Kurt Hartfelder

The Wittenberg baseball team broke through this week, capturing the biggest game of the year on Wednesday with a 5-2 victory over Denison in the first game of the final North Coast Athletic Conference West Division series of the 2005 season. In the inconsequential nightcap, the West Division champion Big Red won 13-5.

The win in the opener was Wittenberg's eighth straight - but first in more than a week due to a weekend full of postponements due to terrible weather - and it gave the Tigers the tiebreaker edge over perennial powerhouse Ohio Wesleyan. Wittenberg and the Battling Bishops split a four-game set last month and wound up tied for second in the division at 9-5. The tiebreaker was winning percentage against the Big Red.

Overall, Wittenberg stands at 21-14 heading into a three-game series at Wooster, the champion of the East Division and the fifth-ranked team in the nation. The two teams are scheduled for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday and then a nine-inning game at 1 p.m. Sunday if necessary. The team that gains two wins in the three-game series will advance to the NCAC Tournament Championship Series on May 5-6 in Springfield. Last year, Wooster defeated Denison in two straight games to capture the title and the conference's automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

The doubleheader against Denison was originally scheduled as a four-game series over the weekend, but rain and snow, high winds and cold temperatures forced several postponements. That forced the two teams into a lone doubleheader on Wednesday and what was essentially a one-game playoff for the Tigers.

Handing the ball to senior ace Kurt Hartfelder (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) proved to be the key for the Tigers. Hartfelder tossed his eighth complete in eight starts while topping the 100-pitch mark for the first time all season. He allowed six hits and three walks while striking out one and allowing just one earned run in the game. He danced in and out of trouble throughout, getting key outs after each of Wittenberg's three errors.

Offensively, the Tigers got key RBI hits from junior Justin McCulla (St. Paris, Ohio/Graham) and senior Matt Foster (Granville, Ohio/Granville) in the decisive three-run fourth inning. Junior Brian Hampp (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson) accounted for the two insurance runs, scoring on a wild pitch in the fifth and singling in the fifth run in the sixth.

Sophomore Andrew Wellman (Huntington, W.Va./Huntington) remained hot at the plate in the doubleheader, going 2-for-6 with a run and an RBI. That kept his average on school-record pace, currently checking in at .549 in 51 at-bats on the season. In addition, junior Brad Koopman (Pleasant Hill, Ohio/Newton) kept up his scorching pace, catching both ends of the doubleheader and collecting three hits, one run scored and one RBI. He is hitting .443 on the season.

Next: 4/30 @ Wooster, 1 p.m.
NCAC Tournament Semifinals

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Joe Rumschlag

The Wittenberg men's and women's track and field teams are heading into the North Coast Athletic Conference Championship meet with a great deal of momentum, created by strong finishes by several Tiger athletes in the decathlon and heptathlon events hosted by Wittenberg last weekend.

Battling through the elements - rain, snow, high winds, cold temperatures - was no problem for senior Joe Rumschlag (Maumee, Ohio/Toledo Christian), who earned his first conference decathlon title after finishing second a year ago. He continues an amazing run of success in the event - four Wittenberg athletes have won the last seven NCAC decathlon titles (Josh Guerreri in 1999, 2000 and 2001; Brian Gehle in 2002; Tim Gaal in 2003 and 2004; Joe Rumschlag in 2005).

Wittenberg athletes took three of the top four places in the decathlon, giving the Tigers 21 points toward the conference championship standings. Sophomore Mark O'Brien (Shavertown, Pa./Dallas Senior) finished third and senior Chad Kresser (Findlay, Ohio/Findlay) took fourth.

In the heptathlon, Wittenberg picked up seventh and eighth-place finishes from junior Anna Finkelstein (Whitehall, Mich./Reeths-Puffer) and freshman Alissa Goble (Sunfield, Mich./Lakewood) respectively. It was the first collegiate heptathlon for each.

The rest of the team was supposed to compete at the Wilmington Invitational, but that event was cancelled due to the strange weather. It was the second meet of the spring called off due to freak snowstorms this year.

The Tigers are back in action Friday and Saturday in the NCAC Championships. Wittenberg placed fourth in the indoor men's competition and seventh in the indoor women's competition in early March.

Next: 4/29-30 NCAC Championships @ Ohio Wesleyan

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Scott Aker

The Wittenberg men's golf team didn't quite get in all of the prep work desired for the 2005 North Coast Athletic Conference championships scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Wabash College, but it will have to do. The alternative would have been to spend another cold, wet day on the course over one of the worst spring days (weather-wise) in recent memory.

As it was, the Tigers and 14 other teams completed one round of the Ohio Wesleyan Strimer Invitational on Saturday at Dornoch Golf Club in Delaware, Ohio. The Tigers finished seventh in the strong 15-team field, which featured many of the top teams in the Great Lakes Region.

Sophomore Scott Aker (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee) led Wittenberg with an 82, good for a tie for 19th place in what turned out to be the final standings after Day 2 of the tournament was called as snow continued to fall. The Tigers wound up 20 strokes behind co-champions Franklin and Otterbein.

Next up is the always challenging NCAC Tournament, with Allegheny, Ohio Wesleyan and Denison, all NCAA Division III qualifiers a year ago, topping the seedings. Wittenberg is seeded fifth, the same position in which the Tigers finished a year ago.

Next: 4/29-30 NCAC Championships @ Wabash

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Emily Figel

The Wittenberg men's and women's tennis teams put the finishing touches on the 2004-05 season last weekend at the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament at Denison. The tournaments were completely moved indoors as the snow swirled around outside in high winds and unseasonably cold temperatures.

The Tiger women finished fifth for the second straight year, losing their opening round match to eventual fourth-place finisher Kenyon, 5-2, as a pair of three-set singles matches went against Wittenberg and two others were suspended as soon as the clinching point was earned by the Ladies. Wittenberg, which finished with a 13-5 overall record, rallied to defeat eighth-place Earlham and sixth-place Wooster to finish fifth.

Freshman Emily Okerson (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) and senior Emily Figel (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) enjoyed the best weekends overall. Okerson, potentially the Tigers' No. 1 singles player next year due to graduation losses, won twice and lost a three-setter to Kenyon in singles, while Figel, the Tigers' No. 1 player four straight years, won her match against Kenyon but didn't finish either match against Earlham or Allegheny.

In doubles, Okerson and Figel teamed up at the No. 1 position to sweep three straight matches over the weekend. For the season, Figel, who studied abroad during the fall semester, finished up 6-6 overall, while Okerson had the team's best singles record at 19-4. The tandem, one of the best doubles pairings in recent years for the Wittenberg program, finished 12-3 overall.

On the men's side, Wittenberg wound up sixth for the second consecutive year, losing to Oberlin in the opening match, defeating Earlham and then losing to Allegheny. The Tigers, who checked in with a 12-9 overall record at season's end, came into the tourney as the runner-up in the weaker West Division.

Without question, the best weekend was had by the doubles tandem of juniors Shane Hutton (Charleston, W.Va./Catholic) and Nick McLean (Port Clinton, Ohio/Port Clinton), who swept their three matches. That performance, in combination with a 5-2 record in limited time together, was enough to earn them second-team All-NCAC honors. Hutton, who went 6-16 while battling illness in his first year as the team's No. 1 singles player, made second-team all-conference in singles.

The Tigers' best singles record was turned in by freshman Ryan Snyder (Trotwood, Ohio/Madison), who went 17-1 overall, with his only loss coming last week at No. 4 singles against Sinclair Community College. Sophomore John Shields (New Kensington, Pa./Valley) tied Snyder with 17 wins while playing at the Nos. 4 and 5 positions primarily. He won his last nine matches.

Next: Season Complete

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Emine Cirpili

The 2005 Wittenberg University women's lacrosse team is heading toward the final game of the season with some momentum, gained thanks to a pair of one-goal North Coast Athletic Conference victories in the last week.

On Saturday, Wittenberg traveled to Oberlin and came away with a 5-4 win in the cold and snow of northern Ohio. Freshman Emine Cirpili (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) scored the game-winner at the 49:39 minute mark. That followed two straight goals by Oberlin that had wiped out a 4-2 Wittenberg advantage.

Tiger goal-scorers included Cirpili, freshman Amber Cupples (Wooster, Ohio/Wooster), sophomore Melissa Jackson (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) and two from sophomore Kari Thomas (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman).

The Tigers also picked up a solid game from sophomore Clare Bucheit (Cincinnati, Ohio/McAuley), who made her return for a full game in goal for the first time in three games due to injury. She finished with six saves.

On Wednesday, the Tigers made Senior Night a pleasant one with a 9-8 home win over Kenyon. The Tigers improved to 6-7 overall, in the process tripling their win total from 2004. The win moved the Tigers to 2-3 in the NCAC and moved Wittenberg ahead of the Ladies in the conference standings. The Tigers round out the conference regular season with a game at undefeated league-leader Denison on Saturday.

Wittenberg rallied from an early 4-0 deficit to close the first half with six straight goals. Kenyon rallied with two goals in the final 1:51, but Jackson's goal at the 6:25 mark of the final stanza turned out to be the difference.

Offensively, the Tigers picked up a three-goal, one-assist game from senior Jenny Burns (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) in her final home game in the Red & White. Jackson, sophomore Michelle Hanners (New Albany, Ohio/Columbus School for Girls) and Cirpili added two goals each, while Cupples was credited with two assists and Hanners, Jackson and Cirpili added one helper each.

The key on defense was Bucheit's play as she turned away 18 shots. Senior Carrie Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Vincentian), a defender who has started every game the last four years, also played her final home game for the Tigers.

Next: 4/30 @ Denison, 1 p.m.

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Stephanie Zorn

The 2005 Wittenberg softball team got just one doubleheader in since the last report, and it didn't quite go as planned. The Tigers are now 9-22 overall and 5-6 in the North Coast Athletic Conference after splitting a doubleheader with Hiram on Wednesday.

The game was rescheduled several times from its original April 23 date due to the wintry weather that buffeted the state over the weekend. The game was finally moved to Wooster as a neutral site to accommodate class schedules for both teams.

The Tigers picked up the win in the opener, 3-2, behind the pitching duo of freshman Taryn Hensel (Marion, Ohio/Ridgedale) and sophomore Grace Wigton (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Christian). Hensel went the first five innings and Wigton closed it out with two scoreless innings of relief, bailing the Tigers out of a bases loaded situation in the sixth inning. She picked up the win as the Tigers pushed the winning run across the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning on an RBI groundout by sophomore Meghan Campbell (Marion, Ohio/Ridgedale). That chased home sophomore Stephanie Zorn (Grapevine, Texas/Colleyville), who had led off with a double and had moved to third base on a single by sophomore Erin Collinsworth (Springfield, Ohio/Catholic Central).

In the nightcap, Wittenberg lost 4-1 despite having senior ace Norah Gillam (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield) in the pitchers' circle. Hiram banged out eight hits and collected three walks in the game, while the Tigers committed two errors to keep rallies going.

The Tigers' lone run was scored by Zorn off an RBI single by freshman Amy Myser (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington). The Tigers now must sweep last-place Oberlin at home on Saturday and hope that preseason favorite Allegheny does the same to Denison. If that happens, the Tigers will move ahead of the Big Red into the final NCAC Tournament spot.

Next: 4/30 vs. Oberlin, 1 p.m.

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Matt Davis

The 2005 Wittenberg University men's lacrosse team split a pair of games in the last week to head into Saturday's season finale with a 2-10 overall record, including a mark of 1-4 in the North Coast Athletic Conference.

Last Saturday, the Tigers braved terrible weather conditions at Oberlin to capture a 15-5 victory in a game that counted toward the NCAC standings. It was Wittenberg's second win over the Yeomen in 2005.

In that game, the offensive star was sophomore Matt Davis (Medina, Ohio/Medina), who scored a career-high five goals just three days after scoring three times against nationally ranked Ohio Wesleyan. Sophomore Adam Morrison (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) added two goals and four assists to lead all scorers in total points.

Sophomore Sammy Hong (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) chipped in two goals and one assist, and junior Cory Windle (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne), freshman Mike Coursault (St. Louis, Mo./C.B.C.), sophomore Jay Shimko (East Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids), senior Trevor Carlson (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington), sophomore Cory Griffiths (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) and junior Bryan Arnold (Columbus, Ohio/Dublin Scioto) rounded out the goal-scorers. Sophomore Brandon Schwind (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) was credited with an assist to cap the Wittenberg scoring output.

Defensively, freshman Andy Shively (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) was solid in his second start in goal, turning away six Oberlin shots. Wittenberg outshot the Yeomen decisively, holding a 35-16 advantage by game's end.

Then on Wednesday, the Tigers lost at Denison, 15-3. The Tigers trailed 5-0 after one period and 7-0 at halftime, putting them in a hole they had no chance to get out of.

Shively made his third straight start in goal, and he recorded 13 saves. Offensively, the chances were relatively few and far between for the Tigers. Coursault finished with two goals and one assist and sophomore Travis Moore (Columbus, Ohio/Wellington) added the third goal.

The 2005 season comes to a close on Saturday with a home game against the Wooster Fighting Scots. In a game that counted toward the NCAC standings earlier this month, Wooster captured a 9-3 win over the visiting Tigers. The season finale will not count as an NCAC game.

Next: 4/30 vs. Wooster, 1 p.m.

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Meghan Lahner

The Wittenberg women's golf team had an anti-climactic ending to the 2004-05 season with a complete washout of the Baldwin-Wallace Invitational last weekend.

Three players wound up playing all 11 rounds during the 2004-05 season - juniors Ann Delaney (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Buffalo Grove) and Callie Riley (Orlando, Fla./Winter Park) and senior Meghan Lahner (Toledo, Ohio/Ottawa Hills).

Riley had the team's best scoring average at 99.6, an improvement of seven strokes over her average in 2003-04. Riley had the low round among the trio, going for an 89 in the Capital Fall Invitational, ironically the first competition of the year. Delaney, on the other hand, carded her best score as a collegian in the season's final event, the Wittenberg Invitational on April 19 at Windy Knoll.

Delaney and Riley figure to be joined atop the team's lineup in 2005-06 by returning juniors Kelly Prasser (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) and Alex Pressler (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich./Grosse Pointe South), both of whom missed the spring 2005 season to study abroad.

Next: Season Complete