Vikings and Yellowjackets Featured as UMAC "Game of the Week"

*Photo Credits - Bethany Lutheran and UW-Superior Sports Information
*Article Credit - Sara Eisenhauer; UMAC Assistant Commissioner

Saturday, April 22, 2017 - Softball: Wisconsin-Superior at Bethany Lutheran

ST. PAUL, Minn.---Though there is just over a week left of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) softball regular season, much is yet to be decided for the postseason picture. However, by sunset Saturday, most conference teams will have just one or two series left which should make things a bit clearer.
 
With that, one series set for Saturday could have major impact on which UMAC teams end up qualifying for the tournament. Currently sitting in fourth and fifth in the conference standings, respectively, the University of Wisconsin-Superior and Bethany Lutheran College will meet Saturday in a series that could move each team a bit closer to a postseason bid making the doubleheader the "UMAC Game of the Week."  
 
Due to rain Wednesday, both teams had games rescheduled with Wisconsin-Superior set to play Friday. Heading into Thursday, Bethany Lutheran was 4-6 in conference and tied for fifth in the standings with Martin Luther College. However, the Vikings hold the tiebreaker over the Knights after sweeping the conference series and are solidly one game ahead after handing Crown College just its second conference loss all season. Should the Vikings hold on to fifth through the remainder of the season, they would claim their first UMAC postseason berth since 2013 when the squad won the tournament as the No. 4 seed.
 
Wisconsin-Superior upset regular season champion College of St. Scholastica in the 2016 playoffs to earn a berth to the NCAA tournament  and are looking to make yet another conference postseason appearance. Right now, the Yellowjackets are in just fourth place with a 6-4 conference record – only one win separates the two teams. With any losses over the weekend, the Yellowjackets could be on edge of missing the postseason depending on outcomes in the next two days.
 
Heading into the weekend, host Bethany Lutheran hopes that new leadership and outstanding pitching can slow down the solid Wisconsin-Superior offense and avoid losses like those from a year ago. In the two matchups, the Yellowjackets earned convincing wins taking the first game 17-4 before shutting out the Vikings 8-0 in the second.
 
A year ago, both team's statistical performances matched their finishes in the standings with Wisconsin-Superior ranking in the top three in many conference hitting and pitching categories, while Bethany Lutheran was among the bottom teams in offense but had strong pitching numbers. The Yellowjackets ranked the top three in batting average (.342), on-base percentage (.400), slugging percentage (.472), RBI (98), earned run average (ERA) (2.17), opponent strikeouts (76) and opponent walks (10). Bethany Lutheran was third in strikeouts (57) and second in strikeouts per seven innings (5.57).
 
Heading into the season, both teams were in good shape to find success with returning veterans who could lead both programs. The Vikings returned star pitcher and All-UMAC First Team selection Anna Pipenhagen who has again carried the team this season both inside the circle and at the plate. Kendra Porath and Amber Schulz both return to the lineup after hitting .321 overall last year.
 
The tournament champion Yellowjackets welcomed back All-UMAC First Team pitcher Sarah Hendrickson who led the league in wins (20) last season. The Yellowjackets also saw the return of All-UMAC selection Ciarra Taipale and Honorable Mention Katie White who have both be solid contributors this year.
 
The conference coaches put Wisconsin-Superior as a contender for the title again with 56 points and one first place vote in the UMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, while Bethany Lutheran was selected just outside the postseason finishers with 29 points in sixth.
 

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The Match Up
Though both teams will have completed conference doubleheaders prior to Saturday's contests, the two teams both have just one remaining series in the final week of the season – both squads will face a conference-winless North Central University squad to end the league slate of games – making the outcome of Saturday's games even more critical in setting up the conference tournament.
 
Wisconsin-Superior started off the season with a strong win over a consistently solid University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point team in the first game of the year before winning a stretch of three games. On their spring break trip, the Yellowjackets picked up five wins – including a sweep of a Crown. They opened up conference play with a surprising split with Martin Luther losing by just one run in the opener, but have only three other losses that have come at the hands of the top two teams in the UMAC, currently. Wisconsin-Superior handed Crown it's first loss of the season and was swept by St. Scholastica. To keep on pace for a postseason spot, the Yellowjackets will likely need to earn at least one win over the Vikings and the University of Northwestern Friday.
 
Under new Head Coach Dan Nessler, the Vikings have already seen improvement from a year ago, despite a tough start to the non-conference season. The Vikings did, however, earn non-conference splits with St. Olaf College as well as Northland College and Martin Luther. Their five wins have come in sweeps of the University of Minnesota Morris and Martin Luther, along with Thursday's win over Crown. Strong pitching has helped Bethany remain close even in tough losses including holding St. Scholastica to just five runs and losing by just three in two games to Northland. The Vikings have a great opportunity to distance themselves even more from Martin Luther and Northland Saturday against the Yellowjackets.
 
In order to win, the two teams will have to find a way to beat each other at their strengths, which happen to be in opposition. The Yellowjackets have been one of the strongest hitting teams in UMAC games so far, while the Vikings have been atop conference pitching. In league play, the Yellowjacketes rank third in average (.319), second in hits (80) and third in slugging (.434), while the Vikings rank fourth in hits (77) and sixth in the other categories. On the mound, the Vikings rank second in earned run average (ERA) at 1.34 and are second in opponent batting average (.236). They also lead the UMAC in total strikeouts (80). Wisconsin-Superior is just fifth in team ERA (2.03).
 

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Need to Know – Bethany Lutheran
- The Vikings have held opponents to one run or less nine times this season.  
- Bethany Lutheran enters the series having won three of its last four games.
- The Vikings scored two runs in the 10th inning to defeat Crown Thursday.
 
Need to Know – Wisconsin-Superior
- The Yellowjackets have scored five or more runs in seven of their 13 wins this season.
- Wisconsin-Superior has held opponents to one run or less in seven wins this season.
- Eight of the Yellowjackets' games in 2017 have been decided by two runs or less.
 

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Who to Watch – Bethany Lutheran
Pipenhagen has been the Vikings' leader on the mound and at the plate. In UMAC games, she ranks third in ERA (0.81) and leads in innings pitched (69). She has also tossed a UMAC-best 69 strikeouts and has held opponents to a .221 average. At the plate, she leads the Vikings in conference games with a .368 average and 14 hits. Overall, she leads the team in average (.371), hits (33) and slugging (.494). Christina Wickingson and Samantha Meginbir each own 30 hits this season with Wickingson second in conference hits (13) and Meginbir leading in overall RBI (18). Katelyn Karels also boasts 24 hits this season.
 
Who to Watch – Wisconsin-Superior
Rookie pitcher Megan Pehrson has been the anchor on the mound for the Yellowjackets – twice winning UMAC Pitcher of the Week honors – with a 1.28 ERA in conference games. She boasts five wins in 38.1 innings pitched and has held batters to a .201 average. Saige Patrick provides power for the Yellowjackets at the plate ranking second in conference hits (17), third in slugging (.909) and sixth in average (.515). Taipale is hitting .345 against UMAC opponents with 10 hits and is one of five Yellowjackets with over 20 hits this season including Patrick, Gabby Gidley and rookie Bailey Kinnunen.
 

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The Basics
The conference doubleheader between Bethany Lutheran and Wisconsin-Superior is set for this Saturday, April 22 with game one of the series set for 1 p.m. The contest will take place on the campus of Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, Minnesota.

The "Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Game of the Week" is a feature that takes place each week throughout the conference portion of the season with one contest being selected and highlighted as the "UMAC Game of the Week".

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