A week after three Wittenberg athletes were honored by the North Coast Athletic Conference with Player of the Week honors, two more Tigers claimed awards for the week of April 9-16.

Both honorees are members of the Wittenberg baseball team. Freshman pitcher Kurt Hartfelder (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) won two games last week to claim NCAC Pitcher of the Week honors. In improving his overall record to 3-1, Hartfelder tossed 11 innings in two games and yielded just two runs for a 1.64 earned run average. Against Mt. St. Joseph, Hartfelder drew the start and tossed a nine-inning complete game, allowing six hits and two earned runs. Then in the second game of the weekend's series against Earlham, Hartfelder came to the rescue after the Tigers had played to an 11-11 tie through five innings. He inherited a baserunner and stranded him, going on to hurl two scoreless innings in which he allowed just one hit. The Tigers supported him with nine more runs in a 20-11 victory.

Offensively, junior third baseman Jeff Buelow (Oakland, Mich./Rochester) had the biggest week of all the Tigers. He batted .625 (10-of-16) with two home runs, 11 runs batted in and seven runs scored. In Game 1 of the Earlham series he went 5-for-5 with three doubles, a home run and six RBI, and in Game 2 he went 3-for-4 with a double, home run and RBI as the Tigers scored 14 runs in their last two at-bats to overcome an 11-6 deficit.
 

Baseball (17-7-1, 5-0 NCAC West)
Coach: Jay Lewis (fifth season)

Wittenberg University's baseball team has won six straight games, its longest streak since March 1998, and padded the streak with four wins last week. The Tigers opened the week with a 11-3 non-conference win at Mt. St. Joseph then swept Earlham in a three-game North Coast Athletic Conference West division series. The series opened with a 24-9 win on Thursday, followed by 20-11 and 6-4 victories in a doubleheader on Saturday.

Junior third basemen Jeff Beulow (Oakland, Mich./Rochester) was named the NCAC Player of the Week for his offensive heroics. For the week, he batted .625 (10-of-16) with two home runs, 11 runs batted in and seven runs scored. In Game 1 of the Earlham series he went 5-for-5 with three doubles, a home run and six RBI, and in Game 2 he went 3-for-4 with a double, home run and RBI as the Tigers scored 14 runs in their last two at-bats to overcome an 11-6 deficit.

Freshman righthander Kurt Hartfelder (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) was named NCAC Pitcher of the Week after going 2-0 with a 1.64 earned run average for the week. He pitched a nine-inning complete game at Mt. St. Joseph, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Then on Saturday, Hartfelder entered in relief in Game 2 of the Earlham series and pitched two innings of scoreless one-hit ball to pick up the win in relief. Tiger pitchers had struggled to that point, yielding three home runs and hitting four Quaker batsmen in giving up 11 runs. Hartfelder entered the game with the score tied at 11 and allowed just one baserunner in the final two innings.

The latest NCAC statistics have been released, and the Tigers' total team effort is evident. Wittenberg doesn't rank higher than third in any team category (batting, fielding or pitching) and only senior rightfielder Ryan Peters (London, Ohio/London) leads the league in an individual category. Peters has 11 home runs, and he also leads the Tigers with a .449 batting average.

Wittenberg, which scored 61 runs in four games last week and has reached double-figures offensively 10 times this season, is in first place in the NCAC West division with a 5-0 record and lead Ohio Wesleyan (5-1) by one-half game and Denison (6-3) by two games. The Tigers and Big Red square off in an important three-game series this weekend, and then the Tigers head to Ohio Wesleyan the next weekend for potentially the biggest series of the regular season.

Finally, Tigers Head Coach Jay Lewis reached a milestone last week with his 100th career win against Ohio Northern on April 8. A 1994 Wittenberg graduate, Lewis is 104-78-3 in five seasons as head coach.

Next: vs. Thomas More (April 17 - postponed)
vs. Kenyon (April 12)
@ Denison (April 21) DH
@ Denison (April 21)

Softball (14-8, 4-0 NCAC)
Coach: Becky Hall (third season)

The Tigers remained unbeaten in the NCAC with a pair of wins over Oberlin by scores of 9-1 and 14-1. Game 1 was stopped after five innings and the nightcap after six innings due to the run rule.

Caroline Mann

Freshman third baseman Kristen Hillebrand (Cincinnati, Ohio/McAuley) went 2-for-3 with a triple with four runs batted in in the opener, while senior first baseman Carisa Clagg (Springfield, Ohio/Northwestern) went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI. Clagg leads the NCAC in batting with an average of .500 and triples with four. In the nightcap, senior centerfielder Caroline Mann (Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield) had two hits, including a triple and three RBI. Freshman pitcher Carmen Montgomery (Springfield, Ohio/Southeastern) picked up wins in both games on the mound and went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a triple and two RBI at the plate.

Montgomery pitched 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief in game two to improve to 12-2 on the season. She has won 11 straight decisions and the Tigers are 12-4 in that span.

The Tigers are second in the conference, one game behind leader Denison (6-0). The Tigers play conference doubleheaders this week at Kenyon and at home against Hiram before squaring off with the Big Red next week in what could be the decisive confrontation of the 2001 NCAC season.

Next: @ Kenyon (April 18) DH
vs. Hiram (April 21) DH

Men's and Women's Track & Field
Coach: Steve Shutt (second season)

Wittenberg hosted seven-team men's and women's meets at Edwards-Maurer Field last Thursday. The Tiger women won their meet with 190 points, Findlay was second with 158 points. Wilmington won the men's meet with 206.5 points while Wittenberg was second with 141.5.

The Tiger women's team had six first place finishes, including four in field events. Senior Amy Sonnanstine (Plymouth, Mich./Canton) and sophomore LaRissa O'Neal (Indianapolis, Ind./Broad Ripple) tied for first place in the pole vault with a jump of eight feet eight 3/4 inches.

Senior Julia Kregenow (Lancaster, Wisc./Lancaster) won the discus at 117-1. A pair of freshmen had the other two field event wins, Geri Woessner (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood) won the shot put (34-8) and Andi Warner (Oregon, Ohio/Clay) took first in the javelin (122-5).

Sophomore Abi Gerstle (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont) won the 1,600 meter run (4:51.81) and the Tigers 1,600 relay team won in a time of 4:07.93.

For the Wittenberg men, sophomore Joel Drake (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee) won the discus (138-8) and freshman Mike Klotz (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain) took the javelin (164-4). The 1,600 relay team won in a time of 3:25.57.

Next: @ All-Ohio Championships
- Ohio Wesleyan(April 21)

Men's Tennis (11-3, 2-0 NCAC West)
Women's Tennis (10-6, 3-1 NCAC)
Coach: Dave Engle (fourth/fifth season)
 
 

Mike Herzog

Deana Nowakowski

The Tiger men's team won four matches last week, all by 7-0 scores, including its first two in NCAC West division play. Wittenberg has three singles players with the best records in their respective flights. They include senior Bryan Heft (Gahanna, Ohio/Lincoln) at No. 1 with a 15-3 overall record, freshman Duby Lakos (Lynchburg, Va./Heritage) at 11-3 at No. 4 and sophomore Ben Hodgkiss-Lilly (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) at 11-2 at No. 6 singles. Sophomore Michael Herzog (Springfield, Ohio/Northwestern) has an 11-2 record at No. 5 singles, while sophomore Casey Clagett (Steamboat Springs, Colo./Steamboat Springs) and sophomore Eric Cusick (Lima, Ohio/Senior) also have put together winning singles records.

Wittenberg is second in the NCAC West, one-half game behind first place Denison (3-0). The Tigers and Big Red square off at Wittenberg's Albright Tennis Center on Wednesday.

Wittenberg's women are in fourth place in the NCAC with a 3-1 record, but are just one game behind first place Allegheny (4-0). The best individual record is 14-5 by sophomore Shannon Oliphant (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) at No. 2 singles. The Tigers have two No. 2 flight rankings in the NCAC, freshmen Deana Nowakowski (Uniontown, Ohio/Lake) is 9-7 at No. 5 singles while Oliphant and senior Sara Deskin (Youngstown, Ohio/Ursuline) are 8-3 at No. 2 doubles. All six singles players and all three regular doubles combinations have winning records.

Next: Men/Women vs. Denison (April 18)
Women vs. Walsh (April 20 )
Men @ DePauw (April 20)
Men @ Wabash (April 21)

Women's Lacrosse (6-4, 2-2 NCAC)
Coach: Nancy Beck (14th season)
 
 

Cara Romanowski

Kati Robbins

Wittenberg fell behind 17-5 at halftime and lost 26-11 at Denison in its only action last week. Still, senior Kati Robbins (Collegeville, Pa./Methacton) had five goals and ranks first in the NCAC in points (55) and assists (28), while standing second in goals (27). Sophomore Cara Romanowski (Collegeville, Pa./Perkominen Valley) is sixth in the conference in both points (30) and goals (25). The Tigers now head into a crucial stretch of the 2001 season. Three tough road games await, including conference match-ups with Ohio Wesleyan and Allegheny that will go a long way toward determining Wittenberg's final spot in the NCAC standings.

Next: @ Ohio Wesleyan (April 19)
@ Allegheny (April 21)
@ St. Vincent (April 22)

Men's Lacrosse (4-4, 1-2 NCAC)
Coach: Vinnie Lang (first season)
 
 

Tripp Way

Mario Cassani

The Tigers split a pair of games last week, losing 13-12 to Kenyon in an NCAC game and defeating Wooster 17-9 in a non-league contest. Senior attacker Mario Cassani (Chesterfield, Mo./DeSmet Jesuit) continued his outstanding season with five goals and six assists in the two games. He leads the NCAC in goals (24) and is second in points (35). Sophomore attacker Dan Patterson (St. Louis, Mo./DeSmet Jesuit) had a good week with four goals and five assists, including a team-high three goals against Kenyon and four assists versus Wooster.

In goal, the Tigers have gotten good play from sophomore Tripp Way (Wayne, Pa./Radner), who has been the primary starter. Also worth noting has been the play of junior Nate Reed (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller), who is winning more than 80 percent of his faceoffs this season, easily the best in the NCAC.
Next: vs. Marietta (April 18)

Golf
Coach: J.J. Searls (first season)

Wittenberg finished ninth at the Denison Invitational last weekend. Freshman Adam Knowlton (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee) led the Tigers with rounds of 76 and 75 for a 36-hole total of 151.

The Tigers now head into the stretch run of the 2001 campaign, starting with the Wooster Invitational this weekend. Then on Monday, Wittenberg will compete in the Otterbein Invitationl in preparation for the NCAC tournament at the end of this month.

Next: @ Wooster Invitational (April 20-21)

Following a Round of 16 appearance in men's basketball and top-30 finishes by the men's and women's swimming teams, Wittenberg University has moved into 25th place in the Sears Directors' Cup standings recently released by the National Assocation of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). Points were also earned by Tiger teams in volleyball and football as the spikers advanced to the Round of 16, the gridders were finally taken down in the national quarterfinals by eventual national champion Mt. Union College.

The Sears Director's Cup honors institutions maintaining broad-based athletic programs that achieve high levels of success in many sports, both men's and women's. The program was introduced in 1993 at the Division I level and expanded in 1995 to include Division II, III and NAIA. Each institution is awarded points in a pre-determined number of sports. The winner receives a Waterford crystal trophy from Sears.

Wittenberg has not finished in the top 50 in the NCAA Division III standings since 1996, when the Tigers rode strong performances by the track, volleyball and men's basketball teams to a 35th-place finish. The Tigers have not amassed enough points in any of the last four years to qualify for the top-50.

The College of New Jersey leads the way in Division III currently with 597.5 points, followed by defending champion Williams (Mass.) with 583.5. Wittenberg is the only school from the state of Ohio or the North Coast Athletic Conference to rank among the national leaders.

Wittenberg has 269 points to tie Hobart/William Smith (N.Y.) for 25th.

Upcoming Tiger Sports Action:
For the week of April 17-23

Tuesday, April 17
Baseball vs. Thomas More, 4 p.m. - postponed

Wednesday, April 18
Men's Tennis vs. Denison, 3:30 p.m.
Women's Tennis vs. Denison, 3:30 p.m.
Softball @ Kenyon, 3:30 p.m.
Men's Lacrosse vs. Marietta, 7 p.m.

Thursday, April 19
Baseball vs. Kenyon, 4 p.m.
Women's Lacrosse @ Ohio Wesleyan, 5 p.m.

Friday, April 20
Men's Golf @ Wooster Invitational, All Day
Women's Tennis vs. Walsh, 3 p.m.
Men's Tennis @ DePauw 4 p.m.

Saturday, April 21
Men's Golf @ Wooster Invitational, All Day
Women's Lacrosse @ Allegheny, 11 a.m.
Baseball @ Denison, Noon
Men's Tennis @ Wabash, 1 p.m.
Softball vs. Hiram, 1 p.m.
Men's and Women's Track & Field @ All-Ohio Championships (Ohio Wesleyan), All Day

Sunday, April 22
Women's Lacrosse @ St. Vincent, 1 p.m.
Baseball @ Denison, 1 p.m.

Monday, April 23
Men's Golf @ Otterbein Invitational, All Day

* All softball games are doubleheaders.