WIAC Baseball Athletes of the Week

Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Baseball Athletes of the Week

Week of April 27 - May 3
Position
Jay Fanta, Freshman (Viroqua), Thirdbase of UW-La Crosse
Fanta went 8-for-20 (.400) in five games with six runs scored and three RBI as UW-La Crosse posted five victories. He added two doubles and drew three walks. Fanta went 4-for-8 with four runs scored and a double in UW-La Crosse's sweep of UW-Stout on May 3. He recorded at least one hit in all five contests to extend his hitting streak to nine games.

Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Andrew Eichstaedt, Freshman, Secondbase, Appleton (North)
UW-Platteville, Derrick Rice, Junior, Outfield, Cottage Grove (Monona Grove)
UW-Stout, Brian Giebel, Sophomore, Outfield, River Falls

Pitcher
Zach Lauersdorf, Freshman (Watertown), Righthanded Pitcher of UW-La Crosse
Lauersdorf went 2-0 on the week with a 1.12 earned run average. He earned wins over Viterbo University (Wis.) and UW-Stout. Against Viterbo on April 28, he pitched 8.0 innings, allowed three hits, one run and one walk, while recording five strikeouts. Lauersdorf was perfect through five innings and didn't allow a hit until two outs in the seventh. He came back to pick up a win over UW-Stout on May 3, going 8.0 innings and allowed five hits, three runs and two walks, while striking out seven.

Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Ryan Demmin, Junior, Lefthanded Pitcher, Oshkosh (North)
UW-Platteville, Kyle Mack, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Lodi
UW-Stout, Russ Jiskra, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Hudson

Week of April 20 - 26
Position
Jeremy Richter, Junior (Rosholt), Firstbase/Outfield of UW-Stevens Point
Richter made 18 plate appearances and reached base safely 13 times in doubleheaders against UW-Oshkosh and UW-Superior. He compiled 10 hits, including three doubles and three home runs to go along with eight RBI and six runs scored for a slugging percentage of 1.222 and on-base percentage of .619. Richter recorded at least three hits in three contests. He was 4-for-6 with two runs scored and two RBI in a 12-10, 10-inning win over the Titans on April 22. In the opening game against the Yellowjackets on April 25, Richter was 3-for-5 with five RBI, two runs scored, one double and one home run.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Cory Poppitz, Senior, Catcher, Chaska, Minn.
UW-Oshkosh, Jason Fosler, Senior, Outfield, DeForest
UW-Platteville, Jason Jacobson, Junior, Secondbase, Caledonia (Racine Case)
UW-Stout, Brandon O’Connell, Sophomore, Thirdbase, Elk Mound

Pitcher
Kyle Kannenberg, Junior (Oshkosh/West), Righthanded Pitcher of UW-Oshkosh
Appearing in four of UW-Oshkosh’s six games, Kannenberg pitched a total of 14 innings and compiled a 2-1 record with one save and a 1.29 earned run average. He also allowed two unearned runs (five total) and struck out nine batters. Kannenberg had three solid outings against UW-La Crosse on April 25-26. He gathered a win and a save as UW-Oshkosh posted victories of 10-6 and 9-2 over UW-La Crosse on April 25. In the Titans’ 10-6 win, Kannenberg pitched the final four innings and allowed five hits and two unearned runs to earn the save. During UW-Oshkosh’s 9-2 triumph, Kannenberg hurled the last 5.2 innings and allowed three hits and one unearned run to pick up the victory. Kannenberg returned to the pitching mound in UW-Oshkosh’s 6-5 (11 inning) win over UW-La Crosse on April 26. He pitched the final 4.1 innings and acquired the victory after allowing just one hit. Earlier in the week, Kannenberg was credited with the loss in a 12-10 (10 innings) setback to UW-Stevens Point.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Zach Lauersdorf, Freshman, Righthanded Pitcher, Watertown
UW-Platteville, Justin Cox, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Oakwood, Ill.
UW-Stevens Point, Scott Williams, Sophomore, Righthanded Pitcher, Baraboo
UW-Stout, Matt Doornink, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Cottage Grove, Minn. (Park)

Week of April 13 - 19
Position
Sam Spurney, Junior (Manitowoc/Lincoln), Outfield/Designated Hitter of UW-Stevens Point
In six games during the week, Spurney compiled 14 hits in 26 at-bats (.538 batting average) to help the Pointers to a 5-1 record, including a four-game sweep of UW-La Crosse. He had multiple hits in five games, including a 4-for-5 performance with three runs scored and three RBI in a 16-6 eight-inning win over the Eagles on April 18. In a 13-3 triumph over the Eagles on April 19, Spurney went 3-for-6 with two runs scored and six RBI. He belted a three-run home run in the third inning and added a solo blast in the seventh innings. Spurney’s totals on the week included 12 RBI, nine runs scored, two doubles and two home runs.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Jay Fanta, Freshman, Thirdbase, Viroqua
UW-Oshkosh, Kyle Kannenberg, Junior, Designated Hitter, Oshkosh (West)
UW-Platteville, Brenden Watson, Junior, Catcher, Oakwood, Ill. (Danville)
UW-Stout, Dane Carlson, Freshman, Centerfield, St. Michael, Minn. (St. Michael-Albertson)

Pitcher
Joe Lange, Senior (East Dubuque, Ill.), Lefthanded Pitcher of UW-Platteville
Lange threw two complete games and saved another in a span of five days. After taking a 3-1 loss to UW-La Crosse on April 15, in which he gave up two earned runs, struck out 11 and walked none, Lange came back to pitch in back-to-back wins at UW-Oshkosh. He pitched a perfect 2.2 innings, striking out two, to preserve a 16-10 win over the Titans on April 18 for his first career save. Lange returned to the mound on April 19 to throw a complete-game shutout, the first time the Titans have been blanked this season. Lange scattered six hits over nine innings, yielding just three hits over the final seven frames. Lange struck out a season-high 12 batters and moved into seventh place on the WIAC career strikeout list with 230. In 20.2 innings during the week, Lange compiled a 0.87 ERA with 25 strikeouts and just one walk.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Ross Benitz, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Osceola
UW-Oshkosh, Jeremy Rubens, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, New Franken (Luxemburg-Casco)
UW-Stevens Point, Jeff Zielke, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Watertown
UW-Stout, Nate Hanson, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Bloomington, Minn. (Academy of Holy Angels)
UW-Superior, Cale Tassi, Freshman, Righthanded Pitcher, Presque Isle (Lakeland)

Week of April 6 - 12
Position
Blake Berger, Sophomore (Star Prairie/New Richmond), Firstbase of UW-Oshkosh
Berger hit .556 (10-for-18) with three home runs and 17 RBI as UW-Oshkosh won three of its four games against UW-Stout to remain in first place in the WIAC standings. Berger, who compiled a 1.167 slugging percentage, had at least three hits in three of the four contests. His statistical totals also featured 11 runs scored, two doubles and an on-base percentage of .636. UW-Oshkosh concluded its four-game series with UW-Stout by posting wins of 21-2 and 20-10 over the Blue Devils on April 10. Berger played a huge role in those victories by going a combined 7-for-10 at the plate with three home runs, 15 RBI and 10 runs scored. He had two home runs, one double and seven RBI in during the 21-2 win and one home run, five runs scored and eight RBI during the 20-10 triumph. Berger also tallied three hits, including a double, and two RBI during the Titans’ 7-4 loss to the Blue Devils on April 9.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Storm Gram, Senior, Centerfield, Woodbury, Minn.
UW-Platteville, Levi Nye, Freshman, Outfield, Kalona, Iowa (Iowa Mennonite)
UW-Stevens Point, Eric Fritz, Sophomore, Shortstop, Custer (SPASH)
UW-Stout, Brandon O’Connell, Sophomore, Thirdbase, Elk Mound

Pitcher
Wil Osmanski, Junior (Des Plaines, Ill./Elk Grove), Righthanded Pitcher of UW-Platteville
Osmanski threw a complete-game victory that stretched 11 innings in a 2-1 win over UW-Superior on April 9. He held the Yellowjackets scoreless for the first 10 innings, allowing only two runners to reach second during those first 10 innings. Osmanski finished the night with a five-hitter and struck out 10 batters.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Brandon Walczak, Junior, Lefthanded Pitcher, Burnsville, Minn.
UW-Oshkosh, Kyle Kannenberg, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Oshkosh (West)
UW-Stevens Point, Garrett Nix, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Osseo (Osseo-Fairchild)
UW-Stout, Matt Doornink, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Cottage Grove, Minn. (Park)

Week of March 30 - April 5
Position
Jason Jacobson, Sophomore (Caledonia/Racine Case), Secondbase of UW-Platteville
Jacobson had 9 hits in 10 at-bats, including a school-record six in one game, helping UW-Platteville to a split at UW-Stout on April 4. He was 6-for-6 in a 13-9 loss to the Blue Devils, besting the previous school record of five hits, attained three times. Jacobson also match a conference record with the six hits - a feat that has been accomplished six times and most recently by UW-Stevens Point’s Nat Richter against Augustana College (Ill) on March 19, 2006. Jacobson came back with three more hits in a 16-3, seven-inning win over the Blue Devils. For the week, Jacobson was 10-for-16 (.625) with four runs scored, three doubles, and six RBI.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Matt Trocke, Sophomore, Secondbase, Burnsville, Minn.
UW-Oshkosh, Blake Berger, Sophomore, Outfield, Star Prairie (New Richmond)
UW-Stevens Point, Jeremy Richter, Junior, Firstbase/Outfield, Rosholt
UW-Stout, Brandon O’Connell, Sophomore, Thirdbase, Elk Mound

Pitcher
Jeremy Rubens, Junior (New Franken/Luxemburg-Casco), Righthanded Pitcher of UW-Oshkosh
Rubens allowed just five hits and one run over eight innings as UW-Oshkosh posted a 3-1 record in doubleheaders against UW-Whitewater on April 1 and St. Norbert College on April 4. In the Titans’ 10-0 seven-inning win over No. 16-ranked UW-Whitewater, Rubens tossed a complete-game shutout while giving up just three hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out four in seven innings. Rubens took the loss in UW-Oshkosh’s 5-4 defeat to St. Norbert College on April 4. He surrendered one run on two hits while pitching the ninth inning. For the week, Rubens posted a 1-1 record with an earned run average of 1.12.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Ross Benitz, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Osceola
UW-Platteville, Joe Lange, Senior, Lefthanded Pitcher, East Dubuque, Ill.
UW-Stevens Point, Kyle Barry, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Twin Lakes
UW-Stout, Dave Oestreich, Sophomore, Righthanded Pitcher, Chippewa Falls

Week of March 23 - 29
Position
Brock Wetenkamp, Senior (Manitowoc/Lincoln), Third Base of UW-Oshkosh
Wetenkamp played in eight of UW-Oshkosh’s nine games in Florida and hit .536 (15-28) with nine runs scored and nine RBI. Three of Wetenkamp’s hits were doubles, including two in UW-Oshkosh’s 10-7 victory over St. Olaf College (Minn.) on March 27. He had two hits against the Oles and drove in one run. Wetenkamp recorded five multi-hit games, highlighted by a 4-for-6 performance in the Titans’ 26-5 win over Westminster College (Mo.) on March 28. He also had one doubles, three RBI and three runs scored against the Blue Jays. In addition, Wetenkamp went 3-for-5 with three RBI and four runs scored in UW-Oshkosh’s 27-4 victory over Westminster College on March 28. He had two hits in both a 20-9 loss to DePauw University (Ind.) on March 25 and a 12-3 setback to No. 20-ranked University of St. Thomas (Minn.) on March 26.

Also nominated:
UW-Stevens Point, Brad Archambeau, Junior, Outfield, Watertown

Pitcher
Evan Matson, Sophomore (Thunder Bay, Ontario/Westgate C.V.I.), Righthanded Pitcher of UW-Oshkosh
Matson was the winning pitcher as UW-Oshkosh posted a 3-2 victory over No. 20-ranked University of St. Thomas (Minn.) on March 26. Matson pitched 5.2 of the game’s seven innings and allowed two runs and 11 hits while striking out one batter. He yielded just two extra-base hits in the contest.

Also nominated:
UW-Stevens Point, Garrett Nix, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Osseo (Osseo-Fairchild)

Week of March 9 - 22
Position
Ryan Stace, Senior (Oregon), Catcher/Thirdbase of UW-Stout
Stace hit at a .656 clip as UW-Stout went 7-3 on its spring trip to Phoenix, Ariz. He hit 21-of-32 with four doubles, one triple, one home run and 11 RBI with a slugging percentage of .938. Stace also had two sacrifice flies and four sacrifice hits. He was perfect in the field, playing predominately at catcher - his first year at catcher - with no errors in 33 chances and he threw out two runners attempting to steal. Stace notched the game-winning RBI in the bottom of the eighth in an 8-7 win over Knox College (Ill.) on March 17, and was 4-for-5 for the game. Stace had at least one hit in nine of the 10 games. He was 4-for-5 in both games with Knox, 3-for-4 in both games with Dickinson State (N.D.) and recorded four RBI in the first game with Dickinson with one double and one home run.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Jay Fanta, Freshman, Thirdbase, Viroqua
UW-Oshkosh, Ben Sebesta, Freshman, Thirdbase, Eau Claire (Memorial)
UW-Platteville, Brenden Watson, Junior, Catcher, Oakwood, Ill. (Danville)
UW-Stevens Point, Jeremy Richter, Junior, Firstbase/Outfield, Rosholt

Pitcher
Bryant Rude, Junior (Onalaska), Lefthanded Pitcher of UW-La Crosse
Rude went 1-0 with a 2.25 earned run average in two starts during UW-La Crosse’s spring trip in Phoenix, Ariz. He earned the victory in a 12-6 triumph over Augsburg College (Minn.) on March 16, going 5.0 innings, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out nine. Rude then pitched 7.0 innings in a 6-4 loss to No. 14-ranked Johns Hopkins University (Md.) on March 21. He allowed seven hits, three earned runs and two walks with eight strikeouts. In the two games, Rude pitched 12.0 innings, allowing nine hits, three earned runs and five walks with 17 strikeouts.

Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Ryan Demmin, Junior, Lefthanded Pitcher, Oshkosh (North)
UW-Platteville, Justin Crotty, Sophomore, Righthanded Pitcher, Shullsburg
UW-Stevens Point, Jeff Zielke, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Watertown
UW-Stout, Dave Oestreich, Sophomore, Righthanded Pitcher, Chippewa Falls

Week of Feb. 16 - March 8
Position
Steve Bomkamp, Junior (Green Bay/West), Firstbase of UW-Platteville
Bomkamp hit .538 (7-for-13) with two doubles, two home runs and 10 RBI, helping UW-Platteville to a 3-1 start this season. He hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh, helping the Pioneers take a 7-6 lead at Fontbonne College (Mo.) on March 7. Against Maryville University (Mo.) on March 8, Bomkamp had three hits, scored twice and knocked in two, helping the Pioneers to a school-record 25 runs in the opener. In the nightcap, he drove in five more runs, powering UW-Platteville to a 16-10 win.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Storm Gram, Senior, Outfield, Woodbury, Minn.
UW-Stevens Point, Garrett Bloom, Senior, Catcher, Tomah
UW-Stout, Brian Geibel, Sophomore, Outfield, River Falls
UW-Superior, Sean Cummings, Junior, Secondbase, Superior

Pitcher
Justin Saufley, Senior (Worthington, Minn.) Righthanded Pitcher of UW-Superior
Saufley won the season-opener for UW-Superior in a 2-1 triumph against Hamline University (Minn.) on March 4 at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minn. He tossed 6.1 innings in the seven inning contest and allowed one earned run and six hits, while striking out five and surrendering no walks. Saufley also pitched one inning in relief in a 5-3 loss to Loras College (Iowa) on March 8 and struck out two batters and allowed two hits.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Tim Larson, Sophomore, Righthanded Pitcher, Westby
UW-Platteville, Kyle Mack, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Lodi
UW-Stevens Point, Jeff Zielke, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Watertown
UW-Stout, Nate Hanson, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Bloomington, Minn. (Holy Angels)

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