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Softball team announces 2002 signees
The SCSU softball team, with their regular season winding down and playoffs in the near future, have started to look toward next year's squad. On April 18, Husky head coach Paula U'Ren signed two high school recruits to National Letters of Intent for SCSU. The two players signed were Melisse Owen, from Ames High School in Ames, Iowa, and Laurel Bauer from Plano West High School in Texas.
Melisse Owen has started every game for Ames High since her freshman year. Owen is listed as a utility player, but U'Ren is looking to play her at catcher or first base.
"She [Owen] brings a talented bat and a good arm," U'Ren said. "She will be a reliable catcher and a good fill in, if needed, at first base."
Owen's stats say it all. With a .334 career batting average, .944 fielding percentage, and slugging at .436 she was named All-Conference Honorable Mention last year. Owen will end her final high school season on May 30 for Ames High.
Bauer is also an all-around threat on the softball field, as she played pitcher and various infield positions for Plano West High School. The stat line on Bauer is very impressive too, with 39 hits, 30 RBI's, and a .488 batting average during her 27 game senior season. These district leading statistics earned Bauer the Golden Bat Award, as well as being named 1st Team All-District Utility Player.
This award-winning utility player isn't only good standing next to the plate, she can throw some balls across it as well. Owen averaged 6.6 strikeouts per game as a senior pitcher for Plano West with an ERA of 2.12.
These two all around recruits look to help out in any way they can on the softball field for next year's Husky team, who won't lose any players to graduation in the off season.
"We were looking for players to come in and fill a utility role rather than one specific position," U'Ren said. "Since we don't graduate many players this year."
Overall, though,U'Ren is happy with the prospects. "We got some good team individuals, who are strong academically as well as athletically."
Schedule Notes
The Huskies' tournament in Mankato this weekend was cancelled due to snow, and the games will not be made up. The Huskies postponed game with University of Minnesota-Duluth will be made up in a double header at UMD on Tuesday starting at 3 p.m. Also, fans will have one more chance to see the Huskies at home as they have rescheduled their postponed doubleheader with University of Wisconsin-Superior for 3 p.m. Wednesday at Selke Field.
Ben Dunsmoor can be reached at: [email protected]
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