Falcon 2005 Season Has Highs, Lows

May 13, 2005

By Tara Sowle
UWRF Sports Information

The UWRF softball team finished their 2005 season with an 18-23 overall record and they were 8-8 in the WIAC.

This year's team went through some highs and lows throughout the season.

"One of the high points was when we went 3-1 at the second WIAC Cluster tournament. We played four very good games and it felt like we were finally putting everything together," said Coach Faye Perkins. The Falcons beat Platteville (9-3), Whitewater (2-0) and Stevens Point (6-2) and lost to Oshkosh (3-2).

According to Perkins, a low point in the season came in early April at a tournament in Michigan. "We lost the second game against Case Western Reserve (4-3). They were not a better team then us, but we let them beat us." But right after that game, they came back to beat Hope, 6-3.

During Spring Break, the Falcons went to Florida for eight days where they played 10 games. "I think the team initially surprised me in Florida. We went 5-5, which was somewhat of a disappointment. However, in a couple of games, they really showed me that they could be a very good team."

Though the Falcons will lose five seniors, this year's freshmen have done exceptionally well. Two of the three Falcons named to the All-WIAC teams are freshmen. Third baseman Emily Evans (Sr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) and outfielder Amanda Wojnowiak (Fr., Big Lake, Minn.) were both named to the first team. Wojnowiak led the Falcons with a .420 average and she had 12 doubles and 16 RBIs. Pitcher Brittany Rathbun (Fr., Rochester, Minn. Mayo HS) earned honorable mention. Rathbun finished with a 5-6 record and a 2.57 ERA in 90 innings pitched. She walked 17 and struck out 67. Perkins hopes returnees like these will step up into leadership rolls next year.

Five seniors will be leaving this year's team along with Carolyn Guisinger, who is graduating in December, and Jamie Falck, who is transferring.

Evans hit .364 and led the Falcons with 19 RBIs. First baseman Emily Stahl hit .319 and had nine doubles and 10 RBIs. Leah Vanderploeg pitched, was a designated player and played left field. She hit .293 and had 12 RBIs. She had a 5-8 record and a 3.35 ERA on the mound. Emily Rodgers played right field and hit .208 with eight RBIs. Megan Blakeley, who played third base, hit .182. Guisinger, who played first base, hit .188 and had three RBIs, while Falck, who played 36 games in various outfield positions, hit .132.

"It's a major loss," said Perkins. She feels confident however in her centerline of defense. The Falcons have two pitchers, the catcher, second baseman, shortstop and center fielder all returning.

"Offensively, we have our two top hitters back, but will be losing our No. three, four and five hitters. They produced the majority of RBIs for the team (41 of 110). The returnees and new players need to step it up at the plate," commented Perkins.

This year's conference had some surprises and left the title up for grabs. Stout won the WIAC tournament and finished 24-19 overall (going into the NCAA Tournament). UW-Eau Claire (33-11) won the regular season WIAC title and was ranked as high as No. 7 in the AFCA poll during the season.

The Falcons went into the WIAC tournament ranked sixth. They lost to Stout in the first game, 8-0, but came back to beat La Crosse, 7-4. They were taken out of the double elimination tournament the next day when they lost to Stevens Point, 2-1.

Perkins believes if her team can get it together and put some returnees into leadership position her team can be one of the top teams in the conference in 2006. "Like this year, the conference will be up for grabs."