Sports from the week of May 16, 2001 Headlight Herald - Serving Tracy, Minnesota, since 1880
Two home games on tap for softball team
The Panther softball team have pair of home games this week after going 1-4 last week.
Tracy/Milroy/Balaton plays Murray County Central on May 21 and Minneota on May 23. Section play-offs begin May 26.
"In the past few days we've lost two key players to injury," said Panther Coach Dave Sogge. " Kara Wichmann tore a miniscus ligament in her knee and is out for the rest of the season, and Jenny Otto has an undetermined hand injury . She is day-to-day. Given these situations, we could have folded the tent in the tournament last week-end, but we didn't. We battled hard throughout. I'm pretty happy with our performance."
In the six-team SVRLB-SSC Tourney Saturday in Heron Lake and Okabena, the Panthers were 1-2 to place fourth. The results left them at 4-14 for the season.
In the second game, the Panthers scored three runs in the third inning to take a 3-1 lead over St. James. The Saints came back with two in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game and then picked up a single run in the fifth to win 4-3.
The Panther finished their conference season with a double loss to MACCRAY Thursday, 19-2 and 8-4. The Panther's conference record fell to 2-12.
"MACCRAY is definitely the best team we've seen this year," said Panther Coach Dave Sogge. "They pitch well, hit very well, and play solid defense. They roughed up Megan (Anderson) for 17 hits. No one has come close to that this year."
Panther golfers have another busy week
On Thursday and Friday the Panther golf teams played in invitationals at Tracy. Friday saw the boys winning over Wabasso and Red Rock Central. The team scores were: T/M/B, 175, Wabasso, 180 and RRC, 197.
Scoring for the Panther boys were: Dane Schmiesing, 42; Eric Peterson, 42; Jake Peterreins, 43; Jordan Roots, 48. The boys B squad also played and Bill Knott shot a 46, Kevin Fultz a 53, Shane Daniels a 57 and Neil Pommier a 59.
The girls team finished behind MCC, RRC and ahead of Wabasso. The team scores were: MCC, 179, RRC, 205; T/M/B, 214; Wabasso, 240.
"We finished the conference season with the boys in fourth place and the girls in second," said Panther Coach Randy McIntire. "Now we can look forward to the sub-section, at Prairie View in Worthington, and the section meet in Marshall. The girls will have a tough time competing with some of the teams in the southern half of the section. I believe MCC will be favored and Luverne, which usually wins the section will do well to place third. On the other hand the boys are beginning to play better and will not run into teams as tough as they have met in the conference."
TMB nine clinches share of 212, positions themselves for tourney
The Panther baseball team positioned themselves for a top seed in the upcoming Section 3AA play-offs and clinched at least a share of the 212 Conference title with three wins this past week.
Tracy/Milroy/Balaton, now 14-1 on the season and 12-1 in conference, hosts MACCRAY Thursday in a 5 p.m. game. A win would make the Panthers the 212 Conference champions. Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City, the second place team, has two losses.
The Panthers defeated Kerkoven-Murdock-Sunburg Thursday,, Red Rock Central/Westbrook-Walnut Grove Friday, and Yellow Medicine East on Monday.
The Section 3A seeding meeting is scheduled Monday. Sixteen teams will be seeded in the tourney, with the top four teams hosting games when play off begin May 26 26.
Other top teams in the section include Windom, Jackson, Redwood Falls, and Red Rock Central.
"Our pitching has been good all season and we have been playing better in the field," observed Tauer. "The team is also starting to hit the ball like we have expected them to do all season."
The Panthers tune up for the play-offs with a noon Saturday game against Redwood Falls on the Milroy field. Monday night, the team travels to Springfield for a 7:30 p.m. game.