Posted: 4/12/06
A fresh crop of softball players expect to win
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Joe Drennan
Sports Editor
Any softball team that graduates seven of its nine starters is going to feel an impact, but Forest Lake High School head coach Angie Berg is hoping that the impact her team feels is a positive one simply because the players coming up to fill those holes have won at lower levels.
ìThe girls have a positive approach to the season because theyíve won a lot growing up,î Berg said. ìThey expect to win and thatís a different attitude than weíve had. They also have confidence which will help them.î
Sophomore Kathy Crudo and senior Cassi Freerks are the two returning players. Crudo is expected to play short stop this year after hitting .323 last year in 62 at bats.
ìShe is an all around athlete and our top returner in terms of batting average,î Berg said.
Freerks will be the starting center fielder. She was not far behind Crudo at the plate last year, hitting .322 in 59 at bats.
ìThey (Freerks and Crudo) are both strong and weíre looking for them to lead us offensively,í Berg said.
On the mound Berg is expecting big things out of freshman Alyssa Dunrud and junior Amy Lalla.
Dunrud has five pitches and likes to keep the ball low Berg said.
ìThere will be a lot of ground balls hit off of her that we can handle,î Berg said.
Lalla has pitched well and Berg is hoping she can step up and be a number two pitcher.
Behind the plate, Marke Schuldt will start, and Crudo can fill in as she caught as a freshman.
ìMarke (Schuldt) has done a nice job working in the off season and the past few weeks to prepare for the season,î Berg said.
At first base junior Chelsie Nelson looks to be the starter as she has a strong bat that should add some power to the lineup.
Junior Megan Hinrichsen will be starting as she has a strong arm and is a quick base runner.
Who will start at third base is a bit of a mystery to Berg. Sophomores Mary Walters and Jessica Skogen are likely candidates. Berg says Walters bat could help offensively, but Skogen is also hitting the ball well.
ìWeíre looking to see who steps up there,î Berg said.
Left field is another question mark as Secor and juniors Amber Diemert and Kacie Waldoch are all getting a look.
Junior Stacey Johnson will start in right field as Berg likes her strong arm.
ìShe should be able to throw some runners out at first,î Berg said. ìShe has a lot of experience in the outfield too, just not at the varsity level.î
Senior Carly Dean, junior Jess Mielzarek and sophomore Kelly Kent are all players that can fill in when needed.
ìI feel really good about this year because I think the girls have a more positive approach to the game,î Berg said.
ìI think weíll be able to run the bases well, bunt well and do the little things well.î
Competition
Woodbury is the defending Suburban East Conference champion and Berg says that alone makes them a tough team to face. Park (Cottage Grove) a team the Rangers beat once last year is another team thatís expected to be atop the conference again this year.
Berg says Hastings is an up and coming team and that Mounds View is returning a solid team that will be tough competition.
ìI feel like we can beat Roseville and White Bear Lake,î Berg said. ìWe definitely are going to be in the middle of the pack and trying to knock off those top teams.î
With six more wins last year than the previous year as they finished 8-13, Berg says the Rangers turned some heads and theyíll try to do the same this year.
ìI really think we are going to do that,î Berg said.
When section play starts in 4AAA, Centennial and North St. Paul will be tough competition.
ìI feel like we can definitely win and get into the section tournament,î Berg said. ìWeíre looking to get to the section final game.î
The Rangers opened their season Monday with a 11-10 extra inning loss to White Bear Lake.
White Bear Lake scored a first inning run, but the Rangers took the lead in the third inning when they scored two of their own. The Rangers went up 3-1 in the top of the fourth inning, but gave up eight runs in the bottom of the inning to trail 9-3.
The Rangers fought back with four runs in the fifth inning to narrow the White Bear Lake lead to 9-7. The Rangers added two more runs in the sixth inning, but White Bear Lake also added a run, making the score 10-9.
A Rangers run in the seventh inning tied the game and sent the game to extra innings. White Bear Lake scored the winner in the eighth inning.
Dunrud pitched a complete game, allowing six earned runs. The Rangers offensive attack had 15 hits, with every starting player with at least one hit.
Skogen had three hits, three runs batted in and three runs scored, while Schuldt had a double and single.
ìThe game was exciting and there were many strong points for the team,î Berg said. ìDefensively we have some work to do and definitely can not allow other teams to score eight runs in an inning.î
The Rangers next game is at 4 p.m. Monday when they host Park (Cottage Grove) for their home opener.
Forest Lake Times
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880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
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