BARNUM VS. NEW ULM CATHEDRAL
What: MINNESOTA CLASS A STATE QUARTERFINAL
WHEN: 11 A.M. THURSDAY
WHERE: CASWELL PARK, NORTH MANKATO
RECORDS: BARNUM 23-2; NEW ULM CATHEDRAL 22-3
OUTLOOK: THIRD-RANKED BARNUM ROLLED THROUGH THE SECTION 5A TOURNAMENT AS SENIOR PITCHER KATRINA NEWMAN DIDN'T ALLOW A HIT IN TWO GAMES VS. OSAKIS. SHE STRUCK OUT 20 OF A POSSIBLE 21 IN A 6-0 WIN LAST WEDNESDAY, THEN MOWED DOWN 10 IN A 3-0 VICTORY IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AS THE BOMBERS REACHED THE STATE TOURNAMENT FOR THE SEVENTH TIME AND FIRST SINCE 2002. THE SCHOOL'S BEST FINISH WAS RUNNER-UP IN 1994, WHEN THEY LOST 5-0 TO A NEW ULM CATHEDRAL TEAM LED BY RECORD-SETTING PITCHER STEPH KLAVITER. BARNUM HAS OUTSCORED OPPONENTS 223-22 THIS SEASON WHILE OWNING A .359 TO .136 TEAM BATTING ADVANTAGE. NEWMAN IS 15-1 WITH A MINUSCULE 0.15 ERA AND 166 STRIKEOUTS IN 95 INNINGS. SHE'S HITTING .418 WITH SEVEN HOME RUNS AND 31 RBIS. JUNIOR THIRD BASEMAN JESSICA NEWMAN LEADS THE TEAM IN HITTING (.560, 47 HITS, 28 RBIS), WHILE CATCHER KARIANNA DUESLER IS BATTING .429 WITH 21 RBIS. THE NEWMANS AND BACKUP PITCHER KATIE MYHRE (8-1, 0.92 ERA, 48 STRIKEOUTS) WERE KEY PLAYERS ON THE BOMBERS' CLASS A STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS. ... THE GREYHOUNDS CRUISED TO AN 11-1, FIVE-INNING WIN OVER LAKE CRYSTAL-WELLCOME MEMORIAL TO WIN THE SECTION 2A TITLE AND EARN AN 11TH STATE BERTH. THE SCHOOL HAS WON SIX TITLES (1993-95, 2003, '05, '07), WHILE COACH BOB MERTZ HAS COMPILED A STATE-RECORD 644 WINS IN 31 YEARS. THE GREYHOUNDS HAVE OUTSCORED FOES 164-46 AND OWN A .325 TEAM BATTING AVERAGE. AMY ECKSTEIN (.493, 27 RBIS) AND KASEY BODE (.426, 22 RBIS) LEAD THE OFFENSE, WHILE BODE (17-2, 1.18 ERA, 136 STRIKEOUTS IN 130 INNINGS) IS THE NO. 1 HURLER.
QUOTE: "WE KNOW WE'RE GOOD ENOUGH TO WIN THAT GAME," BARNUM COACH RANDY MYHRE SAID. "WE'RE NOT JUST GOING DOWN THERE TO FIND A DAIRY QUEEN AND GO FOR A RIDE TO MANKATO. MANY OF OUR KIDS ARE SEEKING THAT SECOND STATE TITLE THIS YEAR."
RADIO: WKLK-FM 96.5
RICK WEEGMAN, NEWS TRIBUNE
