Thunder Softball On A Tear

Tom Urbanski-FDLTCC

Apr 21

Tom Urbanski

The Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Thunder Softball team was on a tear during a five-game winning streak last week before slowing a bit with a pair of losses to conference leader Northland Community College in Thief River Falls last Sunday.

After splitting a doubleheader at home with Hibbing Community College on Wednesday, the Thunder swept Mesabi Range Technical College on Friday and followed that with an impressive sweep of perennial powerhouse Central Lakes College on Saturday at Braun Park.

In the two wins against Mesabi Range Technical College, the Thunder batters belted out 25 hits and received big RBI days from Stacie Miller and Natosha Rohloff. Miller had four RBIs in the second game and Rohloff had three. Rohloff finished with five RBIs over the two games. The Thunder seemed to be able to score when they needed a run.

“Our ability to score runs in bunches has been big,” said Thunder head coach Kerry Rodd. “We trailed 3-0 after the first half-inning in the second game against Mesabi, but then we scored 10 runs in the bottom of the first inning to put the game away early.” The Thunder won 10-9 in the first game and 15-3 in the second game that was shortened to five innings.

Against a very good Central Lakes team at home on Saturday, the Thunder used a strong game on the mound from pitcher Joanna Vellekoop who gave up six runs but kept the game close enough for the Thunder hitters to pull out the 7-6 win in the first game. In the second game against Central Lakes, Vellekoop picked up another win when she came in to relive starting pitcher Steph Engelmeier. The game was another thrilling come-from-behind win for the Thunder.

“At one point in the second game against Central Lakes we trailed 9-3, but we scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to make it 9-6 and then we scored a run in the fifth inning to get within two runs at 9-7,” explained Rodd. “Then we blasted things open in the sixth inning when we scored eight runs to go up 15-10. The middle of our line-up was very good at the plate and we got 12 hits between our number two to number six hitters. That was big for us.”

On Sunday at Northland Community College, the Thunder played the current number one team in the conference, losing two heartbreakers in nasty weather conditions. The first game went extra innings, with the Thunder falling 6-5 in nine innings. In the second game, the Thunder were leading 11-10 going into the bottom of the seventh inning but the Thunder gave up two runs to lose 12-11.

“They were two great games, but it just seemed like whoever had the last at bat would come out with the win and they were the home team,” said Rodd. “The games were played in miserably cold conditions with cloudy skies and temps in the very low 40s and a strong gusty wind.”

The five victories over the week improved the Thunder’s record to 16-8 overall. As of the April 15 national poll, the Thunder was ranked sixth in the NJCAA Division III poll.

Next up for the Thunder are road doubleheaders at Rainy River Community College on April 23 and at Hibbing Community College on April 27. Sandwiched between those road dates is the final Thunder home doubleheader at Braun Park on Saturday, April 25 against Itasca Community College.