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Say Hey Willie, Tell Ty Cobb and Joe Dimaggio -



Hello Again Everyone - I've posted many more team previews on that page of The Fastpitch Chronicle website so be sure to check all those out. I posted the Six Rivers East conference preview tonight.



Hey, Hey -- there were some games played today. Altoona and Gilman played and so did Thorp and Colby as did Park Falls and Prentice where Kesley Walasek of Park Falls tossed a five-inning perfect game with 13 strikeouts. The Fastpitch Chronicke pitching clinics staff have enjoyed working with Kelsey and the rest of the pitchers in that part of the state that attend the clinics we put on. And speaking of The Fastpitch Chronicle staff, Katie Stilwell of Portage will be highlighted in a State Journal preview in Friday's edition (I think that's when it will be). Katie, you see, is a pretty special kid to the rest of us who do the pitching clinics. She and her dad first showed up in my back yard at our training center when she was eight years old. She could light it up when she was eight and she's still lighting it up now. I once watched her strike out 22 kids in one game and the other pitcher on her team that summer fanned 21 in the second side of that doubleheader. Folks, that's lighting it up!



There are other fine pitchers in the state as well and that really makes me happy and proud. When we started this sport in this state, it was viewed as another sport for girls to take part in and meet Title IX requirements. The Pioneers kept plugging away and slowly we picked up interest and increased the level of competitiveness. We started summer programs and pitching clinics all over the place and we've taken a great game to a level of competitiveness that rivals all of our neighbors. And, we do it with a very small window of time for the high school season. Summer programs like that of The Danes, Bandits, Batgirls and more have also helped to take the competitive level to higher shelves. Everyone is responsible for the improvement and it's a tribute to each of you.



On Tuesday, in Poynette, we played Columbus. Before the game started I introduced one of the original Poynette High School softball players to our team. She's Jami Severson (Hanick) who played on our first-ever team in 1979. She and the others seniors on that team are the only Poynette softball players that I have not coached as I came on board in 1980. I umpired behind the plate during the home games that first year. Jami's daughter is a junior playing on the Columbus team. I always enjoy introducing current players to those that set the bar where it is. I've always felt that in life, it's impossible to understand where you are unless you understand how you got there. There's a whole lot of history behind all of our programs.



I'm hoping the sun comes out a bit and melts the snow in the south. If it doesn't I'm looking for fastpitch events in the north that I can travel to on Saturday. I need a good fastpitch fix this weekend to really get things flowing. So, if you are hosting a game, games or event this weekend, e-mail me that information and perhaps I'll show up at your venue and say hello.



I've gotten more reports of kids slipping and falling due to rubber/plastic cleats so keep those reports coming in.



I've also cleaned up the message boards that you can go to on The Fastpitch Chronicle website.



If you really thirst for fastpitch reading, be sure to check all the pages on the website. There is a new historical page at fastpitchronicle.com/historical.html with some stuff I have retyped from my old issues of The Fastpitch Chronicle I published for 14 years (1988-2002). I'll be adding more.



I've also added names and information to the coaches honor roll page so check that out and if it needs further updating just let me know.



Coaches who won state titles in years past can still order state championship rings from Bill Rudy of Jostens. They are $250. Contact Bill at bill.rudy@jostens.com. You will have to know your ring size.



Here are some highlights from the week: Onalaska snapped a 26-game conference losing streak with a win over Sparta the other day .... Williams Bay's Emily Deitz surrendered only 1 hit while striking out 11 and walking 0 in a win over Dodgeland while Dodgeland's Tieraney Plannasch recorded 13 stikeouts in taking the loss...... Big Foot's pitcher whose last name is Niven (no first name reported) tossed a one-hitter at Clinton and fanned 17 in the process ...... Medford's Jenny Kraemer tossed a five-inning no hitter with seven strikeouts against Lakeland ...... Mindy Pecher went 4 for 5 with two RBI and two runs scored as Athens rolled past Edgar in six innings...... Freedom's Jamie Schuh struck out 13 and allowed one hit in a five-inning victory over Waupaca and Schuh also had three hits ........ Appleton East's Beth Spoehr hit a home run that went over the 215-foot center-field fence at Neenah, that ignited the scoring for the Patriots adn she also struck out 13 and didn't allow a Neenah baserunner past second for the complete-game win. ..... Appleton West 3, Oshkosh West 2 (12 innings) ..... Kimberly's Claudia Harke beaned the first batter of the game, but after that didn't allow another baserunner for the seven-inning no-hitter...... Sturgeon Bay 5, Green Bay West 2 and Winning pitcher Stephanie Shefchik had a two-run single during a five-run fifth inning that paced the Clippers. West (0-2) hurt itself with seven errors ..... Altoona 4, McDonell 0 .....

D.C. Everest 2, Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln 1 ..... Rosholt's Anna Zdroik pitched a 1 hitter with 15 strike outs at Port Edwards and was 2x3 at the plate with 2 doubles and 2 RBI's. ..... Menasha pulled off an early season upset over 4th ranked Appleton North at North High School ....



Have a great weekend!

Keep it Rising

Bob