Thursday, August 3, 2006

K-STATE AT SALINA'S TECHNOCATS FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TEAM FINISHES SEASON WITH SECOND IN TOURNAMENT

 SALINA — The 2006 Kansas State University at Salina's TechnoCats Fast pitch softball team completed the season with a second place finish in the 18-Under American Fastpitch Association class B mid-regional National Tournament.

The goal of the TechnoCats team is to provide a competitive softball environment that will introduce and prepare young women for softball at the collegiate level. Team members live in the residence halls, practice daily, enroll in six credit hours of collegiate general education coursework, assist in clinics and workshops, participate in conditioning and strength activities, have mandatory study hall requirements, and compete in tournament play every weekend. Guest coaches conduct specialized clinics during the course of the season.

Players on the elite K-State at Salina TechnoCats team during the summer of 2006 included: Lyndsi Heine, Alma; Katie Coker, Hays; Becca Crotinger, Hoisington. Ashley Dunham, team manager , Independence.

From Manhattan: Blair Fahrny, Jenna Klick, Bethany Murray, Katherine Muller.

Bridgette Hitschmann, Odin; Michelle Dreiling, Oxford; Tracy Hoelting, Salina; Britney Brady, Smolan; Elizabeth Lowe, Spring Hill; Angelisa Sexson, Wichita; Emily Zimmerman, Fairbury Neb.

The team was coached by Daryl Hoelting and Janice Esses.

The K-State Salina TechnoCats completed the 2006 season with an overall record of 30-15. In exhibition play, the TechnoCats were 4-5, out-hitting competition 68 to 42 and maintaining a team batting average of.322. The team scored 43 runs with 12 doubles, one triple, one home run, 22 walks, 21 strikeouts and nine stolen bases. On defense, the team struggled with only eight double plays while committing 17 errors in nine games.

In tournament play, the TechnoCats completed the 2006 season with an overall record of 20-7 placing first at Chapman, first at Clay Center, third at the AFA Dodge City Border War Shootout qualifying for a berth in the nationals with four of the seven summer season losses to the Colorado Bullets and the Oklahoma Shock, and winning the Kansas ASA "B" state in Junction City. Throughout all tournament games, the team maintained a batting average of .307 comprised of 204 hits, 34 doubles, seven triples, two home runs, 69 walks, 95 strikeouts, and 51 stolen bases in 492 plate appearances. On defense, the team had four double plays, committed 31 errors, maintained.990 and.965 fielding and throwing efficiencies, and team catchers were nearly flawless with a.009 passed ball percentage. Tournament competition teams were held to a.200 batting average with a pitching rotation that combined for a 3.29 ERA with 186 strikeouts in 164 innings.

In the AFA National Tournament, the TechnoCats finished second after a shaky start. Game one of pool play against the Wichita Kansas Storm began with the Storm scoring the only run of the game on two hits combined with an error. Game two of pool play had a more favorable result with the TechnoCats defeating the Missouri Wildfire by a 1-0 score on a two-hit, 13 strikeout pitching performance by Katie Coker. Game three of pool play resulted in a win against the Hasting Nebraska Shockers behind a solid pitching performance of Lyndsi Heine recording five strikeouts and solid defense with a key throw out of a base runner by Lyndsi Heine and Becca Crotinger. The end of pool play found the K-State at Salina TechnoCats tied for first place in their pool.

The results of the pool play brought the TechnoCats head to head with the Northern Ice from Illinois. Northern Ice would prove to be no match as the TechnoCats offense combined with two key Northern Ice errors to jump to a three run lead which grew to a 7-2 victory behind the offensive power of Sexson, Zimmerman, and Hitschmann in a time shortened four inning game. The Flint Hills Wind were the next victims of the TechnoCats behind the pitching of Lyndsi Heine and the execution of basic softball skills which resulted in a 6-2 TechnoCats victory. In a shrinking bracket of undefeated teams, the Kansas City Storm were next on the list of TechnoCats victims led by triples by Zimmerman and Coker, and solid pitching by Coker as she added seven strikeouts to her growing list on the way to a 3-1 win.

The K-State at Salina TechnoCats ran into a buzz saw with the Fort Scott Tigers. Fort Scott nailed the TechnoCats scoring four runs on six hits assisted by five TechnoCats errors. Fort Scott pitcher Davis recorded 17 strikeouts allowing two hits in her effort.

The loss placed the TechnoCats into the loser's bracket against the Explosion. The Explosion gave the TechnoCats a tremendous game as the TechnoCats jumped to an early first inning lead off back to back Zimmerman and Hitschmann base hits coupled with excellent base running. However, the Explosion came back to take a 2-1 lead in the third with a hit, hit batter, and assisted by a TechnoCats error. The TechnoCats came back to score one in the fourth and fifth to again take the lead, only to give up three runs in the top of the sixth. Not to be denied, the TechnoCats scored one in the bottom of the sixth on singles by Coker and Muller, held the Explosion in the top of the seventh with Coker adding two strikeouts, and scored two in the bottom of the seventh on hits by Hitschmann and Coker following Zimmerman getting on base by taking one for the team (hit by a pitch). The 6-5 victory placed the TechnoCats into the championship game facing the Fort Scott Tigers.

The championship game against the Fort Scott Tigers turned into a pitching dual between Davis and Coker. At the end of the regulation seven innings, only one runner on either team had reached third base (Hitschmann for the TechnoCats). In the 11th inning, the Fort Scott Tigers broke loose for four runs behind five hits to win the championship game by a final score of 4-0.

During the TechnoCats run in the national tournament, the team maintained a.227 batting average scoring 27 runs on 51 hits including two doubles and four triples with 10 stolen bases. Defensively, the team gave up 21 runs on 51 hits, recorded 57 strikeouts and committed 16 errors in 62 innings. TechnoCats pitchers Katie Coker and Lyndsi Heine threw a combined total of 892 pitches in nine games, of which 71 percent were strikes. They recorded 57 strikeouts, forced 72 groundouts, gave up eight walks, and combined for a 2.61 ERA while holding opposing batters to.213 hitting.

"The TechnoCats are sponsored by K-State at Salina in an effort to provide an opportunity for young women to experience a collegiate sports atmosphere and to begin their collegiate experience," said Dennis Kuhlman, dean.

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