2008 Game Summaries

Telegraph Herald all-conference write-up

SENIOR LANDS 4 ON ALL-MVC SQUAD

The state of Dubuque softball is healthy, if the 13 players from city schools on the all-Mississippi Valley Conference teams is any indication.

Dubuque Senior almost punched the city's first ticket to a state softball tournament since 1985. The Rams had juniors Mel Roussel and Brittany McNab and senior Shawna Dole on the Valley Division first team.

Senior infielder Laura Zelinskas earned a spot on the Valley second team.

Rams coach Jason Loeffelholz and his assistants were awarded the Valley Division coaching staff of the year, after leading the Rams to a 31-11 record and their second appearance in three seasons in the Class 4A regional finals.

7/9/08 - Regional Finals vs. Linn Mar

Telegraph Herald Regional write-up

Linn-Mar breaks Senior's heart once again

Lions knock Rams out for 2nd straight year

By Troy Johnson TH staff writer

MARION, Iowa -- Instead of celebrating a return to the program's glory days of the 1970s and '80s, the Dubuque Senior softball team suffered a flashback to the painful conclusion of the 2007 season.

In a game reminiscent of last year's playoff tilt between the squads, No. 15-ranked Linn-Mar jacked three home runs and rode ailing Jaye Hutcheson's four-hitter to a 9-2 victory over the Rams in an Iowa Class 4A regional final Wednesday night at Linn-Mar High School.

The Lions denied the Rams their first state tournament berth since the 1985 state-championship season and ended a prosperous Senior campaign emphatically for the second straight July. In last year's regional semifinals, Linn-Mar ripped four homers and Hutcheson tossed a three-hitter in a 13-1, six-inning victory.

"I said it last year and I'll say it again: They're down right now, but they'll look back and see that they gave Senior two of its best years of softball," Rams coach Jason Loeffelholz said.

Linn-Mar (26-14), which eliminated Hempstead, 7-0, in Monday's regional semifinals, advanced to face top-ranked, defending state champion West Des Moines Valley in the first round of next week's state tournament in Fort Dodge. The Rams bowed out at 31-11, still in search of the state bid that was second nature to the program in the '70s and '80s.

Lauren Bishop homered twice to highlight a 13-hit barrage against Senior ace Mel Roussel and elite all-stater Hutcheson -- a Northern Iowa recruit pitching despite an injured ulnar nerve that will require surgery after the season -- kept the Rams' bats in check, striking out nine and walking three in a gutsy effort.

"There's really no excuse," said emotional Rams senior shortstop Shawna Dole, who went 2-for-3 with an RBI double. "We were confident going into this game because we did beat them in the regular season (5-4 and 9-3 on June 19) and we beat Jaye. They just played a better game than us. We couldn't hit Jaye, and they hit Mel. That's the bottom line."

Linn-Mar built a 4-0 lead through four innings and -- after Dole cut her team's deficit to 4-1 with the RBI double in the fifth -- blew the game open with a four-run fifth that saw Senior commit a pair of errors.

"We were just fortunate to get runs early and we got on a roll," Lions coach Jon Harms said. "I give (Loeffelholz) so much credit because I think he does a great job with their girls and their girls play their hearts out, but it just happened to be our night."

Bishop started the bottom of the second inning with a solo home run to dead center field. In the fourth, Erin Van Praag led off with a solo blast. With two outs, the Rams intentionally walked UNI recruit Hannah Borschel to load the bases for No. 2 hitter Kayla Harms, who delivered a two-run single to make it 4-0. "That might have been the straw that kind of broke the camel's back," Loeffelholz said. "We made somebody else beat us at that point, and she came through."

Linn-Mar capitalized on the Senior miscues and turned the game into a rout with four runs on four hits in the fifth. Bishop and Senior's Megan Reiss both hit solo homers in the sixth.

"We hit the ball really well last year, we went deep quite a few times and we did again tonight," Jon Harms said. "Very, very similar. They seem to jump out of here. I'm just glad they were jumping out of here more for us."

Jon Harms said Borschel's availability for the state tournament is in doubt after she suffered an injury in a fourth-inning collision with Senior catcher Kathryn Schilling. The coach feared a broken collar bone.

7/7/08 - Regional Semi-Finals vs. Pleasant Valley

Telegraph Herald Regional write-up

ROUSSEL'S NO-NO LIFTS RAMS

Senior within victory of 1st state tourney berth since 1985, when it won title

By Troy Johnson TH staff writer

Mel Roussel's masterful pitching performance put Dubuque Senior softball team on the verge of ending a state tournament drought that's dragged on for nearly a quarter-century.

Roussel spun a no-hitter, Sam Lang sparked the offense and Senior moved within one victory of its first state berth in 23 years with a 1-0 Iowa Class 4A regional semifinal victory over No. 10 Pleasant Valley Monday night in Eldridge. "We just really wanted the game," said Roussel, a junior. "We stayed up all game and told each other if people get down to pick them back up. We just played."

Senior (31-10) will play at No. 15 Linn-Mar -- a 7-0 victor over Hempstead Monday -- on Wednesday in a 7 p.m. regional final with a chance to qualify for state for the first time since its state-championship season of 1985.

Roussel struck out two, walked none and hit a batter while shutting down the 2007 Class 4A state runner-up.

"She was fantastic," Rams coach Jason Loeffelholz said. "We went down with a game plan as far as pitching to some of those batters, and she executed it to perfection. They hardly had any hard hits. It's unbelievable. I can't imagine PV's been shut out many times this year, and there's no way they've been no-hit this year."

The Spartans threatened to strike first when their first batter of the bottom of the fifth inning reached second base on a dropped fly ball and was sacrificed to third. But Roussel induced a ground out and an infield pop out to end the threat.

Lang led off the top of the sixth with a hit up the middle off PV all-state pitcher Anna Sokolik and moved to second on Shawna Dole's sacrifice bunt. The Spartans' shortstop couldn't handle a bad hop ground ball off the bat of Kathryn Schilling, giving the Rams runners on first and second with one out.

When PV attempted to pick Schilling off first base, Lang bolted for third and made it there safely, putting herself in position to score the game's only run on a ground ball Brittany McNab hit at the shortstop.

"I saw the ball being thrown to first base and I took off," said Lang, a sophomore. "I knew we needed that run right away."

Sokolik allowed just four hits, but Senior upset PV in the playoffs for the second time in three years. The Rams beat the No. 11 Spartans, 1-0, in the 2006 regional semifinals before losing to Bettendorf, 4-1, in the regional final. Two years more experienced and cohesive, they're hoping for a different result this time around.

Linn-Mar knocked Senior out in the regional semifinals, 13-1 in six innings, last season, but the Rams swept the Lions, 5-4 and 9-3, during the regular season this summer. "We were hoping to play Hempstead kind of, but we're really hoping (to get to state)," Roussel said. "Everybody's talking about it. It would be really nice for us to make it this far."

Quad City Times write-up

Pleasant Valley no-hit in regional semifinal

By Dearrel Bates, QC Times staff writer

ELDRIDGE, Iowa - Melissa Roussel pitched Dubuque Senior’s softball team Monday night to within one win of a spot the Rams haven’t visited in 23 years - the girls state tournament.

Roussel twirled a no-hitter against Pleasant Valley — the 2007 Class 4A state meet runner-up — in the semifinal round of the regional tourney to advance to Wednesday’s title game against Linn-Mar. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Marion.

The 1-0 decision was hard to swallow for the No. 10-ranked Spartans, who had put on a closing regular season rush that included victories in 12 of their past 14 contests. Losing pitcher Anna Sokolik yielded four hits, half coming in the sixth inning when Dubuque Senior scored its run.

"Everybody was telling me I had a no-hitter going, and I would rather had a few more runs to work with," said Roussel, a junior who had another no-hitter earlier this season. "We swept Linn-Mar earlier this season, so we feel we have a good chance on Wednesday."

Of the three Dubuque schools (Senior, Hempstead and Wahlert), only Senior has reached the state softball tourney. The Rams (31-10) have been there on nine previous occasions, but not since 1985 when they captured the championship.

The only run for the winners came on a sequence of fluky plays. A bloop single to center by Samantha Lang, a sacrifice, a bad-hop single by Kat Schilling that sent Lang to third and a fielder’s choice grounder to second by Brittany McNab that led to a late throw yielded the game’s lone run.

Roussel certainly wasn’t overpowering as she struck out just two but didn’t walk a batter. Sokolik fanned six and walked one.

Pleasant Valley (24-15) left just two runners on base. Kelsey Jipp was nicked by a pitch in the first with one down, but an infield fly and a grounder to short ended the inning. In the fifth, Kelsey Weindruch made it to second when her fly ball near the leftfield line was dropped for an error. She was sacrificed to third by Sammy Stephenson but couldn’t score on an infield bouncer and a pop fly to short.

"We just couldn’t get anything going all night", said PV first-year head coach Lori Osterberg, whose team had blanked Senior 10-0 in the regular season, although Roussel didn’t pitch. "As the game went further and further, we started to press a little. Their pitcher kept us off balance and they showed a good, sound defense. We didn’t hit the ball hard all night."

Telegraph Herald Regional write-up

SEASON TO SHOUT ABOUT

City teams out to build upon stellar seasons

By Troy Johnson TH staff writer

Very seldom, if ever, have the area's big-school prep softball teams enjoyed a season of such collective prosperity. Dubuque Senior reached the 30-victory milestone even though the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union limited teams to 40 games. Iowa Class 3A No. 11-ranked Wahlert celebrated a Mississippi Valley Conference divisional championship and posted a 28-9 record. Hempstead wrapped up the regular-season slate with a typically solid 24-16 showing. Outside the city, Class 3A No. 15 Western Dubuque soared to 30-9 and shared the WaMaC Conference crown in its best year in nearly a decade, while Maquoketa achieved a strong 24-11 mark.

"It's been fantastic around here," Senior coach Jason Loeffelholz said. Now, the "fantastic" five set their sights on state tournament berths that have been incredibly rare.

Senior hasn't appeared at state since winning it all in 1985. Hempstead and Wahlert, which are a combined 0-for-7 in regional finals since 2000, have never qualified for state. WD has yet to make a trip to the Fort Dodge event, while Maquoketa last earned a state berth in 1998.

"This is the best all three (city) teams have been in a long time," veteran Wahlert coach Jim Noonan said. "My best-case scenario would be Senior versus Hempstead and Wahlert versus West Dubuque (in the regional finals). I couldn't lose, because we'd get a city team there in 4A and if we can't go that's who I want to see go is West Dubuque. I think this is the year somebody goes, I really do. We've all got good pitching. We've all got good leadership."

Wahlert faces Waukon tonight in a Class 3A Region 6 quarterfinal in Monona, while WD hosts Oelwein. Maquoketa plays at De Witt Central in a Class 3A Region 7 quarterfinal. And Hempstead meets Cedar Rapids Prairie in a 4A quarterfinal. All four games start at 7.

On Monday, Senior (30-10) takes on the winner of tonight's Pleasant Valley-Cedar Rapids Kennedy matchup in a 6 p.m. Class 4A regional semifinal at Eldridge.

Just two wins from state due to a first-round bye, Senior is likely to face Pleasant Valley, which spanked the Rams, 10-0 in five innings, during the regular season. Loeffelholz considers that game an aberration.

"We didn't play what I like to call Ram softball," Loeffelholz said. "We booted the ball around. It was not characteristic of the way we do things. That was our worst game of the year."

Shawna Dole paces Senior with a .463 average, four home runs, 26 RBIs and 18 doubles. Brittany McNab is hitting .351 with 25 RBIs. Mel Roussel is 26-5 with a 1.25 ERA.

"This team is amazing," said Dole, a shortstop. "My senior year, I really want to make it to state with this team."

"I think there's too many good teams in Dubuque for one of us not to make it," Loeffelholz said. "It doesn't mean it's going to happen for sure, but I think odds are in the Dubuque area's favor."

7/2/08 - Wahlert (Away)

Telegraph Herald write-up

FUN FOR EVERYONE

Rams reach 30 wins, Wahlert achieves split, Hempstead takes city

By Troy Johnson TH staff writer

All three city softball teams departed Wednesday's Senior-Wahlert doubleheader with something to treasure. Senior climbed up on the 30-win plateau with a 4-1 victory in a weather-interrupted Game 1. Newly crowned Mississippi Division champion and host Wahlert regrouped to regain momentum for the imminent playoffs with a 3-1 Game 2 triumph. And, by virtue of the split, Hempstead -- with coach Alisha Frese and a bunch of players in attendance -- made off with the outright city title.

Mel Roussel threw a four-hitter and Kathryn Schilling and Brittany McNab both collected two hits and drove in a run as the once-woeful Rams (30-10, 18-8 MVC) reached the milestone in the opener, which was delayed for nearly 90 minutes by lightning and rain.

Making Senior win No. 30 even more impressive is the fact that the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union reduced the number of games allowed from 50 to 40 in the offseason. "It hasn't sunk in yet," Rams coach Jason Loeffelholz said. "Our goal was 25 and we redid it to be 28 and we broke that and we got to 30. We're 30-10 and I'm just thinking, 'Wow, that's a 40-game schedule.' If we had 50 games, (would we win) 37, maybe? Percentage-wise, this might be the best record since our '85 state championship team. It's unbelievable.

"Those four seniors (Shawna Dole, Laura Zelinskas, Alex Wirzbach and Hannah Kafar) and (our) juniors -- when they were eighth-graders and ninth-graders, they had 12 wins, man. And they're capping out at 30. Wow. Hats off to them."

Wahlert struck first in Game 1 on Megan Rokusek's RBI single in the bottom of the second inning. But Senior scored on McNab's RBI single and an error in the top of the third and made it 3-1 with Schilling's run-scoring double off Brianna Bannon in the fourth inning.

In the middle of the fourth, lightning and rain invaded the contest. The coaches and umpiring tandem deliberated at length on whether the field conditions were suitable to continue the game. Just as the diamond was deemed playable and the teams were about to take the field again, another flash of lightning was spotted. Wahlert conducted a Parents Night ceremony during the ensuing delay, and play finally resumed 84 minutes after it was first halted.

Roussel walked the first two batters she faced after the interruption but retired the last 12 in order. Meanwhile, her offense tacked on another run on an error in the sixth.

"Our dugout, we were all ready to go," said Schilling, a junior catcher. "The last thing we wanted was for (the game) to get called off. We wanted to play, we came to play, and that's what we did."

Wahlert bounced back in Game 2 behind freshman Holly Klein's poised six-hitter and two hits including a double each from Audrey Kass, Bannon and Erin Skahill, who added a brilliant sliding catch in right field. Bannon's RBI double in the bottom of the first off Laura Zelinskas put the Iowa Class 3A No. 11-ranked Golden Eagles (28-9, 18-6 MVC) up early again. This time, they expanded the advantage, scoring twice in the fifth thanks to an error and Sam Reimer's suicide squeeze bunt.

Helped by three errors, Senior cut the deficit to 3-1 on Dole's RBI single in the bottom of the seventh and had the bases loaded when Klein induced a game-ending ground out to give Wahlert a win in the regular season finale for both teams.

"I didn't want to go back out (after the delay)," Eagles coach Jim Noonan said. "After this year (with several injuries), I am petrified of people getting hurt. I could just see Breezy (Bannon) stepping out and turning an ankle or something. But it was good for the girls to get (the momentum) back."

Shawna Dole went 3-for-4 for Senior and totaled four hits on the night.

According to Loeffelholz, Senior may still be in the hunt for the Valley Division title. He said Cedar Rapids Xavier was 17-7 and Cedar Rapids Jefferson 16-6 in the Valley Division through Tuesday.

7/1/08 - IC High (Home) Senior Night

Telegraph Herald write-up

SENIOR DAY WITH SPECIAL MEANING

Dole homer ignites Rams' sweep of Iowa City High

By Troy Johnson TH staff writer

Senior Day was more than just a singular moment for the Dubuque Senior softball team. This was a celebration five years in the making.

A program on the rise, one that bottomed out with only 12 wins in 2004, is now on the brink of 30 victories after sweeping Iowa City High, 5-4 and 4-0, in a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader Tuesday afternoon at Wiegand Field. Senior (29-9, 17-7 MVC) can break the threshold today, as it wraps up the regular season at crosstown rival and Iowa Class 3A No. 11 Dubuque Wahlert. The Rams haven't been close to 30 wins since the early 1990s, Senior coach Jason Loeffelholz said.

With the move to a 40-game schedule this season from the previous limit of 50, the milestone could shine even more. Loeffelholz recognized the persistence of his four seniors -- Shawna Dole, Laura Zelinskas, Alex Wirzbach and Hannah Kafar -- since entering the program in eighth grade.

"You talk about four girls there who stuck it out, kept going at it and came back for more," Loeffelholz said. "The last couple of years, they really turned this program around. My hat is off to them."

Dole, a shortstop, had herself a fine opener, going 3-for-4 with two singles and a three-run homer in the sixth inning that provided insurance runs the Rams would need. With two runners aboard and Senior leading, 2-1, Dole drove an offering from City High pitcher Maggie Dennis over the left-center field wall. A two-out error by City High set up Dole's big hit. The runs meant even more after City High scored three times in the top of the seventh and brought the tying run to plate.

Senior pitcher Mel Roussel induced Laura Shepard to fly out to end the game. "I didn't plan on hitting a home run. We needed some runs, obviously. If we didn't (score), we would have lost," Dole said. "I just want to do what's best for my team. I'm just glad I could help them win the game."

City High (12-23) took a 1-0 lead after the first inning, but Senior tied the score with a Laura Zelinskas RBI single in the third. Other than the Little Hawks' rally in the seventh, Roussel allowed just one hit between the second and sixth innings. Brittany McNab put Senior ahead, 2-1, in the fifth inning with a single to center field to plate Dole.

Molly Reiss, Zelinskas, McNab and Dole had multiple hits in the opener for Senior. "If your goal is to be playing your best ball at the end of the year, we're doing it right now," Loeffelholz said. "We're playing pretty solid. A couple of girls are really stepping it up right now."

Roussel and Zelinskas are the scheduled starters against the Golden Eagles. Loeffelholz planned on using Zelinskas against City High, but she didn't have ample time to warm up and was shelved. "(Roussel) hit her spots a little better in the second game, and you can see the results," Loeffelholz said. "It takes a lot of pressure off the defense. Balls aren't hit as hard. She did a great job."

Before starting Class 4A regional play Monday, the Rams get a crack at city rival Wahlert. Dole is looking forward to the meeting. "They are a good team," Dole said of the Golden Eagles. "All of the Dubuque teams are good. Hopefully we can get a sweep."

6/30/08 - CR Xavier (AWAY)

Telegraph Herald write-up

Cedar Rapids Xavier 3-3, Dubuque Senior 1-8 -- At Cedar Rapids, Iowa: The Rams pounded out 14 hits in the second game to earn a split with the Iowa Class 3A No. 8 Saints. Megan Reiss had three hits in the nightcap, while Shawna Dole, Brittany McNab and Molly Reiss collected two hits apiece for Senior (27-9, 15-7 MVC). Laura Zelinskas took the win in the circle for the Rams.

6/27/08 - Bellevue Marquette (Home)

Telegraph Herald write-up

Dubuque Senior 5, Bellevue Marquette 4 -- At Wiegand Field: Alex Wirzbach went 2-for-3 with three RBIs to lead the Rams (26-8) to the non-conference victory. Mel Roussel also had a pair of hits in support of winning pitcher Laura Zelinskas, who scattered 8 hits and struck out six.

6/26/08 - CR Kennedy (@ Hempstead)

Telegraph Herald write-up

SENIOR SOFTBALL SWEEPS KENNEDY

With a consistent offense that produced 24 hits and solid pitching that allowed scores in only two innings, the Dubuque Senior softball team continued along what has been a very strong 2008 season.

The Rams swept Cedar Rapids Kennedy by twin 9-2 scores in a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon at Senior's Wiegand Field. Laura Zelinskas and Shawna Dole each homered in the opener, which Senior (25-8, 14-6) started with a six-run first inning.

Brittany McNab had seven hits in the twin bill, including four doubles -- three in the opener. Alex Wirzbach was 2-for-2 with four RBIs in the nightcap. Mel Roussel pitched both of the victories.

6/25/08 - Davenport Central (Home)

Telegraph Herald write-up

Dubuque Senior 8, Davenport Central 4 -- At Senior: The Rams put up a four-run sixth inning to break open a tie with Central and grab a non-conference victory. Mel Roussel pitched three innings of hitless ball in relief, taking over for starter Laura Zelinskas. Megan Reiss tallied three RBIs for Senior (23-8).

6/24/08 - Waterloo West (Home)

Telegraph Herald write-up

Waterloo West 4-2, Dubuque Senior 1-6 -- At Wiegand Field: After their offense was shut down in the opener of the Mississippi Valley Conference twin bill, Shawna Dole and Brittany McNab were both 3-for-4 with a home run in the second game. Dole was also 2-for-3 in Game 1 for Senior (22-8, 12-6).

6/21/08 - Western Dubuque (Home)

Telegraph Herald write-up

SENIOR SOFTBALL KNOCKS OFF WD

The Dubuque Senior softball team continues to prove its hot season start was no fluke, just the truth.

Roussel struck out six in a walk-free performance for Senior (21-7). The Rams broke up a scoreless pitching duel between Roussel and Bobcats ace Rachel Drees (who struck out five in a five-hitter) in the bottom of the fifth when Wirzbach drove home Roussel with a single. Senior added an insurance tally in the sixth when Brittany McNab and Zelinskas strung together consecutive two-out doubles.

6/19/08 - Linn Mar (Away)

The Rams go on the road and exact a little revenge on the team that knocked them out of the play-offs last year by sweeping the 8th-ranked Lions! Laura Zelinskas got the night started with a 3-run BOMB over the left field fence for a 4 - 1 lead in game one. After letting Linn Mar tie the game, Brittany McNab earned a walk, then got around the bases with the help of a couple of wild pitches. After getting drilled with a line drive foul ball, Brittany charged home on the next wild pitch and slid in head first! Awesome! Pitcher Mel Roussel and the defense then held on for a 5 - 4 win!

It was time for some early fireworks in the second game as the Lady Rams exploded for 12 hits, winning easily, 9 - 3. Molly Reiss and 'The Natural' Alex Wirzbach hit their first career homeruns to power the team (with Alex's hitting the scoreboard)! Other Rams that joined in the hit parade included Kathyn Schilling with three hits, Brittany McNab with two, and Megan Reiss with two! Mel Roussel again picked up the win as the Rams stifled the roar of the Linn Mar Lions and swept them on thier field! Way to play Ram softball ladies!

Telegraph Herald write-up

Dubuque Senior 5-9, Linn-Mar 4-3 -- At Marion, Iowa: The Rams scored a rewarding MVC sweep over Iowa Class 4A eighth-ranked Linn-Mar, the team that eliminated Senior from the playoffs last summer. Laura Zelinskas' three-run home run highlighted a four-run third as Senior won the opener, 5-4.

Molly Reiss and Alex Wirzbach hit their first career homers as part of a 12-hit attack in the second game, which the Rams won, 9-3. Mel Roussel earned both pitching victories, and Kathryn Schilling had three hits in Game 2 for Senior (20-7, 11-5).

6/18/08 - CR Washington (Away)

The Lady Rams split with the Warriors tonight winning 10 - 1 and losing 4 - 2. The first game showed how to be disciplined at the plate as we earned 11 walks and didn't strike out once! We also banged out eleven hits to win easily. Shawna Dole and Sam Lang each had three of those hits and Brittany McNab had two as well. Brittany also hit two doubles with Sam and Molly Reiss adding thier own to the total. Laura Zelinskas pitched a good game by not giving up any walks on the night! Even though a couple of batters were hit, why waste pitches walking them? (Sorry for the ballpark humor :)

The next game saw the Warriors play their best ball of the season while the Rams made some mental errors on the bases and on the field to hurt our chances. Nothing was given to us this game as we could only manage six hits as Washington made some acrobatic plays in the outfield to take away some sure hits. Sam Lang had two hits and Laura hit a double to lead what offense we had. One thing that was noticed after the game was how much Washington celebrated after winning. A few years ago it wouldn't have been such a big deal for them, but now they know they just upset a very good team. Unfortunately for us, sometimes that happens... :(

6/17/08 - CR Jefferson (Home)

The Lady Rams split with the #7 ranked team in the state and in the process beat state-power CR Jefferson for the first time in well over a decade!. The first game was played error free by the Rams with Mel Roussel striking out 5 and not giving up any walks. With that part of the game taken care of, we just needed some offense! Fortunately, Brittany McNab and Kat Schilling had a couple of hits with Brittany and Megan Reiss hitting doubles to lead our offensive output. Shawna Dole also blasted a 3-run homerun in the bottom of the 6th to give us some insurance runs.

In the second game, 4 errors undermined our chances to win the game, although we did take them into extra innings before losing 4 - 1 in the 8th. Mel Roussel threw another solid game with five strikeouts and only one walk to keep us in the game and give us a chance to win despite some untimely errors.

Telegraph Herald write-up

Dubuque Senior 6-1, Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2-4 -- At Wiegand Field: Shawna Dole blasted a three-run home run and Megan Reiss added a two-run double in the opener of the MVC twin bill. Kathryn Schilling and Brittany McNab had two hits each as the Rams (17-6, 8-4) earned a split with the seventh-ranked team in Iowa Class 4A

6/14/08 - Mustang Tournament (at McAleece)

9:30 AM vs. Dyersville Beckman

The day started out sunny and on a good note by beating Beckman 2 - 0. Mel Roussel struck-out 9 batters and the defense played error free to stifle the Trailblazers. Brittany McNab also had a great squeeze bunt (so good that she got a hit out of it!) to get in Shawna Dole from third base in the sixth for some insurance!

3:00 PM vs. Western Dubuque

In a game that was interrupted by an hour rain delay, the Ram bats kept their poise and pounded out 17 hits to beat the Bobcats 8 - 3! After being challenged to have more productive at-bats before the game, the Lady Rams answered the challenge with a vengeance! Shawna Dole had four hits, Kathryn Schillling and Megan Reiss had three, and Brittany McNab, Laura Zelinskas, and Alex Wirzbach had two apiece to lead the hit brigade! Mel Roussel again got the win on the mound while Laura got the save in relief.

6:30 PM - Championship Game

The Lady Rams win the Mustang Tourney two years in a row by outlasting Hempstead 8 - 5 in nine innings! Way to play hard ladies!!

Telegraph Herald write-up

SENIOR CLAIMS REPEAT CROWN

Rams defeat Hempstead, 8 - 5 in 9 innings

By Troy Johnson TH staff writer

When the Dubuque Senior and Dubuque Hempstead softball teams square off these days, you have no idea which club's going to be celebrating at game's end. On Saturday night, Senior rejoiced after a victory in a city rivalry that has no favorite. Rams coach Jason Loeffelholz got doused with a cooler of water after his team out-lasted Hempstead, 8-5 in nine innings, in the championship game of the Mustang Invitational at the McAleece Sports Complex.

It was the second consecutive Mustang Invite crown for the Rams, who got swept by Hempstead in a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader on Tuesday and have split their last 10 games with the Mustangs dating back to 2006. When these squads meet nowadays, you just don't know who's going to be cheering following the final out. "That's what makes it more nerve-racking, but at the same time it's more fun," a sopping-wet Loeffelholz said. "It happened to be us tonight. Tomorrow night it could be them."

Senior (16-5) defeated Dyersville Beckman, 2-0, and Iowa Class 3A No. 6-ranked Western Dubuque, 8-3, to reach the championship game.

The Rams scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning to overcome a Mustangs team that rallied from a 2-0 fifth-inning deficit to force extra innings and came back after falling behind, 4-2, in the eighth.

In the top of the ninth, Megan Reiss blasted an RBI triple and Mel Roussel and Shawna Dole hit run-scoring sacrifice flies against Hempstead ace Abby Nauman, who relieved starter Liz Behnke in the sixth. Another run scored on an error. "They came out swinging and hitting the ball," Hempstead coach Alisha Frese said. "They kind of got the momentum swing going their way."

The Mustangs plated a run in the bottom half on Betsy Nauman's RBI ground out and were threatening to draw closer when Roussel struck out all-stater Abby Nauman with a runner on base to end the game.

"We were pretty confident in ourselves," said Roussel, a junior who earned all three wins Saturday. "We said we're not going to let them (beat) us again. And we wanted to win (the tournament) again."

Laura Zelinskas' RBI single in the first inning and Sam Lang's run-scoring groundout in the second gave Senior a 2-0 lead, but Hempstead tied the game in the fifth on RBI singles from Behnke and Nauman. With the international tiebreaker rule starting a runner on second base in extra innings, Senior plated two runs in the eighth on a squeeze bunt by Kathryn Schilling and a sacrifice fly by Brittany McNab.

The Mustangs responded with Lisa Hefel's RBI single and Lexie Haislet's run-scoring sacrifice fly in the bottom half. Dole went 3-for-5. Behnke was 3-for-4 and Audrey Gronen hit a pair of doubles for Hempstead (11-7).

6/13/08 - Davenport North (Home)

In a night that had the Rams manage only three hits, their pitching and defense pulled them through again. Winning 4 - 0 behind Mel Roussel's 12 strike-out performance on the mound, the Lady Rams made thier hits count with Mel also hitting a two-run double to help her own cause. Five stolen bases (including two by Megan Reiss in one trip around the bases) and error-free defense also helped to keep the pressure on North and not let them manage any rallies.

6/11/08 - Bettendorf (Home)

Telegraph Herald write-up

Dubuque Senior 3-2, Bettendorf 2-0 -- At Wiegand Field: A pair of complete-game pitching performances lifted the Iowa Class 4A No. 11 Rams to a non-conference doubleheader sweep of the Bulldogs.

Mel Roussel didn't walk a batter and scattered seven hits in the opener, which saw Senior (12-5) tally just three hits in the victory. Shawna Dole, Megan Reiss and Sam Lang each had doubles for the Rams.

Senior's Laura Zelinskas struck out three and walked none in the nightcap. The Rams were coming off two intracity losses to Hempstead on Tuesday. "They got right back down to business, and that's what good teams do," Senior coach Jason Loeffelholz said.

6/10/08 - Hempstead (Home)

Telegraph Herald write-up

MEMORABLE SWEEP

Motivated by 2007 playoff loss to Senior, Hempstead takes 2 from Rams

By Troy Johnson TH staff writer

Dubuque Hempstead's softball sweep of Senior on Tuesday didn't revise history. Breaking out the brooms didn't change the outcome of the teams' 2007 playoff clash in favor of the Rams. But it sure felt wonderful. Driven by the memory of last year's postseason expulsion at the hands of the rival Rams, Hempstead knocked off Iowa Class 4A No. 11-ranked Senior, 2-1 in 11 innings and 4-0, in Mississippi Valley Conference action at Art Wiegand Field.

All-state pitcher Abby Nauman permitted just five hits in 18 innings of work and Ellyn Goerdt drove in the game-winning run in Game 1 as the Mustangs (9-6, 6-4 MVC) exacted a little revenge for a 5-1 defeat in last July's Class 4A regional quarterfinals and spoiled the Rams' debut in the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union's rankings. "It felt good because last year we ended on a bad note losing to them," said Goerdt, a sophomore outfielder. "It made us really want to come out and win this game really bad. It was kind of like double the momentum. It felt good to come back and sweep them."

Last season, Senior beat Hempstead three out of four meetings. Neither team graduated anybody and the Mustangs -- once queens of this rivalry -- set a different tone for 2008. "I think that our confidence level will be raised from here," Nauman said.

Nauman threw a three-hitter and cranked a first-inning home run to left field in the marathon opener -- decided by Goerdt's RBI bloop single in the top of the 11th -- and spun a two-hitter in a more comfortable Game 2 victory. She struck out nine in the first game and three in the second without allowing a walk, and her defense played error-free ball throughout.

"At the beginning of the year we knew she was going to be a good pitcher, but she kind of struggled with getting ahead ... and not placing her ball very well," Hempstead coach Alisha Frese, a former Clarke College pitcher, said of the Clarke-bound Nauman. "We talked about it, and I think in the last five games it's really clicked for her. Seeing these girls over and over for the last two years really helped with our pitch selection also. She kept the ball low, and probably my biggest thing I'm proud of her for is no walks all day."

A three-run fourth inning gave Nauman plenty of cushion in Game 2. Liz Behnke and Taylor Riedl belted RBI doubles and Kelli Berkley hit a run-scoring single. Meanwhile, the only run support the Rams offense provided for losing pitchers Mel Roussel (12 strikeouts in Game 1) and Laura Zelinskas all day was an RBI double by Sam Lang in the sixth inning of the opener.

"(Abby) shuts a lot of teams down. That's just the way it goes," said Senior coach Jason Loeffelholz, whose team fell to 10-5, 7-3 in the MVC. "I knew if we were going to win a game, it was probably going to be 1-0, maybe 2-1. Not too many teams score many runs off Abby Nauman. They played a couple of good games."

"(It's) pretty disappointing," added Rams junior outfielder Molly Reiss, who had two of her team's five hits Tuesday, "but we're going to keep going and hopefully stick with it."

Lexie Haislet collected three hits in the first game for Hempstead, which can clinch at least a share of the city title when it hosts Wahlert in a June 24 doubleheader. "The No. 1 thing was to win for conference," Frese after acknowledging the satisfying nature of the sweep. "It wasn't just because it was Senior, but it feels good to be 2-0 in the city right now."

6/7/08 - Senior JV Tourney (HOME)

It was a hot day at the ballpark as the JV team played a couple of games. Lots of aggressive at-bats with several players hitting balls to the fence including Taylor Noel, Courtney Rozinek, Hayley Zenner (about a foot from going out :), and Allison Seaton. Several other players had some great hits as well. Way to swing the bats and play hard ladies!

6/5/08 - IC West (Home)

The Lady Rams sweep the Ladies of Troy back to Iowa City by scores of 7 - 0 and 4 -3. In the first game, Mel Roussel pitched a 2-hitter and the offense banged out 11 hits in the game. Laura Zelinskas and Megan Reiss led the way with 2 hits and a double by each, and Brittany McNab and Mel also hit doubles.

The second game was more of the same with Mel winning this game on the mound as well. Shawna Dole and Megan Reiss had 2 hits to again lead the offense with Megan slamming two doubles to the fence! Defensively we were great all day with not one error! Way to play Ram Softball ladies!!

Telegraph Herald write-up

RAMS SWEEP No. 14 IOWA CITY WEST

The Dubuque Senior softball team is keeping its focus longer this season.

That was evident to coach Jason Loeffelholz Thursday, when the Rams swept Iowa Class 4A No. 14-ranked Iowa City West, 7-0 and 4-3, at Art Wiegand Field. Senior (10-3, 7-1) is 4-0 in Mississippi Valley Conference Game 2s this season.

"What I'm pleased about right now is we're staying tough in the second game of doubleheaders," Loeffelholz said. "Last year, we struggled in the second game. This year, we're playing consistent ball and closing out doubleheaders."

Mel Roussel pitched a two-hitter in the opener. Megan Reiss went 2-for-4 with a two-RBI double that highlighted the key four-run fourth inning. In the second game, the Rams built a 4-1 lead through five innings and hung on behind Roussel. Reiss doubled twice. Shawna Dole went 3-for-4 with four walks in the twinbill.

6/4/08 - Pleasant Valley (Away)

It was a quick night at the ballpark as the Spartans of Pleasant Valley took advantage of four errors on the first five batters of the game. It only got worse as PV scored 3 in the first and then 7 more in the next few innings to end the game after the fifth.

6/3/08 - CR Prairie (Away)

After a rainy day, the Lady Rams travelled to Cedar Rapids to take on the Prairie Hawks on a still soggy field. It didn't bother the Rams though as Mel Roussel threw a no-hitter (again!) and Shawna Dole led the offense by going 3 for 3 in the game. Laura Zelinskas also added a run-scoring double to help the team win 4 - 0. The second game was even more exciting as the Rams took a 3 - 1 lead into the bottom of the 7th. Prairie then tied the game and loaded the bases with only one out. Fortunately, Brittany McNab snagged a line drive and touched third to end the inning and send the game into the 8th. Kat Schilling then came clean with a go-ahead single to give us a 4 - 3 lead going into the bottom of the inning. With one out and runners on first and second for Prairie, Shawna caught a line drive and ended the game by stepping on second base for a double play! Awesome! Offensively, the Rams were led by Kat with 2 hits, Mel with three hits, and Brittany with 4 hits. Brittany also had a 2-run double to start the scoring for the Rams. All-in-all, it was two well played games for the Rams as we had 19 hits on the night with only 2 strike-outs. Way to be aggressive at the plate ladies!

Telegraph Herald write-up

Dubuque Senior 4-4, Cedar Rapids Prairie 0-3 -- At Cedar Rapids, Iowa: A dazzling Mel Roussel threw a no-hitter in the opener and Kathryn Schilling delivered a game-winning eighth-inning single in the nightcap as the Rams scored a Mississippi Valley Conference sweep.

Roussel, who earned both wins, walked two in the opener, but didn't allow a runner to reach second base. She sealed the Game 2 victory by inducing a line-out that shortstop Shawna Dole turned into a game-ending double play.

A big-hitting McNab went 4-for-5 with a triple in Game 2. Dole was 3-for-3 in the opener.

5/31/08 - Wahlert Tournament (at Vets)

9:00 AM vs. Bellevue Marquette

It was a beautiful, sunny day at Vets field as pitcher Mel Roussel threw a no-hitter with 8 strike-outs to start things out as the Rams shut down Marquette by a score of 3 - 0. Laura Zelinskas had two hits and Mel added a double and 2 R.B.I.'s to help her cause.

12:00 PM vs. Bellevue

The 2nd game had the Rams playing a resilient Bellevue team which overcome several errors to keep us from scoring. A little too much walking around and helmet slamming didn't help matters and only embarrassed the program as the game was lost 5 - 1.

1:30 PM vs. Cascade

After a little soul searching between games and being reminded to act more like winners at all times, the Lady Rams came back and took out their frustrations on the Cascade Cougars. Mel again pitched a great game allowing only three hits and the defense played error free. Offensively the Rams were lead by Allison Seaton, making her first varsity start an impressive one with three hits including 2 doubles and 4 R.B.I.'s. Several other players also had multiple hits incuding Shawna Dole, Brittany McNab, and Mel Roussel.

One comforting thought from all of this is that the Rams are far from playing their best ball yet, and we are still 6 - 2 on the young season. Once we start firing on all cylinders, we're going to be in great shape! Go Rams!

5/27/08 - Waterloo East (Home)

It was a cold, wet night at the ballpark as the Rams played a little stiff until they warmed up. The first game saw the Rams dig themselves into holes by falling behind 4 - 0 in the 1st, 6 - 3 in the 4th, and 10 - 5 in the 6th. Good teams find ways to come back though as the Rams slowly chipped away and eventually scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 7th to pull out the win! Defensively, it was a sloppy game for both teams. Offensively though, we were swinging the bats! Shawna Dole, Kathryn Schilling, Brittany McNab, and Sam Lang all had multiple hits. In the 7th, down 10 - 7, the first few batters reached with a couple of walks and an error. Brittany then tied the game with a single and Laura Zelinskas completed the comeback with a double to the fence! Awesome!

The second game was a little less exciting, but much better played as the Rams warmed up and shut the Trojans down 4 - 0. Mel Roussel pitched a 2-hitter to pick up the win and Shawna Dole led the offense with 2 doubles. Again, good teams find ways to win and are able to bounce back after subpar games so way to go Rams!

Telegraph Herald write-up

SENIOR RALLIES PAST WATERLOO EAST

Laura Zelinskas' walk-off RBI double capped a four-run Dubuque Senior seventh inning in the Rams' 11-10 triumph over Waterloo East in the first game of a Mississippi Valley Conference softball doubleheader Tuesday at Senior. The Rams made it a sweep with a 4-0 victory in the second game.

Down 10-7 entering the bottom of the seventh in the opener, Senior (4-1, 3-1 MVC) drew two walks and narrowed the gap to two runs on an error scoring Shawna Dole. Brittney McNab's two-run single tied the game at 10 before Zelinskas' game-winning hit.

Dole and McNab finished with three hits apiece, while Kathryn Schilling and Sam Lang had two for Senior. Dole went 2-for-4 with two doubles in the nightcap.

5/22/08 - Cedar Falls (Away)

Telegraph Herald write-up

Cedar Falls 3-3, Dubuque Senior 2-5 -- At Cedar Falls, Iowa: After dropping the opener, the Rams (2-1, 1-1 MVC) bounced back in dramatic fashion to win the second game over the Tigers. Laura Zelinskas smashed a two-out, grand slam in the top of the 10th inning to put Senior ahead. Cedar Falls loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half, but the Rams were able to turn a 5-2-3 double play to end the game. Mel Roussel tallied 16 strikeouts and pitched two complete games for Senior.

Waterloo Courier write-up

CEDAR FALLS SPLITS IN OPENER

By DOUG NEWHOFF, Sports Editor

CEDAR FALLS - From the thrill of victory to the agony of defeat, opening night was a wild ride for the Cedar Falls High softball team Thursday. The Tigers scratched up a couple of opportunistic runs to steal a 3-2 victory from Dubuque Senior in the first game. Then the Rams’ cleanup hitter, Laura Zelinskas, jumped on one of Cedar Falls pitcher Shyann Beach’s few mistakes for a grand slam that sparked Senior’s 5-3 triumph in a 10-inning nightcap.

Beach, a junior, threw approximately 250 pitches while working all 17 innings. And it looked like she might be rewarded with two wins when Sonja Przybylski rounded third and headed for home on Cari Collins’ single in the bottom of the eighth. However, Senior centerfielder Megan Reiss threw a strike to the plate to nail Przybylski and two innings later, the Rams loaded the bases on an infield single, a walk and an error. Beach struck out her 11th batter of the game for the second out, but Zelinskas came through with a long home run to left-center.

"Shyann did her job," said Tammy Utley, making her debut as Cedar Falls’ head coach. "She pitched a heck of a game and she gave us a chance. She trusted in the pitch I called, and that batter made a good swing on it." Jillian Zaputil, a transfer from Waverly-Shell Rock, got the Tigers jump-started in the opener with a long homer to right-center in the fourth. It was Cedar Falls’ first hit off Rams veteran Melissa Roussel, who also pitched all 17 innings on the night.

The Tigers’ winning two-run rally in the sixth began when April Newton walked. Alison Jaynes bunted and Newton scored on a wild throw. Jaynes then tagged up and scored on a foul popup near the Senior dugout. "We’re going to be aggressive," said Utley. "We will try to manufacture some runs."

5/20/08 - Dyersville Beckman (Home)

It was a beautiful night at Art Weigand softball field as Senior showed thier veteran leadership and won the first game of the season 6 - 0! After dealing with a stressful two weeks of practice where we were dealing with track meets, and missing a few players due to the overlapping of sports, the Lady Rams showed they remember how to get down to business as Mel Roussel struck out 11 batters and allowed only two hits while the defense played solid ball behind her! The offense also came thru as we scored 2 runs in the 2nd, 5th, and 6th innings! Leading the way for the Rams and waking thier bats from their long winter hibernation were Shawna Dole, Kathryn Schilling, and Sam Lang who each had two hits on the night. Also, Shawna, Kathryn, Brittany McNab, Laura Zelinskas, and Sam Lang each had doubles to power the team. Altogether we had 9 hits with 5 of them for extra bases! And don't forget Hannah Kafar who had the first timely hit of the year by starting out our scoring with a 2-out R.B.I. to give us an early lead! Way to play Ram softball ladies!

Telegraph Herald write-up

Dubuque Senior 6, Dyersville Beckman 0 -- At Dubuque: The Rams shined in their season opener behind ace Melissa Roussel, who fired an 11-strikeout, two-hit shutout. Shawna Dole, Kathryn Schilling and Samantha Lang had two hits apiece for Senior.

Telegraph Herald Pre-Season write-up

CITY AWASH IN EXPERIENCE

By Troy Johnson TH staff writer

Summer is imminent, and the city's prep softball teams are going swimming in experience.

Dubuque graduated just two players from last year's teams, which finished with a combined winning percentage of .603 and split the city title three ways.

That should mean three very competitive squads, another terrific city race and perhaps an end to the town's state tournament drought in 2008. Senior hasn't made it to state since winning the championship in 1985, while Hempstead and Wahlert have never qualified for the tournament.

* Senior's win total rose from 12 to 29 in Jason Loeffelholz's first four years as the Rams' head coach. This season, with their entire starting lineup back, the Rams are looking to pop up into the upper echelon of the Mississippi Valley Conference and break through to state.

"You've got Cedar Rapids Jefferson, Linn-Mar, (Cedar Rapids) Xavier," said Loeffelholz, the reigning TH Coach of the Year who guided the Rams to their best season (29-18) in more than a decade in 2007. "We'd like to get to a point where we're knocking some of those teams off. If your ultimate goal is to make it to the state tournament, you have to not only compete with those teams, you have to beat them. We haven't done that consistently yet, but it's the next legitimate goal for the girls."

In trying to reach that goal, it helps to have a player like Shawna Dole. The all-state senior shortstop hit .456 with four home runs, 32 RBIs, 16 doubles, four triples, a .681 slugging percentage and just eight strikeouts last season, when she was named TH Co-Player of the Year. The Rams also welcome back junior all-district pitcher Mel Roussel, junior all-league third baseman Brittany McNab, senior first baseman Laura Zelinskas, junior outfielder Megan Reiss and junior catcher Kathryn Schilling, among others.

"I just want us to stay upbeat and positive after having a good year last year," Dole said. "We can't just expect to win. We have to work hard. (State is) definitely something we talk about, but we don't want to be one of those teams that just talks about it. We're going to take it game by game, and hopefully state comes eventually."

'(Next year), I want our team to make state. I want to experience that whole thing!'

- Shawna Dole, telling the TH her team expectations for next summer.

'We'll go down there to do one thing: WIN!'

- Head Senior BB Coach Wendell Eimers before their 2007 substate game vs. Linn Mar.

'Everyone has the will to win, I want players with the will to prepare!'

- Ray Demarini

'We knew we could win. We knew we would win, it was in our mindset!'

- Katie Hohman, after our 2005 district win against Hempstead.

'We just wanted to earn some respect, because we deserved it!'

- Abbey McTaggart, also after the district win against Hempstead.

'This is exactly what we wanted to do....'

- Brittany McNab, after the Rams made it to the Championship Game in the 2006 Wahlert Tournament.

'That was freakin' awesome!!'

- Alex Wirzbach, when asked how her double felt against Beckman in the opening game of the 2007 season.