Sports
Monday, April 27, 2015
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Frankenreider provides closure Sophomore gives baseball stability as reliable closer
Frankenreider’s stats Wins Losses Saves Innings pitched Runs/earned runs Earned run average Batting average against Strikeouts Walks
Steve Shonder Staff Writer T @NSSportsShonder
DeKalb | Sophomore Andrew Frankenreider is racking up the saves this season as baseball’s closer after picking up just one save in his freshman campaign. Frankenreider has six saves in the Huskies’ 17 wins this season and he’s been the go-to guy out of the bullpen. With an earned run average of 1.87 — limiting opposing batters to a .147 batting average — he’s been effective in just about every situation. Those are the exact results Frankenreider said he expects from himself. “It’s cool having that pressure on you,” Frankenreider said. “As a competitor, you want to be the guy with the ball at the end of the game. It’s a lot of fun. It’s a lot of pressure, but it’s good feeling when you end up getting the save or getting the win.” The difference between last year and this season for Fra n kenreider Andrew hasn’t appeared Frankenreider on the stat sheet Sophomore closer alone. He has also grown in confidence, which has been obvious to his teammates and coaches. “Coming into last year, being a freshman, he had the stuff,” said junior catcher Johnny Zubek. “The stuff was always there, and he was working with his arm angle a little bit. But you could tell that he wasn’t
Nick Smith | Northern Star
Baseball sophomore closer Andrew Frankenreider delivers a pitch to home plate against the Eastern Michigan Eagles on Sunday at Ralph McKinzie Field. Frankenreider has solidified to closer role for the Huskies with six saves this season.
as confident as he could be. “This year, coming out and being the closer the way he’s handled it really well. You can just tell the way he steps on the mound that he knows that he’s going to get everybody out. It does a lot for the team when you’ve got a guy with
confidence out there.” Having a defined role has helped Frankenreider to focus on how he practices to attack hitters. He’s made sure to go after the first pitch strike and keep pounding away at the zone. The attacking style of pitching has helped him to strike
out 30 batters, which is the third highest on the team and highest amongst the Huskies’ bullpen. Even when his strikeout pitches aren’t working, he has more than enough faith in the fielders behind him to avoid any panic, which he said keeps him in the zone when
Two Two Six 33.2 12/7 1.87 .147 30 10
he’s on the mound. “It’s just about staying mentally focused throughout the game and visualizing what I need to get done and staying calm and relaxed out there,” Frankenreider said. “I know I’ve got the best defense in the MAC behind me, so I can just let the hitters put it in play, and they’ll take care of the rest.” The confidence Frankenreider exudes on the mound is contagious for the Huskies, and there’s a good reason for it. Frankenreider has allowed just 12 runs, seven of which were earned, in his 33.2 innings pitched. “That’s the guy who just makes you believe, ‘Let’s [get] him the ball with the lead, and we’re going to win,’” said head coach Mike Kunigonis. “Nobody ever panics when its a one-run game and Frank comes into the game because they know the game’s over, which gives our players confidence. It gives your defense confidence. It gives everybody around you confidence when you’re that type of guy.” Frankenreider’s seven career saves are tied for sixth in school history. He may have a lot of work to do to catch up to NIU saves leader Matt German at 26, but there’s a good chance he will with the way he’s been pitching.
Women’s golf finishes 5th at MAC Championship Gautier 1st NIU golfer to garner MAC accolades Patrick Smith Staff Writer T @NSSportsPatrick
Photo courtesy NIU media relations
Women’s golfer Lena Gautier swings an iron at the MAC Championships in April 2014 at the Hawthorns Golf Club in Fishers, Ind. Gautier finished tied for fourth at the 2015 MAC Championship on Sunday and became the first Huskie to earn All-MAC accolades, being named to the All-MAC Second Team.
Women’s golf placed fifth out of 10 teams at the MAC Championship to close out its season. The conference tournament was Friday to Sunday at the Shaker Run Golf Club in Lebanon, Ohio. The Huskies finished fifth place (946) at 28 strokes behind the MAC champion Kent State Golden Flashes, who had a score of 918. The Huskies struggled in the first round with a 320. But, they bounced back the final two rounds with a 316 and 310, respectively, and head coach Kim Kester said she’s proud of that. “I’m absolutely proud of the girls,” Kester said. “We started off slow in the first round, but we finished strong and moved up to fifth in the tournament when we were eighth going into the final round.” The Huskies’ two top golfers were sophomores Lena Gautier and
Sydney Brickey. Gautier posted a score of 230 (81, 74, 75) and finished tied for fourth place while Brickey posted a score of 238 (75, 83, 80) and finished 20th. Gautier and Brickey finished eight 16 strokes, respectively, behind champion Josée Doyon from Kent State, who finished with a score of 222 (74, 74, 74) Although Gautier didn’t win the tournament, she achieved a lot this weekend: She became the first NIU player to earn All-MAC accolades, being named to the All-MAC Second Team and the MAC All-Tournament Team. She finished tied for fourth, which is the highest-ever finish for an NIU player at a conference tournament event. “I feel pretty happy,” Gautier said. “I didn’t have a great first round, but I bounced back and played well the final two rounds. So, I’m extremely happy. I look to play well at every tournament; it’s not about the accomplishments.” Even with this season just concluding, the team is already optimistic about the campaign it can put together next year. “Overall, for the year, we did
Individual results Tied for fourth: Lena Gautier 230 (81, 74, 75) for 14-over par 20th: Sydney Brickey 238 (75, 83, 80) for 22-over par Tied for 22nd: Sam Coyne 240 (82, 82, 76) for 24-over par Tied for 28th: Hayley Mortensen 245 (82, 80, 83) for 29-over par Tied for 38th: Connie Ellett 250 (91, 80, 79) for 34-over par well,” Kester said. “We had a tournament win and a runner-up finish this season. Our goal is to move up each year and we did that. We’re excited about next season.” Gautier, who will be an upperclassmen leading the team even more next season, was satisfied with the team’s performances this year and is looking forward to accomplishing even more next season. “I think we did alright this season,” Gautier said. “We did have bad tournaments that I thought we could have done better in, but we finished the season strong with this tournament. We’re ready for next season.”