Norbert Aims For Third Straight MWC Tournament Championship

RIPON, Wis. – The 2011 Midwest Conference Softball Championship Tournament is set to open Friday, May 6 and conclude on May 7 with the winner earning the conference bid to the NCAA Tournament. Ripon will host the tournament after finishing atop the MWC North Division with a 10-3 conference mark. St. Norbert will defend their 2010 tournament championship and look for their fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament in the last five seasons. Monmouth and Lake Forest join their North counterparts in Ripon after the Fighting Scots won the MWC South Division with a near perfect 12-1 mark.

The double elimination tournament kicks off on Friday when St. Norbert will face off against Monmouth at 10 a.m. Lake Forest and Ripon will square off at 12 p.m. with the two losing teams play at 2 p.m. and the two winning teams of the first game playing at 4 p.m. Saturday will feature as many as three games with the first game starting at 10 a.m.

#2N St. Norbert (17-16, 10-3 MWC) vs. #1S Monmouth (21-12, 12-1 MWC)

Monmouth (21-12, 12-1 MWC South) takes the field looking for their first championship since the 1987 season under the tutelage of head coach John Goddard. The Fighting Scots enter the tournament as one of the top offensive teams, hitting a MWC-best .332 with 306 hits on the season. Kelsey Barnes leads the way for the red and white with a .417 average driving in 20 runs and team-best OPS of 1.057. Lauren Bergstresser is second in the conference with 46 hits while hitting .393 and swiping 17 bases. Caitlin Lingle is the team’s leader with 14 extra base hits (7 doubles, 5 home runs) and 32 RBI. Lacie Henderson (4-5, 3.12 ERA) and Jalynne Young (4-3, 4.63 ERA) have combined to start 22 games and Megan Butler holds a 6-1 record with a 2.29 ERA, second best in the MWC.

St. Norbert (17-14, 10-3 MWC North) looks for the first three-peat since Lake Forest won five championships in a row from 2002-2006 under 14th year head coach JoAnn Krueger. St. Norbert has a mix of offense and defense as they rank in the top three of the conference in batting average (.327), slugging percentage (.484), runs scored (198), hits (307), doubles (61), home runs (25), ERA (3.11), opponent batting average (.282) and strike outs (135). Steph Brunette highlights the Green Knights offensive attack as she ranks atop the conference in most offensive categories. Brunette holds a conference-best .569 average and is second in the conference with a 1.399 OPS. St. Norbert boasts three players with six or more home runs that include Brittany Narges (.423 average, 13 2B, 6 HR, 26 RBI), Morgan Buboltz (.344 average, 7 HR, 32 RBI, 1.093 OPS) and Jessica Kropp (5 2B, 26 RBI). Two-time MWC North Pitcher of the Year Kayla Krueger returns with an 8-6 record and a 2.90 ERA while Kari Corbeille tossed the third most innings in the conference (107.0) which included an 8-9 record with four shutouts.

#2S Lake Forest (14-16, 9-3 MWC) at #1N Ripon (21-7, 10-3 MWC)

The Red Hawks used a double-header sweep of Lawrence to clinch a playoff berth and the right to host the 2011 MWC Softball Tournament. Head coach Jen Mueller boasts the top staff in the league coming into the tournament as Ripon (21-7, 10-3 MWC North) tops the MWC in ERA (1.90), opponent batting average (.218), strikeouts (231) and fewest hits allowed (152). Stephanie Rieuwpassa (10-3, 119 SO) is fresh off her first no hitter on April 29 against Carroll and has a league-low 1.22 ERA while holding opposing hitter to only a .205 average. Brittnee Peotter leads Ripon, and the league, with 11 wins in 18 appearances and holds a 2.62 ERA, good for third in the MWC. Along with shouldering the catching duties Alli Jensen is hitting .443 (third in MWC) with five home runs, 29 RBI and a 1.184 OPS. Rieuwpassa’s double-duty includes her hitting .351 with a team-high 11 doubles and driving in 16. Cassie Bilotto rounds out a talented offense with a .346 average and a team-best six home runs.

Reigning MWC South Coach of the Year Joe Kinsella brings his team to Ripon in search of the school’s seventh MWC Championship, the first since 2006. The Foresters (14-16, 9-3 MWC South) rank as one of the top offensive teams again this season, ranking second in the conference in slugging percentage (.482), on base percentage (.390), runs scored (191), runs batted in (165) and stolen bases (48). Ashley Cuthbert leads the charge with a .508 average and conference-best OPS of 1.443. Aubrey Pendegraft has 43 hits on the season and tops the Foresters in doubles (12) and RBI (30). Leslie Harshey completes a talented trio with a .366 average with three home runs and 25 RBI. Kelly Chesnut is fourth in the MWC with a 2.65 ERA in 82 innings pitched, holding batters to a .261 average against her. Molly Thomsen (4-6, 5.11 ERA) and Cami Daun (5-6, 5.82 ERA) compliment Chesnut combining for 21 starts in the regular season.