La Crosse, Wis. – The 2012-13 Viterbo University women's basketball season was celebrated Sunday, May 5 at The Golf Club at Cedar Creek with tributes to five seniors and team awards. Seventy people attended the event which featured an Italian buffet and a highlight video produced by Dani Templin and a scrapbook by Haylea Halverson, both senior Visual Communications majors. 

Jada Straub (Nursing; Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.)
Jada was a very unselfish player and great teammate. Her work ethic and determination helped move her into the starting point guard position as a senior. She always had the ability to think like a true point guard, but she was also very instinctive when she was on the floor. When she came off the bench earlier in her career, she was always ready to give the team what they needed.  After being very solid the first half of this season, she unfortunately tore her ACL right before conference play, ending her career. Jada will be only the second player in the last 20 years to graduate from the nursing program in four years and play basketball all four of those years, an impressive feat indeed.

Dani Templin (Visual Communications; Richland Center, Wis)
Dani will surely be remembered as one of the best all-around players to ever wear a V-Hawk uniform. She is the only player to be utilized in all five positions in the last 20 years and maybe ever. Incredibly consistent and durable, Dani played in all 124 games and started 120 in her four year career. Her versatility is very evident as she finished her V-Hawk career in the top 15 in 14 different statistical categories. These included being #1 in career free throws made and attempted, third in career blocked shots, fifth in career scoring and seventh in career rebounding, even while playing significant time at the point guard position during her first and last seasons.  As skilled as she was, Dani may be best remembered for her leadership, team spirit and humble demeanor. 

The seniors reminisced about their varied and memorable experiences at Viterbo, on and off the court. They thanked the people in their lives that had supported them, including their families, teammates, coaches and fans. They also spoke about their plans for the near future which included job searches and graduate school.

There was a celebration of MCC and NAIA awards:

MCC First Team All-Conference—Dani Templin and Jenna Engh (So. Sport Management and Leadership; Westby, Wis.)

NAIA Scholar-Athletes—Haylea Halverson, Jada Straub, Dani Templin and Sami Weaver (Jr. Management; Trempealeau, Wis.)

Champion of Character—Dani Templin

Annual team awards were handed out and the recipients were:

Student-Athlete of the Year—Sami Weaver

Defensive Players of the Year—Laquita Becker and Jess Pavlinec

Chairman of the Boards—Laquita Becker

Most Improved Players—Ally Ostrander (So. Sport Management and Leadership; Eastman, Wis.) and Kelly Evers (Fr. Marketing; Sugar Grove, Ill.)

Rookie of the Year—Kelly Evers

John Wooden Team Spirit Award—Hailey Chism  (Jr; Nursing; Janesville, WI)

La Crosse, Wis. – The Midwest Collegiate Conference announced today the women's golf all-conference teams. Viterbo University senior Chelsey McCoy (Brookfield, Wis.) was named to the MCC First Team while freshman Stephanie Gerber (Sheboygan, Wis.) was selected as an Honorable Mention recipient.

McCoy becomes the first V-Hawk in school history to be honored with all-conference honors all four years of her career. This is the third straight season McCoy has been named to the first team after being named an honorable mention selection as a freshman. McCoy led the V-Hawks this season with an 84.7 scoring average over 16 rounds of golf. She had three top five finishes this including a third place finish at the MCC championships this spring.

Gerber was the top V-Hawk freshman this season with an 87.3 scoring average over 14 rounds. She had her top finish at the Viterbo Invitational where she finished fourth individually with a 36 hole score of 171 (87-84). Gerber also had a very good tournament at the MCC Championships where she finished ninth this spring. After shooting a 90 on day one of the MCC Championships, Gerber cut nine strokes off of her day one score to shoot a season best 81.

La Crosse, Wis. – Viterbo University men's golf seniors Shawn Keenan (Embden, Maine) and Jordan Kerska (Sparta, Wis.) were honored today by the Midwest Collegiate Conference as all-conference honors were announced. Both Keenan and Kerska received Honorable Mention All-Conference honors.

This is the second straight season Keenan earned all-conference honors for the V-Hawks as he was also an honorable mention recipient. Keenan finished with a 76.8 average this season in 21 rounds of golf. He had three top five finishes this season including a third place finish at the Ronnie Eastman Invite back in October. At the MCC Championships this spring, Keenan finished 25th individually.

This is the first time that Kerska has been honored by the MCC. Kerska led the V-Hawks with a 75.7 scoring average in 21 rounds for the V-Hawks. He finished with three top ten individual finishes this season including a season best fourth place finish at the AIB College Fall Invitational. He also had a team high finish of 21st at the MCC Championships this spring.

La Crosse, Wis. – The Viterbo University baseball team put together one of their best seasons in recent history in 2013 and today seven of their players were honored by the Midwest Collegiate Conference. Senior Chris Dunn (Hancock, Wis.) was named MCC Pitcher of the Year and was joined on the All-Conference First Team by Blake Shepherd (Sr. – Mindoro, Wis.) and Matt Watkins (Jr. – San Carlos, Calif.) while Brandon Beech (So. – Winona, Minn.), Pierce Belaustegui (Jr. – Henderson, Nev.), Ben O'Reilly (Jr. – Rochester, Minn.) and Evan Taylor (Jr. – San Diego, Calif.) all earned Honorable Mention All-Conference honors.

Tournament Championship game, falling just short of a bid to the NAIA National Tournament. Although the V-Hawks do lose Dunn and Shepherd to graduation, Watkins, Beech, Belaustegui, Taylor and O'Reilly will be back for another season to build on the success of this season.

La Crosse, Wis. – Competing less than a week after throwing a season best at the Midwest Collegiate Conference Championships, freshman Emily Messerschmidt (Fall Creek, Wis.) threw a new personal best in the women's discus event at Friday's Eagle Open. Messerschmidt's toss of 29.39 meters was also a new team record.

Messerschmidt wasn't the only V-Hawk with an impressive performance though.  Sophomore high jumper Brock Mrdjenovich (Ashland, Wis.) also had a season best and set a new team outdoor record with a jump of 1.80 meters in the men's high jump competition. Running in his final event, senior Ben DiSera (Hayward, Wis.) also earned a personal best by finishing the 400 meter dash in 52.74.

The Viterbo Track and Field season continues Saturday morning when distance running standout Patrick Understeller (Sr. – Mountain View, Hawaii) seeks a NAIA qualifying time in the marathon event at the Journey's Marathon in Eagle River Wis.

"It's a testament to the seniors (Ben DiSera, and Patrick Understeller) that they each have continued to improve and their best performances are coming at the end of their final seasons," said Head Track and Field Coach John Metelko. "Each has worked hard as members of our program, and it's rewarding to see the culmination of their hard work."

Team scores were not kept at Friday's Eagle Open.

La Crosse, Wis. – The Viterbo University Athletics Department hosted its seventh annual Athletic Honors Banquet on Friday night. Besides V-Hawk seniors being honored, the athletic department handed out its Male and Female Athletes of the Year awards along with their Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year award and their Champions of Character of the Year award.

Dunn served as the ace of the V-Hawk pitching staff for Coach Chad Miller's baseball team. He finished the season with a single season school record 103 strikeouts in a school record 92.2 innings. He also had a team high 16 appearances and finished with a 6-3 record. He limited his opponents to a .192 batting average and allowed just 16 earned runs this season for an ERA of 1.55. Dun played an integral part of a V-Hawk team that finished 24-19 overall and was second in the MCC regular season standings. He picked up a complete game victory in round two of the MCC tournament and also pitched seven innings in the V-Hawks loss in the MCC Championship game.

Also honored at this year's banquet were 41 senior student-athletes who were recognized with the senior letterwinner plaque. The athletic department also recognized 24 students who were named NAIA Scholar Athletes, six NCBCA Academic All-Americans, fifteen team champions of characters, 31 student-athletes who earned All-Conference honors as well as two teams that won conference championships. Other highlights of the banquet included a wonderful meal provided by Outback Steakhouse as well as great student reflections from seniors Jordan Blaken (Melrose, Wis.) and Dani Templin.  

La Crosse, Wis. – Although the Viterbo University baseball season came to a disappointing end in the Midwest Collegiate Conference Championship, the V-Hawks did have a couple of players put their names in the schools record books. Senior Chris Dunn (Hancock, Wis.) broke numerous school records while senior Blake Shepherd (Mindoro, Wis.) put his name in once.

Dunn has been the top pitcher for the V-Hawks over his three year career. Last week Wednesday, Dunn surpassed the school's all-time strikeout record and the single season innings pitched record. He finishes his career with 214 strikeouts which beats the old record which was set by Brian Behnke back in 1995. His 92.2 innings pitched this season surpasses Andy Kreidermacher's record of 82.2 innings set in 2004.

Then on Saturday, Dunn struck out nine more batters to bring his season total to 103 strikeouts which breaks the single season mark of 102 set by Kreidermacher in 2004. He also finishes his V-Hawk career with a school record earned run average of 2.55. That record was held by Brady Banse which was set in 2011.

Shepherd has had one of the best offensive careers in a V-Hawk uniform. He finishes his career in the top five in numerous categories and a top the school's all-time triples record. With two triples on Saturday, Shepherd finishes his career with 14 triples in a V-Hawk uniform. He breaks Ken Scheffler's record of 12 set back in 1992.

Dunn and Shepherd are just two pieces of a V-Hawk team that finished 24-19 on the year and was second in the MCC regular season standings. The V-Hawks were the #2 seed in the MCC tournament and just missed out on a bid to the NAIA National Tournament by losing in the tournament championship game. Although Dunn and Shepherd along with Cody Brown (Countryside, Ill.), Justin Sunderland (Hayward, Wis.), and Cole Clements (Winona, Minn.) say good bye to the V-Hawks, Coach Chad Miller will bring back plenty of contributing members in 2014. He is hopeful that experience will help them once again compete for a MCC championship.

La Crosse, Wis. – Sophomore Maddy Podmolik (Deerfield, Wis.) and junior Ali VanHavermaet (Tomah, Wis.) were honored today by the Midwest Collegiate Conference. Podmolik and VanHavermaet were both named Honorable Mention All-Conference selections.

This is the second straight season for Podmolik to earn all-conference honors as she was a first team selection as a freshman. An outfielder, Podmolik led the V-Hawks in hitting this season as she finished the year with a .287 batting average. She finished with a team high 29 hits and 22 runs scored. She was a threat on the bases as well as she finished third in the MCC in stolen bases with 15.

This year's honor marks the third consecutive season that VanHavermaet has been honored by the MCC as she was honorable mention as a sophomore and first team as a freshman. VanHavermaet was the top pitcher for the V-Hawks this season as she made 20 appearances on the mound. She threw a team high 109.2 innings this season and finished with a 2.62 earned run average. She also led the V-Hawks with 53 strikeouts while walking just 23 batters. Her top performance of the season may have come against William Penn when she threw a complete game shutout and held one of the best hitting teams in the league to just four hits.

Davenport, Iowa – It has been a long week for the Viterbo University baseball team and mother nature has not helped them out at all either. With the Midwest Collegiate Conference Baseball Tournament being halted due to inclement weather on Thursday, league officials had to make a tough decision of whether to finish the tournament on the field or determine their champion by league by laws. League officials and coaches decided it was best to determine it on the field even though it may mean for a long day for all involved.

Tournament play was moved from Riverfront Stadium in Waterloo, Iowa to Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, Iowa and started back up on Saturday morning at 11:00 am. The V-Hawks of Viterbo University was the loan undefeated team at 2-0 and would play 2-1 Grand View University which started at roughly 6:15 pm. The V-Hawks dropped that contest 9-5 and then had to immediately play St. Ambrose University in an elimination game which got started at 9:15 pm. Viterbo's offense would find a rhythm and record 16 hits in route to an 8-2 win over the Bees.

After a 30 minute break, the V-Hawks then had to play the Vikings of Grand View University again in the MCC Championship with the winner earning the automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament. Unfortunately, the V-Hawks ran out of gas after playing 18 innings of baseball for six straight hours and it showed in the first couple of innings. The Vikings put up 10 runs in the first inning and never looked back as they won 13-3.

The loss ends the season for the V-Hawks at 24-19 overall. It was a tough way for the V-Hawks to see their season come to an end but as they look back they will realize that it was a pretty good season overall. On the final day of the regular season, the V-Hawks had a chance at a regular season title and then had a chance to play for the tournament title. Not bad for a team that was picked to finish fifth out of six teams in the MCC preseason polls.

Grand View vs. Viterbo Recap (Championship Bracket 6:30 pm game)

The Vikings of Grand View University wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as they scored five runs over the first three innings. The V-Hawks would get a run back in the second and two more runs in the fourth inning. Junior Luigi Dolenti (Viroqua, Wis.) drove in one of the runs for the V-Hawks with an RBI double. Viterbo then pulled to within one run (6-5) in the bottom of the fifth inning. Junior Matt Watkins (San Carlos, Calif.) and senior Blake Shepherd (Mindoro, Wis.) led off the fifth with back-back triples to highlight the inning. Shepherd's triple was his 13^th of his V-Hawk career which breaks school's all-time record which was set by Ken Scheffler in 1992. But that would be all of the scoring for the V-Hawks as the Vikings added insurance runs in the sixth and ninth innings to make the final score 9-5.

Junior Taylor Erwin (Surprise, Ariz.) (4-3) suffered the loss on the mound for the V-Hawks as he allowed four runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings pitched. Josh Thiede (Jr. – Montreal, Wis.) came on in relief and pitched the final 7 2/3 innings allowing five runs on 11 hits. Andrew Roble picked up the win on the mound for the Vikings as he came on in relief and allowed two runs on two hits in two innings of work.

The loss drops Viterbo to 23-18 on the year and 2-1 in the MCC tournament while Grand View University is now 24-19 overall and moves on to the MCC Championship game. Viterbo will face St. Ambrose University in an elimination game.

Viterbo vs. St. Ambrose University (MCC Tournament Elimination Game)

In a game where both teams knew the loser would go home, Viterbo head coach sent one of his top two aces to the mound and he did not disappoint. Junior Evan Taylor (San Diego, Calif.) pitched his sixth complete game and picked up his sixth win of the season as he allowed two runs on eleven hits while striking out six.

Taylor would get plenty of help from his offense as the V-Hawks ripped off 15 hits led by six players with multiple hits. The V-Hawks got on the board first in the third inning as Shepherd hit his second triple of the day to drive in Watkins. He would then score on an RBI single by Taylor Reinhardt (So. – Medford, Wis.). They would get a run in the fourth inning on an RBI double by Justin Sunderland (Sr. – Hayward, Wis.) and three more runs in the fifth including a solo homerun by Shepherd. Senior Cody Brown (Countryside, Ill.) would then drive in two runs with a single in the sixth to cap the scoring for the V-Hawks. Brandon Beech (So. – Winona, Minn.) and Reinhardt each had three hits to lead the V-Hawks. Shepherd had two hits to go along with two runs and two RBI's while Reinhardt added two runs and an RBI.

The win improves Viterbo to 24-18 on the year and sends them to the MCC Tournament championship game while St. Ambrose ends their season at 15-26 overall. Viterbo will now face Grand View University at 12:30 am in the Championship game.

Viterbo University vs. Grand View University (MCC Tournament Championship)

The V-Hawks just got done playing 18 innings and were now just 9 innings away from the programs first ever MCC tournament title. Coach Miller was not certain how his team would respond to having to play a third straight game in less than six hours and having it start at 12:30 am. Unfortunately for Coach Miller his fears may have come true as the V-Hawks showed they were tired in the first inning as they committed three errors and allowed ten runs on six hits. Only eight of the ten runs were earned in that opening inning.

The deficit was just too big for the V-Hawks as their offense was limited to just three runs on ten hits. Watkins led the way for the V-Hawks as he was 2-2 with 2 RBI's and 2 walks. Beech was the only other V-Hawk with multiple hits as he finished 3-5.

Junior Ben O'Reilly (Rochester, Minn.) got the start on the mound but he was unable to get out of the first inning as he suffered the loss. O'Reilly (6-3) allowed nine runs on five hits in just 2/3 of an inning. Senior Chris Dunn (Hancock, Wis.) would be asked to come in and settle the storm after throwing 130 pitches in a complete game on Wednesday. Dunn would show why he is one of the top pitchers in the MCC as he went the rest of the way giving up four runs, one earned, on five hits while striking out nine. His nine strikeouts helped him break the school's single season record for strikeouts as he finishes the 2013 season with 103 strikeouts. Earlier in the week, Dunn broke the school's all-time record and now finishes his three year career with 214.

Oskaloosa, Iowa - With Sunday morning at 8 a.m. the deadline to have all conference tournaments wrapped up, the Midwest Collegiate Conference will give it one last try to conclude its baseball championship.  Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport is playable and the final four teams will meet there today in hopes of determining a champion.  Today's schedule is as follows:

11 a.m.—#1 William Penn vs. #4 St. Ambrose (elimination game)
1/2 hour after conclusion--#3 Grand View vs. #6 Mount Mercy (elimination game; game was suspended Thursday with GV leading 6-3 in the top of the 7th)
1/2 hour after conclusion—Winner of GV/MM will play #2 Viterbo
**If Viterbo wins, it plays winner of WP/SA game in championship series
**If GV/MM wins, the squads meet again 1/2 hour later for right to play in championship series
1/2 hour after conclusion, championship series begins, concluding when one team loses its second game of the tournament (may be an if-necessary game for the title)

La Crosse, Wis. – Viterbo University head women's basketball coach Bobbi Vandenberg is pleased to announce that Hillsboro's Hilary Stanek has decided to join the V-Hawks this fall.

A 5'7 combo guard, Stanek has been named the Scenic Bluffs Conference Player of the Year the past two seasons. In addition to her POY awards, Stanek has been a First Team All-Conference Player for three seasons and was named to the 2013-14 Wisconsin State Journal Division 5 All-Area First Team along fellow V-Hawk signee Hailey Koch. She is the all-time leading scorer for Hillboro High School with 904 points. As a senior, Stanek put together stellar numbers for Mark Kocyans's Tigers, leading them to a share of the Scenic Bluffs title. The team captain averaged 13.4 points, 6.2 rebounds 2.9 assists and 2.0 steals as she showed her versatility throughout the season.

"We are excited to add Hilary to an already strong recruiting class. She brings another dimension to this class as I love her toughness and physical play," commented Vandenberg. "She is already very good at getting to the basket and is an excellent rebounding guard and playmaker. I know she will be a good fit for our team because she is personable, a leader and a great student."

Stanek is a well-rounded student-athlete who was also an All-Conference volleyball player and is a member of National Honor Society, FFA, FBLA and the Hillsboro band. She had this to say about choosing Viterbo University to continue her athletic and academic career; "I chose Viterbo University because I liked the small aspect of it. Since I go to a smaller school, I kind of wanted to stay with that because I feel I will get much more out of it. I already know the area well and I think it will be a great fit for me."

Stanek is the daughter of Rick and Mary Stanek of Hillsboro and will major in Biology.

Waterloo, Iowa – Viterbo University baseball senior pitcher Chris Dunn (Hancock, Wis.) has had one of the best seasons in school history and so it is no surprise that he once again pitched a gem tonight to help lead the V-Hawks to a 6-1 win over Grand View University to remain undefeated in the Midwest Collegiate Conference tournament.

The V-Hawks top ace, Dunn, was called upon in game two of the MCC tournament and he delivered a complete game five hitter. After getting off to a slow start, Dunn progressively got better as the game went on. He found himself in a bit of trouble in the eighth inning when the Vikings loaded the bases with two outs. However, Dunn got his 10th strikeout of the game and 204th of his career which breaks the school's all-time record. He would finish the game with 11 strikeouts and now has 205 strikeouts in three seasons with the V-Hawks which surpasses Brian Behnke who set the record at 203 during his career (1991-1995).

Dunn would get some early run support from his teammates as the V-Hawks scored two runs in the top of the first inning. Sophomore Brandon Beech (Winona, Minn.) led off the inning with a single and advanced to third one out later on a double by Blake Shepherd (Sr. – Mindoro, Wis.). Beech then scored on a sacrifice fly by Cody Brown (Sr. – Countryside, Ill.) while Shepherd scored when Pierce Belaustegui (Jr. – Henderson, Nev.) reached on an error.

The Vikings would get a run back in the second inning but Viterbo added three more runs in the fourth to take a 5-1 lead. Beech would provide the big hit for the V-Hawks in the fourth inning when he hit a base clearing double to drive in three runs. Viterbo would add an insurance run in the sixth to finish the scoring for the V-Hawks and that would be all the offense Dunn would need.

In nine innings of work, Dunn (6-3) allowed one run on five hits while striking out 11 with three walks. Dunn also put his name in the single season record book as he now has pitched 85.1 innings this season which surpasses Andy Kreidermacher 's record of 82.2 innings which was set in 2004.

The V-Hawks are now 23-17 on the year and are the only undefeated team in the double elimination tournament. Viterbo now waits to find out their opponent as Grand View University will play Mount Mercy University at 12:00 pm in an elimination game. The winner of that game will face the V-Hawks at 7:00 pm on Thursday night.

La Crosse, Wis. – The Viterbo University softball team ended the 2013 regular season with a doubleheader split with Clarke University today. The V-Hawks defeated the Crusaders 7-0 in game one but suffered an 8-0 defeat in the night cap.

In the first game, the V-Hawks got on the board first with a run in the opening inning. Jenna Engh (So. – Westby, Wis.) earned a walk and then stole second base before being moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Amanda Berg (Jr. – Whitehall, Wis.). Engh would then score on a passed ball to give the V-Hawks a 1-0 lead. Viterbo would get three more runs in the third inning which was highlighted by a 2-run homerun from Maddy Podmolik (So. – Deerfield, Wis.). Podmolik and Engh would both pick up an RBI in the fourth inning to give the V-Hawks a 6-0 lead. They would then add one more run in the sixth when Berg would hit an RBI single to finish the scoring for the V-Hawks.

Ali VanHavermaet (Jr. – Tomah, Wis.) and Justine Emerson (So. – Galesville, Wis.) combined for the complete game shutout on the mound for the V-Hawks. VanHavermaet (3-14) went five innings to get the win and allowed just four hits. Emerson pitched the final two innings allowing just one hit. Podmolik finished game one 1-3 with two runs scored and 3 RBI's while Engh and Berg both had two hits with an RBI.

The second game was a defensive battle for the first six innings as neither team was able to get anything going. That changed in the top of the seventh inning for the Crusaders as they scored eight runs on seven hits to break the game wide open. Katie Philipp-Guerra and Rachel Arns provided the big hits in the inning as they both drove in two runs with singles. Viterbo would put two runners on base in the bottom half of the inning but the Crusaders would get out of the inning without allowing a run.

Emerson once again came on in relief for the V-Hawks in the seventh inning and suffered the loss as she allowed five runs on four hits and did not record an out. Kirsten Tomlinson (Fr. – Poynette, Wis.) started the game on the mound for the V-Hawks and allowed three runs on five hits in seven innings. Tomlinson and Renee Pattison (Sr. – Durand, Wis.) each had two hits in game two for the V-Hawks.

Viterbo finishes the regular season 4-35 on the year and 2-18 in Midwest Collegiate Conference action while Clarke finishes 7-25 overall and 3-17 in conference action. Viterbo will open up the MCC tournament on Thursday as the #6 seed in the tournament. Viterbo will play on the road at the #3 seed which will be either Mount Mercy University or Grand View University.

La Crosse, Wis. – The Viterbo University men's basketball team handed out their annual team awards at the End of the Year Banquet on April 7. The team awards include the V-Hawk Award, Champion of Character Award, Leadership Award, and the Hustle Award.  These awards are voted on by the team members after each season.

The 2012-13 award winners were:

V-Hawk Award – Matt Turba

Champion of Character – Sekou Moore

Leadership Award – Alex Koeller

Hustle Award – Izac Sheforgen

The banquet also provided an opportunity to recognize all of the national and conference award winners from this past season.

NAIA Scholar Athletes – Alex Diciaula, Jasper Duberry, and Izac Sheforgen

First Team All-Conference – Matt Turba

Honorable Mention All-Conference – Cole Lewis and Izac Sheforgen

Academic All-Conference – Alex Diciaula, Evan Dreger, Peter Drummond, Jasper Duberry, Chris Johnson, Connor Kaiser, Tyler Kastenschmidt, Alex Koeller, Izac Sheforgen, Matt Turba, and Patrick Warner

Those in attendance were also treated to two very special and heartfelt messages from seniors Alex Koeller and Sekou Moore.

La Crosse, Wis. – For the second straight day, the Bees of St. Ambrose University swept the V-Hawks of Viterbo University in a Midwest Collegiate Conference doubleheader. St. Ambrose University took game one 4-0 and then came from behind in game two to win 6-4.

In game one, the V-Hawk offense did not record their first hit until the fourth inning and they were limited to just four hits all game. St. Ambrose on the other hand finished with nine hits including four doubles. The Bees used a three run fourth inning to break open the game and take control. After loading the bases in the fourth, the Bees got a base clearing double from Niki Green.

Junior Ali VanHavermaet (Tomah, Wis.) (2-15) suffered the loss on the mound as she allowed all four runs on seven hits. Justine Emerson (So. – Galesville, Wis.) came on in relief to pitch the final three innings, allowing just two hits. Jenna Harshbarger (13-4) picked up the win on the mound for the Bees as she gave up just three hits while striking out nine in six innings of work.

The V-Hawks got the bats going in game two as they scored three runs in the first inning. Freshman Kirsten Tomlinson (Poynette, Wis.) provided the big hit in the opening inning by driving in a run with a single. The Bees got two runs back in the second and then tied the game up in the third inning. Viterbo would regain the lead in the fourth after Renee Pattison (Sr. – Durand, Wis.) singled and advanced to third on back-back sacrifice bunts. She then scored on a wild pitch to put the V-Hawks up 4-3. The Bees then tied the game up with a run in the fifth inning and got runs in the sixth and seventh inning to finish the scoring.

Emerson (0-7) came on in relief again for the V-Hawks and suffered the loss by allowing three runs on seven hits in three innings of work. Tomlinson started the game on the mound for the V-Hawks allowed three runs on four hits in four innings. Alyssa Koziol (4-3) came on in relief for the Bees and earned the win by striking out five of the eleven hitters she face and not allowing a single hit.

The losses drop the V-Hawks to 3-34 on the year and 1-17 in MCC action while the Bees improve to 36-13 overall and 13-5 in conference action. Viterbo will finish up the regular season tomorrow afternoon when they host a doubleheader with Clarke University. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 pm.

La Crosse, Wis. – Viterbo University dropped a pair of softball games to Grand View University today as they lost game one 11-2 in 5 innings and game two 5-4 in 8 innings.

In the first game, the V-Hawks would take a 1-0 lead in the first inning and a 2-1 lead in the third inning. But the Vikings offense would erupt for ten runs (2 in 4th and 8 in 5th) over the next two innings to break open the game. Sophomore Maddy Podmolik (Deerfield, Wis.) led the way offensively in the first game as she was 1-2 with a walk and two runs scored.

Junior Ali VanHavermaet (Tomah, Wis.) suffered the loss on the mound for the V-Hawks as she allowed 11 runs, 2 earned, on 9 hits while striking out five in five innings of work. Abbey Wilmes picked up the win on the mound for the Vikings as she gave up two runs on four hits while striking out six in five innings.

Game two was a much different game as both teams would have some offensive success. Viterbo took a 2-1 lead in the third inning on an RBI double by Jenna Engh (So. – Westby, Wis.) and an RBI groundout by Amanda Berg (Jr. – Whitehall, Wis.). The Vikings would take a 3-2 lead in the fifth but that lead would be short lived as Viterbo scored two in the bottom half of the fifth to lead 4-3. Grand View would tie the game up in the top of the seventh inning on a home run by Dacia Miller. The game would then enter extra innings as the Vikings scored a run in the top of the 8th as Miller drove in another run with a double. Grand View would then retire the side in the bottom half of the inning to earn the extra inning victory.

Freshman Kirsten Tomlinson (Poynette, Wis.) made the start on the mound for the V-Hawks and went seven innings allowing four runs on nine hits. Sophomore Justine Emerson (Galesville, Wis.) pitched the eighth and suffers the loss of record. Renee Pattison (Sr. – Durand, Wis.) and Podmolik each had multi-hit games to lead the V-Hawk offense. Pattison also drove in a run while Podmolik scored a run for the V-Hawks.

The losses move the V-Hawks to 3-30 overall and 1-13 in Midwest Collegiate Conference action while the Vikings improve to 19-20 overall and 12-5 in conference play. Viterbo will be back in action next when they travel to Davenport, Iowa on Sunday to play the Queen Bees of St. Ambrose University. The doubleheader is scheduled for 1:00 pm.

La Crosse, Wis. – The Viterbo University baseball team would build early 3-0 leads in both games against William Penn University but were unable to finish them off as they fell 5-4 and 4-3 in 8 innings. Needing to win just one of the games today to clinch a Midwest Collegiate Conference championship, Viterbo University was unable to seal the deal on their first regular season title since 1991.

In the first game, the V-Hawks built a 3-0 lead in the second inning after recording two outs. With two guys on, Brandon Beech (So. – Winona, Minn.) hit a single to center field scoring the first two runs of the game. Beech would then score on an RBI single from senior Blake Shepherd (Mindoro, Wis.). The score would remain that way until the top of the sixth when the Statesmen started to make some noise.

After recording the first out of the inning, V-Hawk starting pitcher Ben O'Reilly (Jr. – Rochester, Minn.) hit a batter and gave up back-back singles to allow the first run of the game. Shepherd would then be called upon to pitch in relief but he was not able to get out of the jam. Shepherd walked two batters, hit another and forced a ground out which scored four runs to give the Statesmen a 5-3 lead. Josh Thiede (Jr. – Montreal, Wis.) would then relieve Shepherd and get out of the inning with no more damage. Viterbo would have one final opportunity in the seventh as they loaded the bases by putting the first three runners on base. Luigi Dolenti (Jr. – Viroqua, Wis.) would be hit by a pitch to force in a run but that would be all the V-Hawks would get as the Statesmen defense prevailed.

O'Reilly had another quality start for the V-Hawks as he allowed four runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. Shepherd (1-2) suffered the loss on the mound for the V-Hawks as he allowed one run on no hits in 1/3 of inning. Danny Erece picked up the win for the Statesmen by giving up 3 runs on 11 hits in five innings of work while Corey Lathram picked up the save by pitching the final two innings of the game.

Game two started out very similar to the first one as the V-Hawks built a 3-0 lead in the second inning. It was Beech again who had a 2-run single in the second inning to give the V-Hawks the early lead. The Statesmen would tie the game up at three after getting a run in the fourth and two in the fifth inning. The game would stay that way and force extra innings to decide the outcome. In the 8^th, the V-Hawk defense committed three defensive miscues which allowed an unearned run to score. In the bottom half of the inning, the V-Hawks would have a chance as Justin Sunderland (Sr. – Hayward, Wis.) reached on an error and advanced to second but the Statesmen would get out of the inning with a ground ball to finish off the game.

Taylor Erwin (Jr. – Surprise, Ariz.) made the start on the mound for the V-Hawks but was forced out of the game in the second inning after taking a line drive off of his hand. After throwing 114 pitches yesterday in Viterbo's win over Clarke University, Chris Dunn (Sr. – Hancock, Wis.) came back and threw 3 1/3 innings allowing 3 runs on seven hits. The V-Hawks would call on another pitcher who pitched a complete game shutout yesterday in Evan Taylor (Jr. – San Diego, Calif.). Taylor (5-4) would finish the game allowing the unearned run in the eighth to suffer the loss. In three innings of work, Taylor allowed just three hits.

The losses drop the V-Hawks to 21-17 on the year and 11-9 in MCC action while the Statesmen improve to 22-16 overall and 12-8 in conference play. Viterbo now moves into postseason play as they will be the #2 seed in the MCC Tournament. The six team double elimination tournament starts next Tuesday, April 30^th.

La Crosse, Wis. – Viterbo University baseball pitchers Evan Taylor (Jr. – San Diego, Calif.) and Chris Dunn (Sr. – Hancock, Wis.) pitched absolute gems today to help lead the V-Hawks to a 1-0 and 2-1 doubleheader sweep of Clarke University. The sweep keeps Viterbo one game up in first place with two games to play in the Midwest Collegiate Conference standings.

The sweep moves Viterbo to 21-15 overall and 11-7 in MCC action while Clarke falls to 24-17 overall and 9-9 in conference play. Viterbo will finish up the regular season tomorrow afternoon when they face the Statesmen of William Penn University at 2:00 pm. The V-Hawks need to win just one of the two games tomorrow to win the MCC regular season championship and earn the number one seed in the conference tournament which starts on Tuesday. A MCC regular season title would be the programs first championship since the 1991 season.

La Crosse, Wis. – The Viterbo University softball team earned a split today with William Penn University as they defeated the Statesmen 1-0 in game one but then fell 10-1 in game two.

The first game was a hard fought pitcher's duel that saw the two teams combine for six hits. The V-Hawks scored the lone run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore Maddy Podmolik (Deerfield, Wis.) opened the inning with a walk and advanced on Jenna Engh's (So. – Westby, Wis.) bunt single. Podmolik and Engh would both advance on a passed ball before Podmolik would score on a groundout by Amanda Gill (Jr. – Roscoe, Ill.). William Penn would threaten in both the third and seventh innings but V-Hawk pitcher Ali VanHavermaet (Jr. – Tomah, Wis.) would close the door in both innings.

VanHavermaet (2-9) picked up the win on the mound for the V-Hawks as she gave up four hits while striking out one batter in the complete game shutout. Jennifer Whitehead suffered the loss on the mound for the Statesmen as she allowed one run on two hits while striking out four in six innings of work.

William Penn would get their bats going in game two as they recorded 11 hits. The Statesmen got on the board first with a run on a double by Jess Christensen. The V-Hawks would get that run back in the bottom half of the first inning as Podmolik reached on a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Engh. She then stole third and would score on the play as the catcher's throw sailed into left field. It was all William Penn from their as they scored three runs in the second, two in the third and four in the fourth inning.

VanHavermaet (2-10) started on the mound in game two and suffered the loss as she gave up four runs, one earned, on three hits in 1 2/3 innings. Kirsten Tomlinson (Fr. – Poynette, Wis.) and Justine Emerson (So. – Galesville, Wis.) came on in relief to pitch the final 3 1/3 innings. Carly Land earned the win for the Statesmen as she went the distance allowing one run on just 2 hits while striking out eight.

The win in game one ended Viterbo's 16 game losing streak and moved them to 3-26 overall and 1-9 in Midwest Collegiate Conference action. William Penn is now 30-14 overall and 12-4 in conference play. Viterbo will be back in action tomorrow (Thursday) when they travel to Dubuque, Iowa to play the Crusaders of Clarke University. The doubleheader is scheduled to start at 4:00 pm.

La Crosse, Wis. – The Viterbo University softball team was glad to finally be able to play on their home field but they were unable to take advantage of being at home as they suffered a doubleheader sweep at the hands of Mount Mercy University. The Mustangs defeated the V-Hawks 13-1 and 15-4.

The Mustangs Whitney Matlack hit the first pitch of game one over the center field fence and the Mustangs never looked back. They would add a second run in the first inning and single runs in the second and fourth innings to build a 4-0 lead. Mount Mercy would then add three runs in the fifth and then opened the game wide open with six runs in the sixth. The lone bright spot for the V-Hawks in game one was a solo homerun from Amanda Berg (Jr. – Whitehall, Wis.) in the bottom of the sixth.

Freshman Kirsten Tomlinson (Poynette, Wis.) (1-11) suffered the loss on the mound for the V-Hawks as she allowed 13 runs on 16 hits while striking out two in six innings of work. Catie Flaucher picked up the win on the mound for the Mustangs as she went the distance and allowed one run on three hits while striking out seven batters.

The V-Hawks got the offense going in game two as they took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the third. Trailing 3-0, Viterbo scored four runs on five hits to take their first lead of the day. Jenna Smith (So. – La Crosse, Wis.) provided the big hit as she drove in two runs with a single while Justine Emerson (So. – Galesville, Wis.) and Katie VanHavermaet (So. – Tomah, Wis.) each drove in a run. Mount Mercy would get a run back in the fourth and the game would enter the sixth tied at four apiece.

In the sixth, the V-Hawk defense would let them down as they committed three errors and gave up five homeruns. The Mustangs would score 11 runs on 10 hits in the inning to take a 15-4 lead. Carson Burgart homered twice in the inning for the Mustangs. Viterbo would go three up, three down in the bottom of the sixth to end the game.

Emerson (0-5) made the start on the mound for the V-Hawks allowing 15 runs on 16 hits. Hannah Petersen came on in relief for the Mustangs to earn the win as she gave up just two hits in 3 1/3 innings of work.

The losses drop Viterbo to 2-25 on the year and 0-8 in Midwest Collegiate Conference action while the Mustangs improve to 23-12 overall and 11-4 in conference play. Viterbo will be back in action tomorrow when they host William Penn University. The doubleheader will start at 3:00 pm on Wednesday.