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Sports from the week of June 6, 2001 Headlight Herald - Serving Tracy, Minnesota, since 1880

Softball awards announced

Awards honoring TMB fast pitch softball players were handed out by coach Dave Sogge at an outdoor get-together last Wednesday.

Letter winners were:

Freshmen--Emily Miller, Megan Anderson, Stephanie Kaup.

Sophomores - Lindsay Erickson, Katie Bauer.

Juniors--Jenny Otto, Kristina Anderson, Kami Skoglund, Jacque Rathje, Ashley Erbes.

Seniors were given a senior award noting their contributions to the program.

Senior award and letter winners were: Katie Scharfe, Katie Hayes, Kara Wichmann, Allison Chandler, McKenzie Schelhaas and Jessica Lustfield.

Five special awards were given out to individuals in the categories of offense, defense, pitching, most improved and inspirational. Awards were voted on by the players.

The offensive player of the year award was given to sophomore Lindsay Erickson who hit .311 and led the team in runs scored, hits, and extra-base hits.

Third baseman Kristina Anderson and shortstop Lindsay Erickson were voted co-defensive players of the year.

Freshman Megan Anderson was named pitcher of the year. Megan was credited with three of the team's four wins and was the staff workhorse with 66 innings pitched.

The inspirational award was given to the player who perhaps did not get a lot of playing time, but put forth a great deal of effort and displayed a great attitude. That award went to senior Katie Hayes.

The most-improved award went to the player who showed the most improvement from start of the season to finish. Junior Kami Skoglund received the award.


Panthers battle back to finals

Two wins needed against Luverne Thursday

The Panther baseball team faces Luverne Thursday for the Section 3AA championship.

Tracy/Milroy/Balaton advanced by beating Springfield 2-0 Tuesday night. Luverne has not lost in the section tournament so if the Panthers are to earn a trip to the state tournament they will have to beat the Cardinals twice.

Game time is 5 p.m. If the Panthers win, a second game will follow. As of Wednesday morning, the site had not been determined. Possible locations include Windom and Pipestone.

The Cardinals and Panthers have met once previously this season. Cardinals were up 8-1, but TMB rallied for an improbable victory 12-11.

The Panthers, the No. 1 seed in the section tourney, are now 20-3 on the year, after winning five of six play-off games. Luverne, the seventh seeded team, has beaten Benson, Windom, Jackson and Springfield to advancing to the finals.

Junior Erik Kathman was the hero for the Panthers Tuesday night. Kathman, No. 3 in the Panther rotation this spring, struck out 13 batters while allowing just two hits and two walks.

“That was huge, the way Erik was able to step in and shut them down,” said Coach Bill Tauer after the game. “What more can one say. Erik wanted the ball before the game and he got the job done.”

Kathman's complete game win means the Panthers meet Luverne with their other two top pitchers, Eric Dolan and Adam Schmidt, rested.


Two individuals, two relays advance to state track meet

Two Panther boys and two girls' relay teams are headed to the state track meet in Blaine Friday and Saturday.

Nate Clark (discus) and Jason Morin (pole vault) both earned Section 3A championships at Benson Thursday. The girls 4x800 and 4x100 relay teams also advanced to state.

Clark, a senior, won the discus with a throw of 155'-5" and will compete in the state meet in Blaine this weekend. Morin, a freshman, won the pole vault by clearing 12 feet.

The 4 X 800M relay team of Kristin Sweetman, Laura Zwach, Jillian Tholen and Rebecca Gervais won in school record time of 9:46.43, beating the second place team from Luverne by 4.54 seconds. Luverne also advances to state by exceeding the state standard of 9:51.53.

Sweetman got the Panthers off to a good start. She broke out of the pack on the back stretch of the first 400M, lost the lead in the second and put on a good kick to close neck and neck as she passed the baton to Laura Zwach.

Zwach put the Panthers in the lead for good while opening up a 30 yard-margin. Jillian Tholen held up her end by maintaining the lead which left it up to Rebecca Gervais running the anchor.

The 4 X 100M relay team of Tina McIntire, Sarah Fritz, Melissa Luckhardt and Katie Lanoue also qualified for the state meet. They lost to Pipestone-Jasper by .4 of a second but exceeded the state standard with a time of 51.10.