St. Cloud State shortstop Jenny Gensch is getting better with age

Star Tribune

By JOEL RIPPEL, Star Tribune

Last update: April 22, 2008 - 10:32 PM

In her four seasons on the St. Cloud State softball team, shortstop Jenny Gensch has shown steady improvement.

As a freshman, Gensch batted .254 with one home run and 16 RBI. As a sophomore, she hit .273 with three home runs and 15 RBI. Last season, she batted .324 with six home runs and a team-leading 37 RBI.

This season, Gensch, from Apple Valley, has developed into one of the top hitters in the North Central Conference.

After going 3-for-6 with an RBI in the Huskies' nonconference doubleheader split with Bemidji State on Tuesday, Gensch is hitting .407 with 17 home runs and 59 RBI in 47 games.

Her 17 home runs have tied the school single-season record (set by Brooke Gentzler in 2003) and Gensch's RBI-total has established a new school single-season record.

Gensch, a four-year letterwinner at Eastview High and a member of its state championship team in 2003, has started every game for the Huskies in her four seasons (231 consecutive games).

"She has worked incredibly hard in the offseason on her swing," Huskies coach Paula U'Ren said. "Hitting is all about confidence, rhythm, and consistent mechanics.

"Playing every game for the Huskies the last four years, she has seen a lot of college pitching. She can anticipate what the pitcher is going to throw and, having an idea of the pitcher is going to throw, she can swing through that zone and have that confidence [instead of guessing what a pitcher is going to throw] has helped her develop into a great hitter."

The Huskies, who were 28-30 last season, are 32-15 this year.

Piper has big week

Hamline shortstop Dan Kaczrowski had an outstanding week last week.

Kaczrowski, a junior from St. Anthony, went 12-for-17 in four games. He raised his season batting average to .491 and earned MIAC Hitter of the Week honors.

Kaczrowski batted .295 for the Pipers last season.

Etc.

• The NCAA has awarded a $23,100 Division III Ethnic Minority and Women's Internship grant to the MIAC. The grants are designed to be used to hire a full-time intern for two years.

• Minnesota State Mankato will hold two functions next week to honor baseball coach Dean Bowyer, who is retiring after this season.

An open house will be held on May 1 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on campus in the Taylor Center. On May 3, Bowyer will be honored before the Mavericks' doubleheader against Neb.-Omaha. Bowyer is in his 32nd season as the Mavericks coach.

• The top two teams in the MIAC baseball standings -- Gustavus Adolphus (10-1 in the conference) and St. Thomas (10-2) -- will play in St. Peter, Minn., on Saturday.

• Southwest Minnesota State was one of 21 NCAA Division II institutions to receive the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators Conference Award of Excellence. The school received a $500 grant to be used for community-engagement efforts.