2009 Ram Softball Game Summaries

Rams plan grand finale as Senior-dominated team looks to go out with a bang

Telegraph Herald Write-up

By Troy Johnson TH staff writer

The Dubuque Senior softball roster lists only one assistant to head coach Jason Loeffelholz. But he feels like he's working with a staff of six.

With three fifth-year starters and two fourth-year starters back for one final go-round, the Rams appear to have the leadership and know-how to continue the program's remarkable resurgence.

All-state pitcher Mel Roussel, catcher Kathryn Schilling and third baseman Brittany McNab have been starting since eighth grade. Outfielder Megan Reiss and new shortstop Molly Reiss broke into the lineup as freshmen.

"With those five seniors we've got 18 years of varsity experience, not counting their senior year," said Loeffelholz, who guided the Rams from 12 to 31 wins in his first five seasons. "You've got more coaches on the field. You've got players helping each other."

Senior, which opens the season Tuesday night at Dyersville Beckman, graduated star shortstop Shawna Dole and first baseman/No. 2 pitcher Laura Zelinskas from a 31-11 team that lost to Linn-Mar an Iowa Class 4A regional final.

But the Rams will be strong and stable up the middle with Schilling, Roussel, the Reiss sisters and junior Sam Lang, another fourth-year starter, at second base. McNab batted .338 with 27 RBIs and 15 doubles and was named first team all-Mississippi Valley Conference and all-district last year.

If junior pitcher Brenna Bauer, a Hempstead transfer, and her fellow lineup newcomers perform, the Rams believe they could qualify for the state tournament for the first time since the 1985 championship season.

"It's been really fun," said Roussel, who went 27-6 with a 1.21 ERA and 150 strikeouts while earning third team all-state honors last summer. "It's our last year, so we just want to go out and get the same goal as last year -- 30 wins -- and make it to state. I think we're going to have a good team this year."

5/26/09 - Beckman (Away)

The Lady Rams travelled to Dyersville tonight to take on Beckman in a sloppy game that was delayed for a half hour due to rain. Unfortunately for the Rams, the weather wasn't the only thing that was sloppy as several mental mistakes kept us from putting the Trailblazers away as they came back and won 9 - 8 in the bottom of the 7th inning. Bright spots for the Rams included Mel Roussel going 2 for 3, and Brittany McNab hitting a double to the right field fence. Better communication between the players will be needed however as the Lady Rams head into conference play in the coming weeks.

5/28/09 - Cedar Falls (Home)

Telegraph Herald Write-up

The Rams scratched out a split and their first victory with a three-run fifth-inning rally in Game 2 after squandering Mel Roussel's marvelous performance in Game 1. Roussel fanned 14 hitters -- including 10 of the first 11 she faced -- in the opener. Senior (1-2, 1-1 Mississippi Valley Conference) also out-hit the Tigers, 10-3. The Rams lost the first game 4 - 3 and won the second 5 - 3.

5/30/09 - Wahlert Tournament (@ Vets)

9:00 AM vs. Bellevue Public

The Lady Rams come ready to play this morning and put away Bellevue in 5 innings by a score of 10 - 0!

1:30 PM vs Bellevue Marquette

The Rams win in dramatic fashion by scoring two runs in the bottom of the 7th and winning 6 - 5! Awesome!

4:30 PM - Championship Game vs. Wahlert

The Rams have some great at-bats but fall in the championship game 7 - 2. Way to play hard all day ladies!!

Eagles' 3 of a kind

Telegraph Herald Write-up

By Tim O'Neill TH staff writer

Dubuque Wahlert softball coach Jim Noonan ambled over to the bleachers prior to playing Dubuque Senior in the championship game of the Eagle Invitational Saturday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Park and mentioned that he thought he had the best middle-of-the-order lineup in the state in Audrey Kass, Sam Reimer and Kellie Klein.

The 16-year coach -- who is quickly approaching the 400-win plateau -- just might be on to something. That trio, batting 2-3-4 in the Golden Eagles lineup, combined for 17 hits in 28 at-bats -- part of a 38-hit, 30-run performance over three games in the tournament -- as Wahlert beat Senior, 7-2, to win its own tourney for the second consecutive year. "They are very, very good softball players," Noonan said of his terrific triumvirate. "They work hard at it. You don't want to mess with those three."

In a tight, 2-1 championship game with Senior, it was that group that helped give Wahlert a big early lead by sparking a four-run third inning. Kass led off the third with a triple to the right-center field gap and Reimer followed suit with a two-run, inside-the-park home run to nearly the same exact spot to put Wahlert ahead, 4-1. "I had a 1-2 count, wasn't really expecting a meaty pitch but I got it and laid on it and it went where it went," Reimer said.

Klein, who pitched effectively to get the win, then doubled to the same gap. After a walk to Brianna Bannon, Erin Skahill drove in the fifth run with a line-drive single to right. Beth Miller added a run-scoring sacrifice fly. "We played together, our sticks came alive really well," Reimer said. "We hit a lot better than we thought we were going to do; we strung hits together and everyone did their part."

Haley Zenner tried to bring the Rams back into the game with an inside-the-park home run of her own -- a laser beam down the right-field line.

"That's a freshman," Rams coach Jason Loeffelholz said of Zenner. "She just grips and rips it, doesn't she? She doesn't care who she's facing, she's gonna get up there and she's not getting cheated."

"You never like losing," Loeffelholz said, "but if we were going to lose today in the championship game -- against a pretty dang good team -- I mean, I can live with this."

6/4/09 - Wahlert (Home)

Critical hits key sweep

Telegraph Herald Write-up

By Tim O'Neill TH staff writer

Take two pitches away from Dubuque Wahlert's doubleheader sweep of Dubuque Senior, and the rivals might still be playing. The Golden Eagles got a pair of three-hit shutouts from Kellie Klein and Brianna Bannon to win, 1-0 and 3-0, at Senior's Art Wiegand Field Thursday. "Good pitching shuts teams down, and they were both on," Rams coach Jason Loeffelholz said.

Klein pitched a strong opening game, striking out five and walking four. "We both did pretty good under the pressure, considering it was an intracity game," Klein said. Bannon followed Klein's performance with a gem, striking out 10 and walking none. "They compete against each other," Eagles coach Jim Noonan said. "They want to out-do each other when they're pitching, and that's a good thing for us."

All it took offensively for the Eagles (8-2 overall, 4-2 Mississippi Valley Conference) was two critical hits. "By my count we had 239 pitches and there was only about two pitches that I'd want back," Loeffelholz said.

Bannon knocked a sixth-inning single down the left-field line to score Sam Reimer with the lone run of the first game. "I haven't been hitting well lately, and a hit like that feels really good," Bannon said. Reimer, after getting hit by a pitch twice in the first game, blasted a three-run home run to right-center field in the third inning of the nightcap.

Mel Roussel started the first game for the Rams and matched Klein pitch for pitch. Roussel didn't allow a hit until the third inning -- allowing just four total for the game -- and worked around four walks and two hit batters while striking out three. "I felt pretty good," Roussel said. "When I got up to the top of the lineup, I just thought I've got to keep them high and tight and throw strikes."

Brenna Bauer started the nightcap for the Rams (3-5, 1-3) and pitched well, allowing eight hits and issuing just one walk. She struck out three in seven innings.

"I thought our pitchers did a great job," Loeffelholz said. "Our fielders played well, only minor complaint is a loss, but I can live with that. If you get out there trying your best and you play well you can live with the results."

6/6/09 - Western Dubuque (Home)

Senior Cruises

Telegraph Herald Write-up

The temperatures were cold but Dubuque Senior's bats were hot as the Rams routed Western Dubuque, 11-3, in a non-conference softball game Saturday at Senior's Art Wiegand Field. Haley Zenner was 4-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs for the Rams (4-5), who were coming off a tough doubleheader intracity sweep against Wahlert. Samantha Lang and Kathryn Schilling added two hits apiece for Senior. Kara Conant had two hits for WD.

6/9/09 - Waterloo East (Away)

The Rams split with East High tonight winning a sloppy first game 6 - 5 and losing a tight defensive one 1 - 0. Six errors in the opener almost cost the Rams as they had to claw their way back to win the game with the help of a couple of timely hits and East errors. Mel Roussel had two hits to help her cause in a game where the Rams defense stepped up in the last couple of innings to bend but not break. Several East High players were stranded in scoring position, saving the game for the Rams.

The second game was a defensive gem with East High's lead-off hitter reaching by walk and coming around to score the only run of the game. No errors helped us stay in the game and give us a chance to win. However, our offense couldn't get anything going with only two runners reaching base all game. Brenna Bauer pitched a great game for the Rams as we threw out two baserunners in first-and-third situations and kept them from scoring more. Great defense ladies!

6/10/09 - Pleasant Valley (Home)

The Rams lose 4 - 0 as the defense plays well, but the offense can't get anything going as we continually drop our hands and swing underneath the ball. Everything will be OK though as the Rams will start focusing more during batting practice and work on keeping their hands up, and taking them right to the ball with no wasted movement. Extra batting after practice will also help our bats to start warming up...

6/11/09 - CR Kennedy (Away)

Telegraph Herald Write-up

Freshman Haley Zenner blasted a homer and drove in two runs in the opener and Sam Lang made a series of sharp defensive plays in Game 2 as the Rams (7-7, 4-4 MVC) pulled back to .500.

6/13/09 - Senior JV Tournament (Home)

Congratulations to the Lady Rams for winning our own JV tournament! In the morning the Rams demolished Waterloo East 15 - 1, then they showed they could win the tight games by beating Hempstead 2 - 0! Awesome! There were so many good plays made today that I don't even know where to start! Let's see...Haley Zenner hit another home run while Meghan Scovel ripped a double off the left-field fence. Jessica Gerardy had several nice plays at shortstop with Krista Laufenberg making good stretches at first. Liz Rueter had a great tag-up on a pop-up behind second-base but was mistakenly called out on the play (admittedly by the umpire). Katie Zenner threw out a couple of runners daring to steal on her, and Kayla Oppelt played a flawless third base. All of these great efforts backed two solid pitching performances by Natalie Jacobsmeier who was calm and composed in both games allowing only a courtesy run to East in the morning game... :) Way to play Ram softball ladies!!

6/16/09 - CR Jefferson (Away)

The Lady Rams lose a couple of close ones 6 - 3 and 1 - 0. In the first game, Molly Reiss hit a two-run double to give us a 3-2 lead until the 5th inning where a timely hit by Jefferson gave them the game. Mel Roussel pitched well in defeat and Brenna Bauer followed her by only giving up one earned run in a losing effort in the second game. Great defense all night kept us right there with the number 3 team in the state.

6/17/09 - Bettendorf (Away)

The Lady Rams travelled to Bettendorf tonight to take on the 8th-ranked Bulldogs, losing two games by scores of 5-0 and 6-3. Highlights of the night included Molly Reiss, Sam Lang, and Kayla Oppelt all doubling to give us a few runs in the second game. However, Bettendorf's pitching was too much as they hit their spots and kept us off balance with good change-ups all night.

6/18/09 - CR Prairie (Home)

The Rams split a couple of tight games winning 2-0 and losing 3-0. Great defense and good pitching performances by Mel Roussel and Brenna Bauer highlighted the games. In the first game, Mel helped her cause with a 4th-inning R.B.I. single, bringing in Brittany McNab who had just doubled. In the next inning, Natalie Jacobsmeier earned a walk and promptly stole second, with Sam Lang doubling to bring her in and give us all the runs we needed to win the first game. Let's keep getting those timely hits and putting runs on the board!

6/20/09 - Hempstead Tournament (@ McAleece)

CITY REMATCH DENIED AS SENIOR CLAIMS TITLE

Rams repeat as champions, do not have to beat rival Hempstead this time

Telegraph Herald Write-up

By Steve Ortman TH staff writer

The past three years have seen the Mustang Invitational boil down to a hotly-contested championship game between Dubuque Hempstead and Dubuque Senior. This year's 34th annual event didn't see any late-inning heroics or dramatic sequences between the teams. Instead, Dubuque Senior simply went 3-0 Saturday afternoon to claim its third straight title in a seven-team, round-robin format at McAleece Sports Complex.

"It's usually bracketed," Rams coach Jason Loeffelholz said. "The last three years we've played Hempstead in the championship game, and the girls were looking forward to that. It's great getting these city schools together with an invite championship on the line. But a couple teams had to drop out, so they changed it to round-robin this year. It wasn't anyone's fault."

While the format was forced to change, what didn't was the solid effort displayed by the Rams (11-12). "I was just happy that on a warm, hot day, it's hard to stay focused, and I was happy that we stayed focused," Loeffelholz said. "Staying focused at bat and putting the ball into play, making things happen. Pitching and defense were solid today, like they have been all season."

Each of the three games showcased attributes that could make the Rams a threat during postseason play.

Senior's first two games (a 14-0, five-inning win over Don Bosco and 1-0 triumph over Wilton) displayed strong pitching and defense, staples for Senior under Loeffelholz.

"We were just a solid team today," said senior ace Mel Roussel, who picked up the wins with 13 strikeouts between the two contests. "I was throwing a lot of strikes, and I don't think I walked many today. We all just did really well."

Behind a swarming defense, junior Sam Lang's two-out RBI single in the fifth was all the Rams needed for the squeaker over Wilton. "We had great defense and hitting. We just came to play," Lang said. "We did what we had to do to win."

Dyersville Beckman had the Rams tied at 3 in Game 3 going into the sixth, but the Rams wouldn't be denied. They put together a five-run rally with two outs to hold off the Blazers, 8-3. "Winning is always a lot more fun than losing," Loeffelholz joked. "We always come ready to play, and this tournament in particular the last four years we've played really well. It's tough to stay focused in this environment, and they've done a good job with that. It's a lot of fun."

6/25/09 - CR Washington (Home)

SENIOR KEEPS HITS COMING

Telegraph Herald Write-up

The hit parade didn't end until 15 Dubuque Senior batters had gotten their licks.

In one of the biggest innings in program history, the Rams battered Cedar Rapids Washington pitching for 15 runs in the first inning of Game 2 Thursday. Senior galloped to a 7-0, 15-3 sweep at Art Weigand Field.

Kathryn Schilling went 4-for-6 and Haley Zenner drove in three runs in the opener, in which Mel Roussel penned a four-hit shutout. Zenner and Brittany McNab homered in the Game 1 romp, which was just a warmup for the Rams' three-inning triumph in Game 2. Everybody in the starting lineup scored a run in Game 2 for Senior (13-12).

6/26/09 - Iowa City High (Away)

The Rams won a couple of hard-fought games tonight in extra innings, taking the opener 5-4 when Megan Reiss homered in the top of the eighth. To get there however, took a TEAM effort. After Kathryn Schilling had to leave the game after being struck by an absent-minded City High batter, Katie Zenner came in to catch in the 6th inning. In the the bottom of the 7th, with the scored tied and the winning run on third with one out, the batter hit a fly ball to right field. Haley Zenner caught it, then turned and rifled a throw to home. Katie caught the perfect, one-hop throw and in one motion, tagged the runner while blocking her off the plate! It was awesome! In the 8th, Megan had a great at-bat to give us a lead going into the bottom of the inning. Then, with two on and one out, Natalie Jacobsmeier caught a long fly ball at the left field fence to keep two runners from scoring, and Haley Zenner ended the game with a running catch of a line drive to right field! Way to step up and play Ram softball ladies!

However, we weren't done there! :) In the top of the 7th of the second game, down 2 - 1 with a runner on second and two outs, Brenna Bauer (who was pitching a fantastic game), stepped up and put the ball in play with a little blooper right in the middle of the infield. Failing to communicate, the City High infielders let the ball drop untouched, allowing the tying run to score. Big mistake! Given new life, the Rams quickly held them in the bottom of the seventh, then put the game away in the 8th. Mel Roussel started the inning with a blast to right-center for a double, while Megan Reiss got on by an error after a mis-played bunt. With runners on 2nd and 3rd, Molly Reiss ripped a two-run double down the left field line to give us the lead! After scoring two more insurance runs in the inning, the Rams set the Little Hawks down in their half of the inning, punctuating the game with a great double play started by Sam Lang who snagged a grounder, tagged a runner, and threw to first base! What a game! Great job at maintaining your composure and playing under pressure ladies! Woohoo!!

6/30/09 - Linn Mar (@ DGIL Fields)

Telegraph Herald Write-up

At DGIL complex: Displaced from their home field because of "Music on the March," the Rams showed no ill effects, amassing 21 hits in the MVC sweep.

Haley Zenner had totals of five hits -- two for extra bases -- and five RBIs for Senior (17-12, 11-7). Mel Roussel pitched a three-hitter in the opener and Brenna Bauer won the nightcap.

7/1/09 - Davenport Central (Away)

Telegraph Herald Write-up

The Rams (18-12) hung a dozen runs on the board in the first inning of a non-conference blowout. Kayla Oppelt hit a three-run double and Brittany McNab, Haley Zenner and Mel Roussel had two hits each.

7/2/09 - CR Xavier

RAMS RALLY TO KEEP STREAK

Telegraph Herald Write-up

Even a state-ranked threat to the Dubuque Senior softball team's winning streak couldn't cool the Rams. Megan Reiss delivered a game-tying double with two out in the seventh inning and Molly Reiss doubled home her sister with the game-winning run as Senior rallied for a 3-1, 6-5 doubleheader sweep of Iowa Class 4A No. 10-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier at Art Weigand Field.

The victories extended the Rams' winning streak to 12. Senior (20-12, 13-7) was four games under .500 before it started its streak. "We started slow (this season). The veterans have picked it up. The young girls are getting used to it," coach Jason Loeffelholz said. "We're meshing and going on all cylinders."

Brittany McNab had six hits, including a 4-for-4 performance in Game 2, and Megan Reiss was 4-for-6 with a double and a triple for Senior.

7/6/09 - Bellevue Marquette (Home)

Sad Senior Sendoff

Bellevue Marquette halts the Rams' 12-game winning streak

Telegraph Herald Write-up

By Steve Ortman TH staff writer

It's a safe bet that Senior Night for the Dubuque Senior softball team did not go according to plan. Rather than the Rams steamrolling their way to a 13th consecutive victory, all-state pitcher Emily Michels struck out eight in a four-hitter and led Bellevue Marquette to a 3-1 victory at Senior's Wiegand Field.

That's no reason not to celebrate the careers of the Rams' five seniors -- Mel Roussel, Kathryn Schilling, Brittany McNab, and Megan and Molly Reiss -- who have helped pave the way for Senior's success the past few seasons, not to mention the team's 12-game winning streak that came to an end Monday afternoon.

"A great group of kids who are great friends," Rams coach Jason Loeffelholz said. "They treat the rest of their teammates very well. It's no secret, they came in and the program really wasn't much to write home about. They stuck through it with good attitudes and hard work. They have natural talent."

Senior's play over recent seasons has not gone unrecognized by area coaches.

"I'm glad they let us come up here and play such a great program like Senior has had the last few years," Mohawks coach Joel Sieverding said. "We always have real close games with Senior. Great games, and they are becoming a real good program." Meghan Delaney was 2-for-3 with a double in support of Michels' solid work in the circle for Marquette (19-10).

The Rams' five seniors have been playing together for up to five years, and have put a lot of effort toward the success Senior showed throughout its winning streak, which included a sweep of Iowa Class 4A No. 10-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier last week.

"The seniors started slow, and most of them are batting probably close to 100 points higher than they were at the beginning of the season," said Loeffelholz, whose team fell to 20-13 Monday. "The young kids are starting to get more comfortable on the field. It takes a few weeks to mesh new kids with the seniors, and in high school softball, a couple weeks is halfway through the season. We picked it up and we're playing like I expected us to be able to. They gave Senior three of the better years of softball that it's had in quite a little while."

The seniors had a few moments, good and bad, on Monday. McNab's RBI double brought home Megan Reiss for the Rams' only run, but ace pitcher Roussel was removed from the game after a pitched ball struck her throwing thumb during her first-inning at-bat. "She said it was sore and she jammed it," Loeffelholz said. "If I had to guess, with the competitor that she is, she'll be geared up and ready to go (for the playoffs). We'll see."

The Rams' seniors know they will have to sustain momentum if they want to close out their careers the perfect way -- at the state tournament. "We're all looking forward to trying to get to state," Megan Reiss said. "We've been close and state would be a great closure to our careers."

7/7/09 - Hempstead (Away

Signs of Progress

Young Hempstead sweeps a Senior team that may have lost its ace for the year.

Telegraph Herald Write-up

By Troy Johnson TH staff writer

Sophomore pitcher Hannah Koerperich's control and the team's inability to finish games have been areas of concern for the youthful Dubuque Hempstead softball squad this summer. The host Mustangs demonstrated improvement in both areas Tuesday in a 5-0, 4-3 Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader sweep of a Senior team smarting from news that ace pitcher Mel Roussel is out indefinitely with a broken thumb.

Koerperich minimized damage from her walks while throwing a one-hitter in the opener. And a seniorless Hempstead team that has suffered so many narrow losses -- according to numbers posted at quikstats.com, the Mustangs entered the day 3-12 in games decided by one or two runs -- found a way to win a close Game 2. Hempstead (17-20, 9-15 MVC) built a winning streak of four games.

"I'd rather be good at the end of the season than the beginning," said Mustangs junior second baseman Betsy Nauman, a team leader who doubled in each game and drove in the second game's difference-making run with a sixth-inning sacrifice fly. "We had a little rough (patch) in the middle, but I think we're going to come out strong during the postseason games."

Roussel, a 2008 Class 4A all-state selection, spent the evening cheerleading and keeping the scorebook. She learned Tuesday that she suffered a broken thumb on her right (pitching) hand when she was struck by a pitch while batting in Senior's 3-1 home loss to Bellevue Marquette on Monday. "I didn't think anything was seriously wrong until I woke up this morning and I couldn't bend it," said Roussel, a senior.

Roussel will miss the final four games of the regular season but hopes to return for Saturday's regional opener at Pleasant Valley. Chances don't look particularly good. "(The doctor) said ... if the swelling goes down in my finger and I keep icing it and elevating it maybe I can pitch if the umpires let me tape my finger," Roussel said. "We'll have to see on Saturday. "He said a 50/50 chance but he's leaning toward no. I'm leaning toward hopefully."

The Rams committed two errors in the first inning, helping Hempstead score three runs against Brenna Bauer, promoted to No. 1 starter in Roussel's absence.

Koerperich's hit an RBI double, Taylor Riedl produced a run-scoring sacrifice fly and Ashley Boleyn drove in a run with a single to put Koerperich at ease. Though Koerperich issued six walks, she scattered them and never let the Rams build on them. "I've been struggling and doing more walks than strikeouts and just having a tough time, but (coach Alisha Frese and I) practiced things and had a talk one-on-one and just worked things out," Koerperich said. "She told me to have confidence. She knows that I can do it and I have to believe I can do it, too."

Senior coach Jason Loeffelholz downplayed the emotional impact of the Roussel news and couldn't believe what he saw early. "We obviously got here a little late because our team didn't show up until about the third inning of the first game," Loeffelholz said. "That's not the way we teach things in the program. We were fundamentally and mentally out of it. You can't do that against a good pitcher like Hannah and a solid team."

Amanda Hovind hit an RBI double and Krista Grutz a run-scoring single in the fourth inning to make it 5-0. Hovind and Boleyn each went 2-for-3 to lead a nine-hit attack. The offensive improvement continued in Game 2 when Riedl belted a second-inning solo home run.

But Senior tied the contest in the third when Sam Lang singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch, and Molly Reiss' two-out, two-run single in the fifth pushed the Rams ahead, 3-1.

The Mustangs refused to fold and accept another slim defeat. Riedl's RBI fielder's choice in the fifth cut it to 3-2 before Ellyn Goerdt produced and run scoring single and Nauman the winning sac fly in the sixth. Lauren Kelleher earned the win in relief. "When we got behind in the second game we didn't give up and we came back and kept fighting," said Frese, whose team collected nine more hits in Game 2. "Finishing we've had problems with. They came back and finished the game tonight."

Loeffelholz, who saw a 12-game winning streak end Monday, remained positive despite all of Tuesday's losses. His team fell to 20-15, 13-9. "We'll come back and we'll finish strong for the tournament," he said.

7/8/09 - Waterloo West (Away)

The Rams lost a couple MVC heartbreakers, falling in 12 innings in the opener and 10 in the nightcap. The first game was scoreless until the 10th, when the Rams got on the board. But West answered in the bottom.

7/9/09 - IC West (Away)

Bad starts did in the Rams (20-19, 13-13 MVC) in their regular-season finales. Iowa City West put up two spots in the first inning of both games.

PLAYOFF TRAILS SET

Telegraph Herald Write-up

By Steve Ortman TH staff writer

Rams' Roussel questionable

Just when things were starting to heat up for Dubuque Senior, in blew an ice storm. In the midst of a 12-game winning streak, ace pitcher Mel Roussel suffered a broken thumb and missed the team's last seven regular-season games.

It's no coincidence the Rams (20-19) have lost seven straight and limp into their Class 4A first-round matchup at Pleasant Valley (22-14) today at 5 p.m. "There's not too many pitchers like Mel in the state," Senior coach Jason Loeffelholz said. "From a competitive standpoint, I would compare it to Wahlert last year losing (Kellie) Klein."

Roussel is questionable to return today, but her 1.61 ERA and 93 strikeouts would be a welcome return. If unavailable, the job rests on the shoulders of junior Brenna Bauer. "It's a downer, but doggone it, that's the way it goes sometimes," Loeffelholz said. "The season's not over, so we're going to keep playing and see what we can do."

FIRST ROUND OF DISTRICTS

7/11/09 - Pleasant Valley

Telegraph Herald Write-up

Mel Roussel tried pitching through her broken thumb, but obviously wasn't 100 percent as the Rams lost their Class 4A playoff opener.

Roussel came on in relief in the fourth, but couldn't finish the game as Pleasant Valley scored five runs in the sixth and seventh innings. "Bless her heart, she grinned and beared it because she knew it was the end for her," Senior coach Jason Loeffelholz said. "She's a competitor."

Haley Zenner and Jessica Gerardy had two hits apiece for Senior, which finished 20-20.

"I told the girls, 'This one moment doesn't define a season or a career,'" Loeffelholz said. "It's been a while since Senior won 12 in a row. They had a lot of positives this season."

'Our dugout, we were all ready to go...We wanted to play, we came to play, and that's what we did.'

- Kathryn Schilling on how the Rams felt about the Wahlert game possibly getting called because of rain

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

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

'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.

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

- Ray Demarini