Fromstaff reports

The Riverland softball team opened its 2000 season with a doubleheader sweep of North Hennepin Community College.

Wednesday, April 05, 2000

The Riverland softball team opened its 2000 season with a doubleheader sweep of North Hennepin Community College. The Blue Devils, behind the pitching of Tamara Schwelner, won 11-3 (five innings) and 11-9 on the road.

Jamie Roschiem was the big hitter for the Blue Devils with a home run in each game. She added triple in the second game. Kelly Baumann had a big second game going 3-of-4 with two doubles.

"We got a lot of offense," Riverland coach Lisa Quednow Bickler said. "It was nice to get to good wins to start the season.

Thursday Riverland is in Owatonna to play a doubleheader with Pillsbury College.

Tennis

Blue Devils start strong

The Riverland men’s and women’s tennis teams got the season off on the right foot with a pair of wins at home against Ridgewater.

The men won 8-1 while the women took their match 6-3.

The men swept the doubles and won five-of-six singles matches.

Zak Ulwelling won 6-3, 6-1 at No. 1 singles; Jeremy Peterson lost 6-2, 3-6 (7-0) at No. 2; Josh Bendickson won 6-1, 6-1 at No. 3; Jake Greenman won 6-2, 6-1 at No. 4; Beau Hartman won 6-1, 6-3 at No. 5; and Shane Fett won 6-1, 6-1 at No. 6. In doubles it was Ulwelling and Greenman winning 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1; Peterson and Bendickson 6-1, 7-5 at No. 2; and Hartman and Jeremy Jones 6-1, 62 at No. 3.

"The doubles was real fun to watch," Riverland coach Suzy Hebrink said. "The men played a real strong match. They adjusted well to the windy conditions."

In women’s play it was Allison Stier and Anne Hackbarth picking up three of Riverland’s six points. Stier won at No. 3 singles 6-1, 6-1, while Hackbarth won at No. 4, 6-4, 6-3. They then teamed up for the lone Riverland doubles victory at No. 2 with a 6-2, 6-3 victory.

Picking up the other singles points for Riverland were Renae Bebler at No. 1 with a 6-4, 6-2 victory; Rachael Burzinski at No. 5 with a 7-6 (6-3), 6-2 win, and Brooke Holets at No. 6, 6-2, 6-1.

Jennifer Ankeny lost 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2 singles. She and Bebler played a hard fought doubles match at No. 1, but fell 6-3, 4-6 (7-5 in a tiebreak).