After 8 conference games, our record stands at 1-7 (8-13 overall). Although this may seem like we're not playing good baseball, for the most part that's not the case. Our first series against La Crosse was pretty rough. We didn't make the plays defensively and handed them a lot of runs with two outs. We hit the ball pretty well but not at the right times to score runs. Our pitching did a good job of getting ground balls and fly balls but we just didn't make the plays and ended up losing all four games.
We just played Platteville on Thursday and Friday before Easter. We played much better baseball in that series but where we did well just a week before, we fell short in. We lost 2-1 in 11 innings in the first game. We had plenty of chances to score runs but we didn't capitalize and come through in the clutch. Justin Saufley went 10+ innings without giving up a run and deserved to win. In the second game, we did win 2-0 but failed to execute with runners on base. It shouldn't have been as close as it was. The third and fourth games of the series were pretty much the same story, losing 3-0 and 5-4 in 10 innings. There were chances to score but we didn't take control of the game like you have to do if you want to be a winning baseball team. We have to hit with guys on base, period. Hopefully we find it before our next series versus Whitewater. If we can get good pitching, good hitting, and good defense together we can turn our season around.
We just played Platteville on Thursday and Friday before Easter. We played much better baseball in that series but where we did well just a week before, we fell short in. We lost 2-1 in 11 innings in the first game. We had plenty of chances to score runs but we didn't capitalize and come through in the clutch. Justin Saufley went 10+ innings without giving up a run and deserved to win. In the second game, we did win 2-0 but failed to execute with runners on base. It shouldn't have been as close as it was. The third and fourth games of the series were pretty much the same story, losing 3-0 and 5-4 in 10 innings. There were chances to score but we didn't take control of the game like you have to do if you want to be a winning baseball team. We have to hit with guys on base, period. Hopefully we find it before our next series versus Whitewater. If we can get good pitching, good hitting, and good defense together we can turn our season around.
We will keep fighting and show "Ganbatte". No matter what happens the rest of the season we are showing signs that this program continues to move in the right direction. We hope to see you at the ballpark!
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After 29 hours on the bus and 1700 miles, we arrived in Port St. Lucie, FL at around 5:00 on Saturday, March 14th. We headed to our condos and dressed for practice. Our practice time was cut short because we arrived an hour later than expected, but man was it good to be outside playing baseball. We practiced on Sunday from 12:30-3 p.m. and finished with an intrasquad scrimmage.
Monday brought on the first challenge of our trip as we faced Westminster College (PA) in a doubleheader. We won 12-2. TJ Wink got the start in game one and shut down the Titan offense, going 6 innings giving up 2 runs on 6 hits with 3 strikeouts. Chris Ransom finished the game with a perfect 7th, striking out one. We hit the ball well, collecting 12 runs on 12 hits. Five 'Jackets had 2 RBI including Mitch Loegering and Paul Schlangen, who finished with 2 hits each. Jerrod Jossart also collected his first career hit and RBI with a double to the left center gap in the 6th inning.
The second game of the day went just as well as the first. Justin Saufley pitched a complete game shutout, scattering 7 hits with 5 strikeouts. While we had just 8 hits ourselves, we capitalized on 11 walks and a HBP to score 11 runs. Rhett Williamson had a big day at the plate with 3 RBI while Mike Labelle had 2 doubles. All in all it was a pretty good day for us.
Tuesday was to be more of a challenge for us as we faced Centenary College (NJ) in another doubleheader. We owned game one, and went on to win 9-3. There were more firsts for a few of us as Blake Danielson earned his first win as a 'Jacket and pitched very well. Joe Ahrens collected his first and second collegiate hits with two singles ripped just inside the third base line. Alex Lagadin also hit his first homerun as a 'Jacket as he hit a 2-run bomb to left field. We hit the ball well and put pressure on the defense and were able to capitalize on opportunities.
The second game would not go as well as we dropped game two 6-2. They had one good inning and scored 6 runs with two outs. We couldn't get our offense going and only had 3 hits. Nick Bursik made his collegiate debut and pitched well.
Other firsts, included Jimi Zawacki and Codie Chesney getting there first hits as yelllowjackets against Westminster and Joe Stark had his first collegiate RBI's.
Monday brought on the first challenge of our trip as we faced Westminster College (PA) in a doubleheader. We won 12-2. TJ Wink got the start in game one and shut down the Titan offense, going 6 innings giving up 2 runs on 6 hits with 3 strikeouts. Chris Ransom finished the game with a perfect 7th, striking out one. We hit the ball well, collecting 12 runs on 12 hits. Five 'Jackets had 2 RBI including Mitch Loegering and Paul Schlangen, who finished with 2 hits each. Jerrod Jossart also collected his first career hit and RBI with a double to the left center gap in the 6th inning.
The second game of the day went just as well as the first. Justin Saufley pitched a complete game shutout, scattering 7 hits with 5 strikeouts. While we had just 8 hits ourselves, we capitalized on 11 walks and a HBP to score 11 runs. Rhett Williamson had a big day at the plate with 3 RBI while Mike Labelle had 2 doubles. All in all it was a pretty good day for us.
Tuesday was to be more of a challenge for us as we faced Centenary College (NJ) in another doubleheader. We owned game one, and went on to win 9-3. There were more firsts for a few of us as Blake Danielson earned his first win as a 'Jacket and pitched very well. Joe Ahrens collected his first and second collegiate hits with two singles ripped just inside the third base line. Alex Lagadin also hit his first homerun as a 'Jacket as he hit a 2-run bomb to left field. We hit the ball well and put pressure on the defense and were able to capitalize on opportunities.
The second game would not go as well as we dropped game two 6-2. They had one good inning and scored 6 runs with two outs. We couldn't get our offense going and only had 3 hits. Nick Bursik made his collegiate debut and pitched well.
Other firsts, included Jimi Zawacki and Codie Chesney getting there first hits as yelllowjackets against Westminster and Joe Stark had his first collegiate RBI's.
Today on our day off, most of us went to the Mets spring training game versus the Braves. Its been a fun trip so far, and we've still got three days left. Tomorrow we practice and have a JV game following practice at 11:30. We continue our playing schedule on Friday as we play a nine inning game against Bethany (WV) and we play a nine inning game against Carleton (MN) on Saturday morning to conclude our trip to FL. Our hitting has come around while our pitching has remained strong and we're looking forward to the rest of our season.
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Attention ALL former UW-Superior Baseball Players!!!!!
Please click on the enclosed link to update your Alumni Information. With this we will be able to keep you updated on up to the minute happenings for UWS Baseball.
We look forward to your support as we look to make the conference tournament this season!
For Parents/Fans:
All games will be played at Lawnwood Athletic Complex or Indian River Community College. We will not know the fields until we get down in Florida. They are 5 minutes from eachother and both are off of Virgina Avenue in Ft. Pierce, FL. From I95 take the Okeechobee Rd (70) exit and head East. Okochobee road will turn into Virginia Avenue. Indian River CC is 3209 Virginia Ave and Lawnwood Athletic complex sits between S 23rd St and S 13th st.
We will be staying at the Perfect Drive Golf Villas at PGA Village: http://www.perfectdriveatpgavillage.com/directions.htm
The address is: 525 Northwest Lake Whitney Place, Port Saint Lucie, FL. It is about 15 minutes south of Ft. Pierce.
Schedule:
Saturday, March 14 Practice, 5:30-7:30 PM
Sunday, March 15 Practice 12-2:30 PM
Monday, March 16 Game vs. Westminster College, 8:45 AM, DH
Tuesday, March 17 Game vs. Centenary College, 12 PM, DH
Wednesday, March 18 OFF Day (NY Mets Game)
Thursday, March 19 Practice, 9-11 AM, JV Game vs. Westchester CC, 11:30 AM
Friday, March 20 Game vs. Bethany College, 8:45 AM
Saturday, March 21 Game vs. Carleton College, 10 AM, Depart Florida
We ended our games last Wednesday with two W’s in the win column. They weren’t the prettiest games, but we were able to scrap out some runs when we needed them and able to get the job done. Saufley threw an excellent game and Timmy Bouvine came in to close the door for the first win and save of the season. In game two Blake Danielson came out fired up and used some damage control to keep Hamline at bay. Cale Tassi saw his first action and threw well, as did Timmy once again in relief to pick up the win. After we got back from the Dome, Joe Ahrens was found pumping some iron in the weight room, earning him the honor of carrying the lunch pail around with him.
We had a quick turnaround (one practice) and then another game this morning against Loras College, from Dubuque, Iowa. Today’s game definitely could have turned out better. We took a 2-0 lead into the 6th inning our defense found it difficult to make the routine plays. We never recovered from our fielding blunders and lost 5-3. TJ Wink had a win-deserving-performance on the hill, allowing one hit, two runs (0 earned) while striking out 3.
We’ve got a ways to go before conference starts, and time to learn from games like these. We’ll be working on pulling together as a team before Florida, and hopefully we’ll be prepared enough to win all of our games in the Sunshine State.
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We had a quick turnaround (one practice) and then another game this morning against Loras College, from Dubuque, Iowa. Today’s game definitely could have turned out better. We took a 2-0 lead into the 6th inning our defense found it difficult to make the routine plays. We never recovered from our fielding blunders and lost 5-3. TJ Wink had a win-deserving-performance on the hill, allowing one hit, two runs (0 earned) while striking out 3.
We’ve got a ways to go before conference starts, and time to learn from games like these. We’ll be working on pulling together as a team before Florida, and hopefully we’ll be prepared enough to win all of our games in the Sunshine State.
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This past week has been tough on our team. Scott Hoium begain the week on a high note as he received the Lunch Pail for the first time. Scott has been working extremely hard this year and definitely deserved the honor of carrying the Lunch Pail with him. He has been taking extra cuts, pushing around some extra weight in the weight room (and consequently losing some from his own frameJ) and doing above and beyond what has been expected of him. Well deserved Shades, well deserved.
One a more somber note, the Twin Ports lost a prominent baseball figure this past week. St. Scholastica’s head baseball coach John Baggs lost his battle with cancer on Tuesday morning. Though many on our team have never met him, his impact on our team can be seen every day. It’s common knowledge that Coach Morgan played for him and coached with Mr. Baggs, and alot that Coach teaches is from Baggs’ tutelage. His legacy will live on through Coach Morgan in our program as we build our own baseball identity and culture here at UWS. May God bless Collen, Maddux, and Josie. We are so sorry about your loss!
On a lighter note, we look forward to seeing some fresh faces at the Metrodome next Wednesday when we play Hamline at 11:45am. Take care and God Bless.
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On a lighter note, we look forward to seeing some fresh faces at the Metrodome next Wednesday when we play Hamline at 11:45am. Take care and God Bless.
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Well, after two and a half weeks of practice, our legs are tired and our bodies are aching, but we're still enthusiastically working towards our goals. We've been taking our pre-game infields with a little added twist. For every error we make, we have to run an inning. An inning is a sprint the width of a tennis court. For instance, for eight innings, we will run 8 sprints back and forth and then take a break. Then we run seven, then six, then five, etc. The innings are meant to add game-like pressure to our infields so that when a pressure situation comes around in a game we'll be ready for it. We just recieved our new workout plans for weeks 18 and 19 of our lifting program. This phase of the progrum focuses on strength to help us get as strong as possible before the season starts. After this phase, we'll enter a maintenance phase to help us keep our strength throughout the season. It's getting tough to fit practice, our lifts, and homework into our already busy schedules, but that's the life of a collegiate athlete.
This spring, coach is also teaching us a different style of hitting than he has the past two years. This form of hitting is what every single MLB player uses and is what enables Vlad or Sorianoto drop bombs on pitches 6 inches BELOW the plate. Yeah, he's good. Already there has been considerable improvement in the quality of our swings. Hopefully this new approach leads to better AB's and more run production than last year. We have the next two days off so this should help us recover and bring better focus to practice on Friday.
We hope to see a lot of you at the metrodome on March 4th. We play Hamline University at 11:15 am. Talk to blog world soon!
It's that time again. The smell of fresh cut grass and the sound of cleats in the dugout is just around the corner. By just around the corner I mean just after a month in our luxurious field house. Guys are getting excited about hittin' the field and the prospect of finishing in the top four is planting itself in our minds. Practice officially starts on Super Bowl Sunday (GO CARDINALS!). Not being able to watch the game is the first of some needed sacrifices that will prepare us to finish where we want to. Practices unofficially started on the 22nd of January; we started captain's practices at 6am. Away from the field house, classes are well under way and everyone is getting back into the swing of things. Outside of school guys are hittin' the ice and reeling in monster eel pouts. Sean Cummings is doing the eel pout catching (coach Olin also claims to have caught one), while Justin Saufley, Casey Morsette, Joe Stark and Brendan Willis are merely practicing staying warm. To be honest, those guys are catching some things. Mostly colds, though. Catcher Brett Olson reports some good fishing back towards Eau Claire. He caught a few 30-inch Northern Pike and a 38-inch Muskie. Other than those fish tales, not much else has been announced.
We're looking forward to our first game but from now until then it will be one foot in front of the other and one day at a time. Big things don't happen like that. It takes hard work and doing a lot of little things right to make some magic happen. So as we embark upon another leg of of the joyous journey that is NCAA Baseball, we intend to pull a Houdini "switcheroo", if you will, and finish in the running for the playoffs.
Our Player Profile for this edition of the Jacket blog is on Junior outfield transfer Jimi "Cheeeese" Zawacki. (Pronounced Zah-whack-ee)
Jimi is from Osseo, Wisconsin and first learned to ride a bike when he was three.
Birthday: November, 13 1987 (born on Friday!) Has a twin brother named Joe
Favorite Gatorade Flavor: Grape
Favorite Sport to watch other than baseball: Football
Biggest Baseball moment: Senior year of high school, helping Osseo-Fairchild to its first state tournament appearance
Favorite MLB team: Milwaukee Brewers
Favorite Player: Chipper Jones
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Cotton Candy
Favorite Food: Pizza "for shizzle"
Favorite position to play other than outfield: Shortstop
Favorite Movie: Summer Catch
If I wasn't playing college baseball I'd... “be going to school at UW-Madison to get season tickets to cheer on the Badgers. (Jump around!)”
Anything you'd like to add about this upcoming season or anything baseball related?
“I really look forward to a great year an reaching our goal of finishing in the top four. Coming as a transfer, everyone has been really accepting. I have already built a lot of friendships and I look forward to helping the team out. We're lucky to have such a great facility to spend our off time in; hitting in the cages and so forth.”
See you with the next post next week!
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