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Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com

Published - Thursday, April 03, 2008

College roundup: SMU softball drops a pair to open season

By staff and wire services

ROSEMOUNT, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University softball team opened its season with a pair of close losses to No. 10 UW-Eau Claire, 5-4 and 6-4 Friday at the Rosemount Dome.

The Blugolds, who finished third in last season’s NCAA Division III Championships, trailed the Cardinals in both games before pulling ahead with late rallies.

SMU (0-2) started the season well with three runs in the top of the first in the opener. The Cardinals led 4-0 after the top of the second, but UWEC (2-0) responded with five runs over the next three innings while holding SMU scoreless.

SMU junior Danielle Geske was 1-for-3 with a three-run home run. Sara Fitzgerald struck out four over 21/3 shutout innings in relief.

SMU led the second game 4-2 after three innings, before the Blugolds rallied for four runs in the top of the sixth.

SMU sophomore Jenna Johnson went 2-for-3 with a double, home run and two RBIs. Jennifer Thesing went 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI.

Baseball

SVSU 3, WSU 2

SVSU 2, WSU 1

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Winona State’s season-opening southern road trip ended with a pair of one-run losses to Saginaw Valley State (Mich.). The Warriors finished their southern tour 5-4.

SVSU’s Scott Roy pitched a complete game six-hitter, allowing only two runs while striking out six in the Cardinals’ Game 1 win.

WSU led 2-1 after three innings, but the Cardinals rallied for the tying run in the fifth and the go-ahead run in the sixth.

WSU senior Bryan Ruff struck out five in a complete game loss. John Magee was 2-for-3 with a run scored.

WSU led the nightcap 1-0 through three innings and took a 1-1 tie into

the sixth before SVSU (7-2) scored

the winning run in the bottom of the sixth.

Andrew Keys drove in WSU’s run, scoring Ronnie Olson with an RBI single in the top of the first. The Warriors were held to three hits the rest of the game and four hits in the game.

WSU will return to action when it opens its conference season March 21 at the Metrodome against Southwest Minnesota State.

Track and field

SMU men and women

at MIAC Championships

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. — Both the Saint Mary’s men and women finished at the bottom of the team standings after the second of three days at the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships.

The men’s team had a pair of top-10 finishers in the 400-meter dash. SMU sophomore Josiah Ryks took sixth in 50.96 seconds. Cardinals freshman John Kelly took eighth in 51.35 seconds.

On the women’s side, Teri Heinzen (7.74 seconds) and Lizzy Daugherty (7.83 seconds) each finished in the top five in their heat in the 55 hurdles but didn’t qualify for the finals.

Brittany Kuehn finished 10th in the 800 with a time of 2:27.64.