SCC softball looking strong

By Jim Rueda
Free Press Sports Editor

NEW ULM May 12, 2008 01:56 am

— So how tough is the South Central Conference in softball this season? Well ... if you believe the most recent Class AA rankings, the SCC is awfully tough.
The league has no less than three teams ranked in the Top 10 in the state, including New Ulm at the No. 1 spot and St. Peter in the second position. Waseca is Class AA’s ninth-ranked team in the poll that was released May 5.
When asked why the SCC seemed to be particularly strong this season, New Ulm coach Kristi Andersen chuckled and said: “It must be good coaching.”
Putting aside her stand-up routine, Andersen agrees the SCC is probably as tough as it’s ever been, but says the league may not be significantly stronger than it has been in the past.
“Part of the reason you have three teams in the (Class AA) rankings is because us and Waseca just recently dropped down from Triple-A,” Andersen said. “We’re not knocking heads with the big dogs as much, anymore.”
New Ulm entered the weekend with an 11-1 record, St. Peter went in at 14-1 and Waseca is sitting at 8-5.
St. Peter coach Bill Herr says one reason all three teams are playing well is pitching.
“All three teams are very solid in that area,” Herr said. “Waseca has two sophomores (Danni Collins and Casey DeVos) that are really starting to come on, New Ulm has Becca Loose who is a very effective, crafty pitcher, and we have two solid pitchers of our own in (senior) Brittany Mayo and (freshman) Kami Smesmo.”
The coaches of all three ranked teams say having a quality summer program is another key factor in the success of the high school teams.

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