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Minnesota State University, Mankato
4 days, 95 miles, 1 mission
MSSA officials walk to the capitol in support of higher education
submitted photo MEGAN KADLEC
news editor
Most Minnesota State Mankato students spent their first days out of school hanging out with friends and starting their summer jobs. Unlike most people, a group of students did something a little different. Members of MSSA left Mankato last Monday morning with their sights on the State Capitol. Their mode of transportation: walking. The dedicated student leaders made the 95 mile trek to the capitol in attempts to make their views known on the importance of higher education funding for the state. They set out on the four day journey to convince the state government of the importance of college and prove to MSU students that they are dedicated to their cause. “The students whole purpose for the walk is to send a strong message to the governor and to
inside: Voices................................4 Arts/Entertainment.........7 Sports................................9
the legislator about the importance of higher education — that higher education is a big engine for this institution for economic recovery,” said MSU president Richard Davenport. After students saw a three percent tuition increase last year, they are facing a higher increase this year. A five percent increase in tuition is being proposed for the upcoming year, however nothing is official yet. The school has yet to see how funding for higher education comes through in the state’s budget. The MSSA members who walked to the capitol stressed the importance of higher education and its impact on not only the local economy but also the state as a whole. “For every $1 the state invests in higher education they receive nearly $11 in economic return,” said last year’s MSSA president Tom Williams. “Minnesota State
University, Mankato has an economic impact of $350 million on the local Mankato-area economy alone. There isn’t a service the state offers that produces that type of economic return and has equally beneficial returns socially.” Last year, four MSSA officials choose to walk to the state capitol in order to show their support for higher education. The walk was effective last year in that the group was able to grab the attention of gubernatorial candidates and bring them to MSU. “Quite frankly, it will be difficult to measure the effectiveness of this year’s. Last year we set tangible and measurable goals of obtaining debates on campus, with our main objective the gubernatorial debate. We met those goals last year,” Williams said. “This year, our message is harder to measure. Our goal was to advocate for higher education,
did we accomplish that? I think so, in the most basic sense of the word.” While the group strived to make a difference at the state level, they also hope to make a difference in the attitude MSU students have towards their elected officials. “I truly hope they see how much they are appreciated on the campus level and especially on the state level. I hope they understand that their voices can be heard if they simply speak up. It doesn’t take a 95 mile hike to say what you believe. Just a phone call, or a letter or even an email,” Scott Boyd, 78th MSSA Speaker, said. “There are dozens, probably hundreds of people willing to help students all across the state, and it just takes a single voice to set off change.” When they arrived in St. Paul last Thursday, the students met with Governor Mark Dayton,
who is known to support funding for higher education in Minnesota. “He congratulated us on our efforts, commended us for the great task which we overtook,” Boyd said. “He reminded us that he has always been in support of higher education and that he will work towards helping us.” MSSA officials believe that the walk raised awareness of the issues surrounding higher education, and will start a discussion between students and the government. “When legislators see that students are willing to go above the expected avenues for voicing their concerns it shows that this topic probably needs a little more focus than what it’s receiving now,” Williams said. “It becomes a larger part of the discussion which I believe only helps higher education.”
BOTH MSU BASEBALL AND MSU SOFTBALL HOPE TO MAKE A RUN IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT PAGE 9
Page 2 • Reporter
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News
Reporter • Page 3
Community members meet about the creation of a local co-op MEGAN KADLEC
news editor
In 2008, Mankato residents came together to discuss the possibility of creating a food co-operative in Mankato. Meetings cast light on the desire of community members to enjoy an establishment of this nature. In 2009, a survey of the community was conducted in order to determine what individuals wanted out of a Mankato-based co-op, if one were to be founded. In 2010, a temporary board of directors created a mission statement, wrote bylaws, a
Greg Lessard, Acting President.
statement of intent and business plan. Now, in 2011, the co-op is still getting off its feet and is hoping that a community conversation will help the organization reach its full potential. The co-op’s ultimate goal is to develop sustaining relationships with other members of the community through a locally owned and operated natural foods cooperative through the purchase, sale and preparation of local products. “The Mankato Food Coop will not just be a grocery store and deli — it’ll be a location for the community to unite. This space will allow residents to connect with local farmers,” Becca Gad, Acting Communications Director, said. “We enjoy seeing new faces at our monthly community conversations and look forward to meeting community members and seeking new membership at the Farmers’ Market this year.” Through the organization and maintenance of the members, the co-op is sure to be a
success in Mankato. “My hope is to create a market and demand for local, sustainable, natural, organic and fair-trade foods. Build community owned resources that will create a vibrant local food system,” said Acting President Greg Lessard. “We can do this with an organized group of informed passionate leaders and strong member support and financial backing.” The benefits of a co-op in Mankato are widespread and include the fact that money spent at a co-op is re-circulated in the community for the benefit of residents and locally grown, quality food and goods will be available to the community. “A co-op doesn’t only bring a great food resource to Mankato, it helps in increasing the local economy by giving local farmers a new outlet to sell produce,” Josh Gad, Acting Secretary, said. The founders and members of the Mankato Food Co-op enjoy more than just support-
ing the local economy, they also enjoy being involved in the community and the way the business is managed. “I became involved with the food co-op initiative because I’ve directly seen the positive impact they have in the communities they support. And personally believe that the cooperative business model is the only form of legitimate collective business ownership there is,” Lessard said. “Co-ops to me are about equitable relationships, responsibility and a collective response to commonly held needs.” Those who choose to support the local economy by becoming a member and shopping at a co-op will often save significant amounts of money. Price comparison
surveys have indicated that co-op members can save between 20 and 40 percent on their weekly grocery bills. While members of the co-op will receive discounts at the co-op, anyone is welcome to purchase goods. The co-op is hosting a community conversation Tuesday, May 24 at 6:00 p.m. in room 204 of the Lincoln Community Center. “Community conversations are a way to educate, inspire, and bond with the community around issues of food and local self-reliance,” Lessard said. The Mankato Co-op is still in the beginning stages — they hope to expand their member base and find a suitable location for the co-op to be stationed.
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Wednesday, May 18, 2011 www.msureporter.com
Students have spent the last two months of the spring semester craving summer. When people think summer, they think beer, beaches and “oh, shoot. I should really get rid of this gut, huh?” Chances are if you’re reading this, you’re not doing any of those things. You’re probably sitting in some summer class at 8 a.m. wishing you hadn’t signed up for it. Or wishing you hadn’t stayed at Red Rocks until close. With the budget cuts MSU took — along with many other schools around the nation — more and more students are taking summer classes in order to graduate sooner, or are taking six credits in order to qualify for student loans so they can pay rent. Either or. If you’re not taking summer classes, you’re probably working a job you don’t want to work at. Money doesn’t grow on trees. That is something that certainly slapped us in the face as soon as we got to college. When we went from high school to college, a lot of things changed. Summer vacation is one of them. Sure, we don’t have to go to our Art 160 class anymore, but we sure as hell better be at work at 8 a.m. otherwise Cub Foods will have no deli man. WHAT WILL WE DO WITH NO DELI MAN?! Am I telling you that I’d rather be in school? Absolutely not. Nobody in their right mind would say a thing like that. It’s just that the “break” isn’t really a break. Chances are it’s going to be exactly
EDITORS Editor in Chief: Kyle Ratke (507) 389-5454 NEWS EDITOR: Megan Kadlec (507) 389-5450 sports editor: Lee Handel (507) 389-5227 Variety Editor: Brian Rosemeyer (507) 389-5157
like when we graduate — can’t find a job in our field and end up having four days a week to sit at home and reflect on things and how they didn’t pan out. Funny how we call it a break now, but in two years, it’ll be called unemployment. Okay, that was depressing, but it’s reality. We shouldn’t be so hard on ourselves this summer. Sure, we need to make money. We need to make an effort to not be complete bums. But guess what? This is one of our last chances to be bums for a summer — at least by choice. You’re college students. We put this paper out so you have something to read during the class you’re drooling in. Enjoy the break while you can. We’ll do the same. Because once we’re out of here, our break might consist of X-Box, movies, classified ads, a pint of ice cream and a couch in our parent’s basement. Whether you’re dreading class tomorrow at 8 a.m. or asking yourself if it’s a good idea to go out after work tonight even though you have to work again tomorrow morning, we applaud you. As my mother said, “you have your whole life to work, enjoy being in college.” My mother has also been quoted saying, “You’re cut off. You really have to start getting a source of income here.” Enjoy your summer, everyone. Take as many breaks as you can.
I told myself I wasn’t going to write one of these articles. The “hi, I’m the new editor” article. But after talking to our editorial staff, we decided it might not be a horrible idea. I want this to be a learning experience for everyone up here, but then again, we intend on giving you the best product we possibly can. Everything that goes into this paper is a process and I realize criticism will come — there’s no way of avoiding it. The Reporter wants to have its door open to everyone for suggestions. We are all members of Minnesota State University, Mankato and this paper is for the students and faculty. You should all have a say in what goes in it, right? The paper should be more about you and less about us. This is your news, after all. We intend on hitting every social networking device we can to get information to you. • web photo Former editor Nate Brennan established both a Facebook and a Twitter
page. These are two tools we plan on utilizing. Each section editor has their own Twitter accounts and I would call them experts in their field. Podcasts and blogs are something that we plan on getting involved in. I have a weekly sports show with Taylor Possail that has gotten great feedback. We are currently in discussions with KMSU personalities, hoping to work out some sort of agreement to record shows for our website. There can never be too much talent, and we believe the talent is here. We just have to figure out where it all goes. That’s a very good problem to have. Our staff is mixed with young and old faces. Most people think I’ve been here since 1998, but the truth of the matter is, I’m a 21-yearold soon-to-be senior. Most know me from writing humorous and sometimes controversial sports articles. Do I know what I’m getting into as the new guy? Nope, but I’m sure I’ll find out real fast. We have in place a great editorial staff. With news
editor Megan Kadlec, A&E editor Brian Rosemeyer and sports editor Lee Handel, I have very high expectations. These are all students who know their stuff. Will we make mistakes? Sure, everyone will. But what will shape the paper is how we correct the mistakes. Our goal is to be informative, entertaining, clean, precise and something you want to pick up every single Tuesday and Thursday. If you want to be a part of this ride with us, applications are available. Remember, this is a business and we do our best to hire the best of the best. Whether it be photographers, graphic designers or writers. We hope you enjoy this paper, along with many more to come. Enjoy your summer and as always, thanks for reading. You can contact Kyle Ratke at Kyle.Ratke@mnsu. edu. He’s also on Twitter @ Kyle_Ratke.
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Underrated Success
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
News
Reporter • Page 5
MSU Creative Writing MFA Program receives national recognition MEGAN KADLEC
news editor
The Huffington Post recently created a list of the Top 25 Underrated Creative Writing MFA Programs in the United States. The creation of the list isn’t a shock to anyone; but the fact that our little state school’s creative writing program made it onto the list, comes as a surprise to most, including The Huffington Post. In the article, Seth Abramson writes, “It’s a program you keep hearing good things about, even if you’re not entirely sure why.” While the Huffington Post can’t seem to understand why MSU’s MFA Creative Writing Program is successful, Richard Robbins, the MFA Creative Writing Program Director at MSU, says he isn’t surprised. Recently named by the Minnesota Humanities Commission as “the premier small-town reading series in the country,” the Good Thunder Reading Series — in its 29 th year — features many visiting writers to MSU. Recent visitors include Richard Ford, Philip Levine, Yusef Komunyakaa, Patricia Henley, Pam Houston, Li-Young Li, Aryn Kyle and many other emerging and established writers. For a creative writing program to be successful, it must first have strong, dedicated professors who publish books regularly and stay current in the field. MSU has six professors who teach creative writing and English courses to students. “MSU’s faculty all publish in multiple genres, have been the recipient of national and international awards and celebrate their diverse classroom approaches to the art of writing,” Robbins said. Though faculty makes up a large part of what makes a program great, there must also be a significant base of interesting and talented students. “MSU’s students are wildly different, but they are also wildly curious and eclectic,” Robbins said. “The fiction writers will take poetry workshops, for example, to work outside of their comfort zone. The poets will take classes in creative nonfiction. They are a courageous and collegial group.”
The program plans for 12 to 20 students to accept admittance into the program, and while the number of applicants varies, recently there have been four times as many applicants as students who have accepted their admittance. This year’s applications hailed from 19 states and four countries. Students accepted into the program can expect a wide array of opportunities designed to boost their resumes and gain valuable writing and editorial skills. “Our competitive edge, historically, has been the attention and dedication we give our students, our collegial community of writers, the opportunities we offer students, through assistantships, to learn important
“It’s a program you keep hearing good things about, even if you’re not entirely sure why.”
teaching and editing skills,” Robbins said. Though MSU’s Creative Writing Program is strong, it lacks the prestige of a private school program, which forces it to the underrated list as opposed to the top programs in the country. “Any program not on the Left or the Right coasts is prone to being overlooked, especially if it doesn’t have the resources, like some schools, to offer full rides,” Robbins said.
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While Robbins argues that MSU will never compete with Stanford and Syracuse based on financial standings, he does believe that an endowment could help, but the program is sustainable on its own. “What could be a gamechanger, though, is a major endowment that would support full-ride scholarships/ assistantships for most of our students,” Robbins said. “Until then, if we can keep admitting enthusiastic and
hardworking students, and keep bringing in visiting writers for the Good Thunder Series who go home and tell people how good the program in Mankato is, we’ll do fine.” Though MSU may never be on the radar for the best programs, landing a spot on the Huffington Post list of “Underrated Creative Writing MFA Programs” is certainly an accomplishment for the faculty and students who work hard to keep the program going. “The word gets around, eventually, that this is a good place to be,” Robbins said.
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Page 6 • Reporter
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A&E Wednesday, May 18, 2011
www.msureporter.com/arts-entertainment
There’s Nothing ‘Old’ About
Old Town BRIAN ROSEMEYER
A&E Editor Wouldn’t it be lovely if there was a day of art, food, music and community building somewhere in Mankato on June 4? Wouldn’t the sound of local kids playing mixed with the excitement of street performers on a nice summer day in Southern Minnesota really hit the spot? Hypothetics aside, the Old Town Art Fair is around the corner to fulfill those fanciful images. The Coffee Hag, Key City Creative and the Midwest Art Catalyst have joined forces to bring the town an afternoon of fun and entertainment for all ages to enjoy. The event will be located at the corner of Riverfront Dr. and Washington St. in Old Town Mankato and will be June 4. Washington will be blocked off from Riverfront to the alley that runs behind The Coffee Hag to accommodate the festivities. Jenn Melby, owner of The Coffee Hag, located on Riverfront Drive, is proud to be involved in organizing the event. “The goal of [the Old Town Art Fair] is to bring the community together,” Melby said. “And also to share all this great talent we have in
this town.” The fair will feature a number of booths set up by local artists to display and sell their creations. Artists from around the community have applied for the opportunity to share their passion with the citizens of this town. The day will be accented by street performers such as belly dancers and fire dancers, who will be entertaining the crowd throughout the other events. And, of course, a local art expo in Mankato wouldn’t be complete without some great live local music. The stage will host bands from 12-7 p.m., the music will be free and the list of performers will follow (in order of performance): Anne Deming, Zach Arney, Sarah Pray, Chastity Brown, Stephanie Nilles, Dr. Lee and the Terminally Chill, Sister Gin and Good Night, Gold Dust. Each act will play a one-hour set. “We’re bringing musicians from Mankato as well as artists from the cities,” Melby said. “And the really cool thing about it is, everyone will be donating their time for the cause.” And the cause is a noble one. In cahoots with The Coffee Hag is the newly formed Midwest Art Catalyst, which brought the Post Holiday Extravaganza earlier in the
spring. MWAC is a non-profit organization which will be promoting and organizing many art/music events in the area to support the growth and development of the arts community in Mankato. All proceeds from the Old Town Art Fair will go to MWAC, and will be redistributed within the community to nourish the growing scene. MWAC achieved raising $5,000 from the Post Holiday Extravaganza and has its eyes on growth. A generous $3,000 of the donations will be given to Mankato’s School District 77 in order to reestablish summer music programming for students, which has been cut in the recent budget crisis. The remaining $2,000 will be split into two scholarships for students attending Mankato West and Mankato East high schools. Megan Hoogland, frontwoman of MWAC and owner of Mecca Tattoo, enjoys seeing the support and is looking forward to doing more within the community through the booming arts scene in Mankato. “We just do anything we can to have a party,” Hoogland said. “And
Art Fair / page 8
BRIAN ROSEMEYER
A&E Editor Late spring releases turn into summer soundtracks. When a record comes out with a solid lineup of complete, intricate compositions, which allow a listener to take time to fully submerge oneself into the mix, it’s easy to spend a season getting to know the album. The Fleet Foxes have achieved such a record. When the group debuted in 2008 with their self-titled release, they quickly rose to the tops of critics’ and fans’ charts alike. The first album featured complex, yet accessible songs, which earned them mainstream success as well as deserved critical acclaim. The apex of which was the hit “White Winter Hymnal” which is instantly recognizable, and familiar, from its opening harmony, “I was following the, I was following the, I…” Fans, as well as the group, anxiously awaited the development and release of their follow-up. And on May 3, The Fleet Foxes released their striking “Helplessness Blues.” The title and mood of the album coincide, yet it is highlighted with perks of optimism that let a generation of angsty hipsters know that their era isn’t so lame.
Fleet Foxes triumph with
sophomore release ‘Helplessness Blues’ / page 8
Page 8 • Reporter
A&E
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
‘HELPLESSNESS BLUES’ “...a cohesive example of where the Fleet Foxes should be.”
ART FAIR “You’d be hard pressed to find an excuse to miss the Old Town Art Fair.” continued from 7 with [the Old Town Art Fair] we’d like to make it an annual event.” You’d be hard pressed to find an excuse to miss the Old Town Art Fair. Where else can you get music, food, art, fire dancers and friends jammed into one city block and at the same time raise money for the development of youth arts in Manakto? Well sir, if you said the Old Clown Parts Hair, I’d say you probably heard it wrong.
continued from 7
The Fleet Foxes have said that the creative process for “Helplessness Blues” was very trying on the group, being that frontman Robin Pecknold’s vision and desire for perfection caused a drawn-out writing and production course. It has even been released that Pecknold’s long-time girlfriend was driven to breaking off the relationship because of the strain. The tribulation, however, proved fruitful, and upon hearing the final product, the girl took Pecknold back. She was right to do so. The record is a cohesive example of where The Fleet Foxes should be creatively, and musically at this point. The opening track, “Montezuma,” sets pace for the release. The opening line, “So now I am older than my mother and father when they had their daughter, now what does that say about me?” introduces the tone in which Pecknold guides the remaining tunes. After their debut, The Fleet Foxes found quick identification through its exploitation of their profound talent in harmony writing and performing. This skill carries into “Helplessness Blues” and is used to create a fuller, more compositional technique. The highlight of the record comes late in the track listing. “The Shrine/An Argument” begins with a lightly-picked baroque-esque guitar; Pecknold delivers a stunning vocal performance, reaching dynamic and melodic levels of which he should be damn proud. The song then crashes into a driving rhythm with pounding percussion and Pecknold’s vocals upping the scales for himself once again as the most emotional performance on either of The Fleet Foxes records. Another transitional “movement” follows and allows for the listener to catch his breath, but shortly leads into the fourth, and final, “movement” of the track. The last part of the song features a simple string arrangement that bubbles softly underneath a free-hand horn solo. As each song of the record features meticulously placed notes and careful consideration of all aspects, the random, chaotic sound of the horns jolt the listener in an interesting manner. “Helplessness Blues” may not be ideal beach party or water skiing music, but for avid music listeners it is a must for this summer’s audibles.
•web photo A scene of Old Town Mankato. The area is signified by its striking architecture and small business community.
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Sports
Head to Facebook.com/TheKidsTake to listen to the NBA Lottery Edition of The Kid’s Cast. Reporter editor-in-chief Kyle Ratke will break down the Timberwolves lottery misfortunes and talk about who the team should take with the second pick.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011 www.msureporter.com/sports
Baseball
Mavericks look to start a new streak
With its program-record 27-game winning streak recently snapped, MSU shifts its attention to the NCAA Tournament LEE HANDEL
sports editor
As they get set to make the program’s 30th trip to the NCAA Division II tournament, the Minnesota State Mankato baseball team is more motivated and hungry than ever after falling just short as one of the final eight teams last season. Ninth-ranked MSU, this year’s NSIC Regular Season Champions, entered last week’s NSIC tournament in Mankato on a programrecord 27-game winning streak. After being upset by Minnesota-Duluth 5-0 last Wednesday, the top-seeded Mavericks fell to rival St. Cloud State 2-1 the next day to cap an unexpected early exit from the tournament. “I think losing two right away in the conference tourney made us realize we could lose and weren’t invincible and it is making us work hard this week,” said senior shortstop Zach Rowles.
Softball
Despite the two-game skid, the Mavericks (39-10) enter the six-team central regional tourney in St. Cloud knowing what it will take to get back to the College World Series in Cary, N.C., as they return the majority of the players responsible for winning last year’s regional championship. Among these players are seniors Danny Miller, Steven Helget, Aaron Berner and Trent Vedders, who have been to the NCAA Regionals all four years as Mavericks. “Their experience is priceless,” said head coach Matt Magers. “They have made some good memories in St. Cloud before and should be able to help our younger guys, whether it’s with off the field preparations or dealing with all the expectations.” After earning the third seed in the region when the tournament bids were
announced on Sunday, MSU will need to defeat some familiar teams to get to where they want to be. The Mavericks open play tomorrow against fourth-seeded Nebraska-Kearney, the team they opened with and defeated 6-1 last year. If MSU advances past the first round, top-seeded SCSU and second-seeded Mesa State likely await. The Mavericks defeated Mesa State 8-7 last season before taking two of three from St. Cloud to win the region. The NSIC regular-season champion Mavericks and tournament champion Huskies have heavily fueled their rivalry as of late, as the two schools have often stood in each other’s way for both conference and national supremacy. After MSU ended SCSU’s season last year in the Central Regional Chamsport pix• msu athletics pionship in New Mexico, Senior pitcher Danny Miller (8-2, 2.74 ERA) hopes to lead the Mavericks back to the NCAA the Huskies have gotten r
Baseball / page 10
Division II College World Series.
This year’s Mavericks go a step further
After some recent disappointing exits from the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament, the Mavericks finally advanced TIGE HUTCHESON
staff writer
sport pix• msu athletics The Mavericks congratulate each other after the team’s 1-0 victory over Metro State in the NCAA Regional Tournament last Saturday.
Countless Minnesota State Mankato softball teams have put together impressive seasons in the past only to fall in the regional tournament, just steps away from reaching their goal of making the NCAA National Softball Tournament and playing in front of the rest of the world. Coach Lori Meyer has seen four very talented Maverick softball squads come and go without being able answer a simple question: How can they go a step further as a program? The wait is finally over. “It’s kind of unchartered territory,” said Lori Meyer, the head softball coach at MSU. “We’ve been to the postseason five straight years and the goal over the past four seasons has been to go a step
further. That has really been the goal for this team- to go a step further-and now they’ve done that.” After advancing out of the Central Regional-2 by beating Winona State 6-2 on Sunday, the Mavericks find themselves only a few wins away from playing in the National Championship. “Our girls have been watching [the teams that have advanced] in the past and asking ‘what do we need to do to do that?’” said Meyer. “This year’s team has been very committed. We have good cohesiveness, a good work ethic and they’ve worked incredibly hard. So for them to be at this point, I’m just so excited for them.” The biggest thing standing in the Mavericks’ way at the moment is conference rival,
Softball / page 10
Page 10 • Reporter
BASEBALL continued from 9
UP NEXT:
Who: Nebraska-Kearney
What: NCAA Regionals When: 3:30 p.m. Thursday Where: St. Cloud, Minn.
evenge so far in 2011 by taking four of the first five meetings between the clubs. That being said, the Mavericks feel the two teams are very evenly matched. “It is a very good rivalry,” Magers said. “We feel we could have won all four games we lost. If we were to meet again it would be an exciting opportunity for us.” With two staff aces, senior Danny Miller (8-2) and junior Blake Schwartz (10-2), the starting pitcher for game one against Nebraska-Kearney is still up in the air. However, the doubleelimination format guarantees both pitchers will start at least one game for MSU. “We will go with who we feel gives us the best chance to beat Kearney,” said Magers. As the third seed in the region, MSU is fine being the hunter instead of the hunted for a change. “Being here before helps us a lot, especially not being a number one seed,” Rowles said. “We like our draw and we just got to play like we are capable of and the rest will take care of itself.”
Sports
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
SOFTBALL The Mavericks have gone 1-4 against the Vikings so far in 2011. continued from 9
UP NEXT:
Who: Augustana What: SuperRegional Best of Three Series When: 2 p.m. Friday Where: Sioux Falls, S.D. No. 7 Augustana, who has a 3-1 series edge over the Mavericks this season. But rather than focusing on how to hit All-NSIC First Team pitcher Ashley Meyer, or how to shut down Jenny Brown and Traci Fransen, two of the best offensive players in all of Division II softball, Coach Meyer is more concerned with the weapons on her own team and making sure that they’re ready go out and play consistent softball. “We know one another pretty well, but a lot of it is just going to come down to focusing on our strengths” said Meyer. “We’ve just been talking about what got us here and what we’ve been doing all year: we’ve played consistent defense, we’ve had consistent pitching, timely hitting, and have been improving our short-game.” On Friday, May 20, the
next chapter will be written in what’s sure to be remembered as one of the greatest seasons in the history of MSU softball. But even with the stakes as high as they are, Coach Meyer knows the secret to consistency, and ultimately
postseason success. “You’ve got to treat it as just another day at the ballpark,” she said. The 2011 Maverick softball team has taken the “step further“ that so many teams before them had only
dreamed about. But now that they’re here, only one question remains: Why settle for one step?
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Wednesday, May 18, 2011
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