Tiger Zone has moved
The Daily Republic's Tiger Zone has moved to a new location with the new Daily Republic website.
You can find it here: http://www.mitchellrepublic.com/event/tag/group/Tiger%20Zone/tag/Tiger%20Zone/
Please update your bookmarks, this blog will be closed soon.
Posted by: Mike Magnuson on 4/29/2009 at 1:59 PM | Comments (2) | Permalink
Getting more excited by the day
Well, I know I've said it before. At least twice. Maybe more. Today, I have to say it again. I am absolutely pumped for DWU men's basketball next year.
Tuesday, the Tigers announced yet another huge recruit, but this one stood out a little more than the other three. This one was former Mitchell standout Jordan Miller. What a great get for the Tigers. Not only is Miller versatile and a great player, he's also a local hero, which means better turnout at Tiger games.
Miller isn't the first in his family to play at DWU. His dad, Alan, still holds the school's scoring record, and his uncles also played with the Tigers. I would imagine the chance for the Miller legacy to continue, along with Jordan being a Mitchell kid, would also attract more fans.
Signing Miller adds so much depth to the Tigers. Preston Broughton will be back from his knee injury. Chase and Brady will be juniors. Mitch and Rocky are back at point. John Hemenway already signed Tate Pesicka, a Yankton standout and USD transfer, along with Avon stud Matt Dykstra and Hurley's Bo LaCroix. With a star-studded lineup like that, how can DWU go wrong?
I'm made a pretty bold prediction today to my boss, so I'll throw it out here, too. I bet DWU goes to the NAIA Final Four this year. Yep. I said it. Final four.
In other non-basketball related news... you faithful areavoices readers will probably notice that, after Monday night, we're no longer posting all the DWU stories on here. That's because Tuesday we unveiled our new Web site, and there is a new Tiger Zone link directly on the Web site. So keep checking back here for my random thoughts on various things, but see The Daily Republic's Web site for gamers, previews and any other DWU-related stories we might write.
I think that eventually this blog will become extinct as our web managers are trying to set up another blog that encompasses all area sports, but I will let you know when that happens. Until then, stay posted right here!
Posted by: Leah on 4/28/2009 at 11:59 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
DWU golf program hosts memorial golf classic
By The Daily Republic
The Dakota Wesleyan University golf program hosted the fourth annual Holly Rotert Memorial Golf Classic Saturday at Wild Oak Golf Club.
The event, which is a fundraiser for DWU golf, featured four-person teams competing for individual titles as well as pin prizes.
Two Tiger golfers won their respective flights. Senior captain Brett Abbotts won the A flight with a 54 and Tyler Evenson carded a 61 and took first in Flight B.
Members of the Rotert family won the last two flights. Brad Rotert won Flight C with a 64 and Kristin Rotert won Flight D with a 70.
Holly Rotert Memorial Golf Classic
Saturday at Wild Oak
Flight A: 1. Brett Abbotts, 54; 2. Jenny Schneider, Brett Coluccio, 56; 3. Kyle Jensen, 57.
Flight B: 1. Tyler Evenson, 61; 2. Jack Ackman, 61; 3. Heather Love, 61.
Flight C: Rotert Family – Brad Rotert, 64; 2. Tim Kirby, 64; 3. Marty Orme, 64.
Flight D: Rotert Family – Kristin Rotert, 70; 2. Blindert Insurance, 70; 3. Tees New, 71.
Pin Prizes: No. 1: Kristin Rotert; 2. Jerome Rotert; 3. Tom Clemens; 4. Brett Abbotts; 5. Mike Schneider; 6. Carly Hayes; 7. Jenny Schneider; 8. Jeff Rotert; 9. Brad Kranz; 10. Bob Peterson; 11. Amanda Young; 12. Joe Rotert; 13. Tom Young; 14. Steve Havard; 15. Jordan Smith; 16. Cody Goochey; 17. Amanda Young; 18. Adam Schiffermiller.
Posted by: tigerzone on 4/28/2009 at 12:06 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink
DWU splits with Briar Cliff to end season
(Leah Rado/Republic Dakota Wesleyan second baseman Ekekela Watson dives to snag a line drive Monday during the Tigers’ doubleheader at Cadwell Park.)
By LEAH RADO
The Daily Republic
The Dakota Wesleyan University softball team ended its season with a split Monday afternoon.
The Tigers beat Briar Cliff 3-2 in the opener, and looked to be on their way to a sweep as they jumped ahead early in the second game, but being the Tigers’ only pitcher for the past several weeks finally caught up with freshman Brandi Nekrassoff, who was relieved midway through the sixth after giving up eight runs in two innings. DWU lost 9-6 in the nightcap.
“It just hit the point where (Nekrassoff’s) arm hurt so bad she couldn’t throw,” DWU coach Marie McCarthy-Foster said. “What can you do? She did the best she could and she really came through for us a lot this year.”
DWU won the first game thanks to a pair of hits from Ikapela Watson. The freshman first baseman hit a solo home run in the second inning to tie the game at 1-1, and she added a two-run homer in the fourth inning to put the Tigers up 3-1. The Chargers added another run in the fifth, but DWU held on for the win.
Watson finished the game 2-for-2 with a walk, two home runs, two runs scored and three RBIs.
“That was exciting; I’m really happy she ended on that,” McCarthy-Foster said. “It was a good game for us. I thought we played well and we had fun.”
Nekrassoff pitched all seven innings and earned the win. She gave up two runs on seven hits and struck out one.
DWU started the second game with a four-run first inning. Ekekela Watson started with a bunt single and Nekrassoff singled past the third baseman and scored on a single by Tiffany Bonifacio. Ikapela Watson hit an RBI single to keep the scoring going and Erika Cruz hit two-run single to finish the inning.
Bonifacio singled and scored on a double by Ikapela Watson in the third to stretch DWU’s lead to 5-1.
The Chargers, however, rallied in the fifth and sixth innings. They scored five runs in the fifth inning and McCarthy hit a three-run homer in the sixth to give them a 9-5 lead.
After the home run, Bonifacio, who hadn’t pitched in more than a month, relieved Nekrassoff for the final inning and a half.
“Her arm has been hurt this past week and she had to step it up Friday and play and this game it got to the point where she had to say don’t call this pitch,” McCarthy-Foster said. “We were in a bind. We had to pull in Tiff who was injured and wasn’t pitching.”
Nekrassoff finished the season 7-16 and pitched 160 innings for the Tigers throughout the course of the season.
Ikapela Watson was 2-for-3 with two RBIs in the second game. Bonifacio was 2-for-4 with an RBI and Ekekepela Watson was 2-for-4.
Tana Colt was 3-for-4 with an RBI and McCarthy had two hits and four RBIs for Briar Cliff.
The Tigers finished the season 10-24 overall and 6-18 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference, and are already looking forward to next season. With three sophomores and 10 freshmen on the roster, McCarthy-Foster is excited for the experience she will have come 2010.
“You go into the huddle and what do you say the last game? This time, it was easy,” she said. “I told them this recruiting class was key for helping build the foundation for taking Dakota Wesleyan to the next level. I hope they realize as freshmen their important role this season in a rebuilding year."
Posted by: Leah on 4/27/2009 at 11:57 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Tigers wrap up regular season with split against Mount Marty
(Leah Rado/Republic) Dakota Wesleyan shortstop Nick Loera falls over Mount Marty runner Zach Lambrechts after making a throw to first for a double play Saturday in the Tigers’ final regular-season game at Cadwell Park.
By LEAH RADO The Daily Republic
The Dakota Wesleyan University baseball team needed two things to happen Saturday in order to seal its first Great Plains Athletic Conference regular-season title since 2005.First, the Tigers had to sweep Mount Marty College. Second, Nebraska Wesleyan had to lose both of its games to Doane College.The Prairie Wolves swept Doane, leaving DWU fighting for second, but an error-riddled seventh inning in the nightcap dropped the Tigers to third as they split with the Lancers Saturday night at Cadwell Park.“We’re in pretty good position,” DWU coach Steve Gust said.
“Third in the GPAC’s not too bad. You have to give (Mount Marty) credit for getting the split, that’s for sure.”
DWU won the first game 8-6 but lost 6-3 in the second. The split dropped the Tigers (14-8 GPAC) to the third seed in the conference tournament, which opens Thursday in Hastings, Neb., but bumped Mount Marty (15-9 GPAC) up to the fourth seed.
“I’m happy with the way our kids have battled this year,” MMC coach Andy Bernatow said. “We had to come from behind in the last inning, and we’ve done that a lot. I think that shows the character of our kids.”
A sac fly and an RBI single from former Mitchell standout Jason Schmidt gave the Lancers an early 2-0 lead in the nightcap, and they were able to hold that lead until the bottom of the sixth inning.Casey Solem and Colin Hacker walked to start the inning, and Mark Wood singled to load the bases and bring up Kyle Isaacson. Isaacson, who hit a solo home run in the first game and leads the Tigers on the season with nine home runs, hit a long shot to center to drive in Solem.
Isaacson got to first and kept going, but Hacker fell on the way to third and scrambled back to second, sending Isaacson running back to first. Mount Marty held the ball, not wanting to send Wood home, but he took off. The throw to the catcher was off the mark, so Wood and Hacker scored, giving the Tigers a 3-2 edge heading into the final inning.Jason Livermont singled to start the inning, and Ross Heine bunted and reached when DWU relief pitcher Thomas Pickett bobbled the ball as he was trying to make the tag. The Lancers tied the game when Trey Krier hit a high bouncer to shortstop and the throw to first was off. Livermont scored, but Heine was picked off trying to make it home.Dean Hansen kept things going for Mount Marty with a hit to shallow right field. The Tigers bobbled the ball, allowing Krier to score. Zach Lambrechts hit a shot straight at Pickett, who overthrew to first, allowing the third run of the inning to score. Lambrechts scored on a wild pitch to complete the scoring.
“We have to hold our composure a little better is what we need to do,” Gust said. “Give (MMC) credit too; they made plays when they had to. It was a combination of us needing to do a little better job and keep our composure and them executing.”
MMC relief pitcher Josh Damewood struck out the first DWU batter to start the final inning. He walked Alex Sumner, but struck out Solem, gave up a single to Hacker and Wood grounded out to end the game.Pickett gave up one hit and four runs and was tagged with the loss. Tyler Earls struck out six and gave up two runs and five hits in six innings of work. Isaacson was 1-for-3 with three RBIs to lead DWU, which had six hits.Damewood earned the win for Mount Marty in two innings of work. He struck out five. Hansen was 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Lancers , who had six hits.The Lancers grabbed a 2-0 lead early in the first game as well off a two-run single, but Wood hit a two-run double and Isaacson and Ryan Santiago both had RBI singles for a 4-2 DWU lead heading into the second.Mount Marty tied the game on RBI singles from No. 18 and No. 17 in the second, but Nick Loera hit a bases-clearing triple in the third and Isaacson added a solo home run in the fifth for all the insurance the Tigers would need.
“I suppose ideally when you go into these games you would love to have a sweep, but as the games played out we could have easily ended up losing the second,” Bernatow said. “We definitely had opportunities in the first, but I think the deserving team won the first game and I think the deserving team won the second. We’ll take a split.”
Ethan Opsahl earned the win in 5.1 innings of work. He gave up four runs on seven hits and struck out six. Former Mitchell pitcher Josh Wenande was tagged with the loss after giving up nine hits and four runs in six innings. He struck out three. Schmidt finished 1-for-4 in the first game and 1-for-3 in the second.Both teams open play at the GPAC championships Thursday at noon. The Lancers play No. 5 Midland Lutheran on Duncan Field and the Tigers play No. 6 Briar Cliff at Smith Complex.
Posted by: tigerzone on 4/26/2009 at 10:26 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
