Sports
UW-SP softball started 10-4 and heads into a week of double headers.
Pointers thrive under new coach Tom Henke
The Pointer
rnech142@uwsp.edu
After starting the season 10-4 in the Augsburg Tournament and the Rebel Games down in Kissimmee, Fla., the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point softball team is showing a lot of promise.
The Pointers were ushered into the spring season with a brand new coach after Ann Munzemaier left last spring. Under Head Coach Tom Henke’s lead, the team has gone far in the early season. Henke walked onto the scene with extensive fastpitch coaching experience after 18 years leading area youth teams. The Pointers have given him a nice start in the program so far.
“We went into the season at Augsburg and we went 2-2 and I know everybody including myself and our coaches and everybody on the team, were disappointed with that finish,” Henke said. “We approached that next week with a little bit more intensity, a little bit more fire and pride.”
The Pointers went 8-2 during their week in Florida and went into extra innings with nationally ninteenth-ranked Illinois Wesleyan. Henke said the team really came together and improved their chemistry in the trip, taking a large step toward where he wants to go this season.
“I knew we would be in somewhat of a transitional year here, rebuilding a little bit more experienced team,” Henke said. “My expectations started out modest, but with this group and how they’re maturing and coming together, my expectations are growing.”
This season, there was an exciting influx of four talented freshmen including outfielder Bryanna Tremillo, pitcher/third baseman Sarah Bisbee, pitcher/outfielder Brooke Schramm and catcher/outfielder Kelly Arndt.
“The freshmen are fitting in great, I’m real happy about that,” Henke said. “They will continue to contribute and they are four players that are on the team for a reason.”
Ace pitcher Kayla Kastenmeier returned to the mound for the Pointers this season. During the team’s Florida trip she managed a 6-2 record and an impressive 7-0 shutout against Washington Jefferson College (PA) where she only allowed a single hit.
Henke, who coached teams that competed against Kastenmeier in the past, considers her to be the team’s ace. He said she is the workhorse of the staff and that she is part of an influential group of starters that lead the team.
Henke said the team’s main goal this year is to reach 20 wins. The Pointers may be halfway there already, but he is convinced once the team gets into conference play, they will have to stay tough as challenges multiply.
“We had our areas that we knew we were going to have to work at a little bit and those areas are coming along,” Henke said.
The Pointers have a game on April 1 at Ripon College and at Northland College on April 3 before making their way home on April 5 in a doubleheader against Finlandia University at 12 p.m.
