Published: May 06, 2008 09:46 am         

College Notes: Lange has Field Day

TRAVERSE CITY -- The Hope College women's track and field team posted its best finish in years at the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships.

And the Dutch can thank senior tri-captain Lindsay Lange for a second-place finish in the team standings.

The Manistee product placed in seven events -- winning two -- at the MIAA's Field Day in Alma. That helped Lange earn first team all-MIAA accolades for the fourth time in her career.

Lange won the shot put (40'1/2") and ran the anchor leg of the winning 400 relay (48.71).

She was also second in the 100 hurdles (14.49), 200 (25.72) and in the 1600 relay (4:07.23). In addition, Lange was fourth in the high jump (1.62 meters) and in the long jump (4.94 meters).

Teaming with Lange in the 1600 relay was junior Sarah Kibbey (Glen Lake). Also one the captains for the Dutch, Kibbey was second in the triple jump (10.23 meters) and sixth in the 400 (1:03.96).

Also for the Hope women, freshman Jolene Jeske (Benzie Central) was sixth in the 3000 steeplechase (12:37.48) and the 400 hurdles (1:13.6).

For the Dutch men's team, sophomore Hunter Nostrant (TC St. Francis) tied for third in the pole vault (4.07 meters).

Calvin College won top honors in the men's and women's standings. Sophomore Amanda Leese (Central Lake) was third in the long jump (5.1 meters) for the women's team while freshman Shane Pluger (McBain Northern Christian) tied for third in the pole vault (4.07 meters).

For host Alma College, junior Ben McMurray (Petoskey) and sophomore Wade Peacock (Benzie Central) were on the 1600 relay team that took fifth (3:31). McMurray was also eighth in the 800 (2:01.41).

Olivet senior John Zenner (Kingsley) was on the 1600 relay team that took seventh (3:50.89).

Albion freshman Lindi Edger (Charlevoix) placed eighth in the 800 (2:31.03) and 1500 (5:06.99).

-- As if helping his team to a second straight Big Ten men's golf championship wasn't enough, Michigan State junior Randy Hutchison (TC Central) picked up another honor last week. Hutchison was named all-Big Ten after averaging a 74.39 this season, lowering his career mark to 75.1.

Hutchison posted six top 20 finishes in his nine tournaments, the best of which was a runner-up finish at the Mizzou Tiger Intercollegiate.

Michigan State is the eighth seed in the East Regional at the Council Fire Golf Club in Chattanooga, Ten. The regional begins on May 15.

Also in regional play is Michigan and junior Bill Rankin (TC Central). The Wolverines are the 15th seed in the Central Regional, which plays at the Scarlet Golf Course in Columbus, Ohio.

-- Notre Dame freshman Marissa Treece (Glen Lake) placed in her debut at the Big East Championships in Philadelphia. Treece placed sixth in the 5,000 (17:17.45) for the Irish.

-- Wesleyan College senior pitcher Kit Tholen (TC Central) took the loss despite not allowing an earned run in the Cardinals' 11-1 loss to Trinity on Saturday.

Tholen allowed just one hit in five innings, but yielded a pair of unearned runs for Wesleyan (16-21, 6-6 New England Small College Athletic Conference). Tholen struck out six.

Tholen pitched in 10 games this season, nine of which were starting assignments. Tholen went 3-4 for the Cardinals with a team-best 3.77 ERA.

-- A pair of former Big North Conference runners placed at the Toledo Invitational.

Central Michigan senior Andrew Manning (TC Central) was third in the 3,000 steeplechase (9:58.2) while University of Detroit freshman Patrick Liederbach (Petoskey) was fourth in the 800 (1:56.38).

-- Lake Superior State freshman Jennie Elliott (Frankfort) was named to the all-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference second team in softball as a utility player. Elliott was one of two freshman in the conference to earn second-team all-league accolades.

Elliott led the Lakers in batting average (.367), hits (18), RBIs (10), home runs (five) and on-base percentage (.446) against league foes and also went 2-5 as a pitcher. Overall, Elliott hit .304 and was 5-6 on the mound.

-- Aquinas College won the men's and women's Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference track and field titles.

Senior Kyle Kramer (Charlevoix) did more than his part for the men's team. Kramer won the hammer throw (172'10"), was third in the shot put (40'1/2") and fourth in the discus (129'10") and javelin (136'2").

Junior Matthew Hewson (Petoskey) was on the winning 400 relay team (41.58) for the Saints while freshman Sean McGlothlin (Suttons Bay) was third in the 10,000 (32:50.05).

-- The Alma College softball team was an at-large selection to the Division III tournament. The Scots (25-11) will face Wartburg, Iowa (29-6) in the first game at the Rock Island, Ill. regional.

Sophomore Ashley Mankin (Cheboygan) is a reserve infielder for the Scots while sophomore Katie Sigman (Manistee) and Hannah Hewitt (Harbor Light Christian) are on the pitching staff.

The NCAA tournament appearance is the 13th for the Scots.

-- The Hope College men's golf team will play in the Division III championships in Braselton, Ga., starting on May 13. Junior Donald Kring (TC St. Francis) is a member of the Hope team.

-- Mott Community College freshman pitcher Matt Stewart (TC West) took a pair of hard-luck losses last week.

Stewart tossed a complete-game loss Saturday in a 1-0 defeat against Macomb Community College. The lone run he allowed was unearned to go along with five hits and three strikeouts.

Stewart lost 3-2 to St. Clair Community College on Tuesday, giving up five hits while striking out seven.

Mott finished the season 18-20 and 15-15 in the Michigan Community College Athletic Association.

-- Sophomore Raenn Lupo (Kalkaska) was 2 for 3 at the plate and scored a run in Grand Rapids Community College's 4-3 softball loss to Lakeside Community College on Thursday.

Lupo had a big day in Tuesday's 8-4 and 16-3 sweep of Kellogg Community College on Tuesday. Lupo was 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs scored in the 8-4 win and 1-for-2 with a RBI in the other.

-- Sophomore Andy Pascoe (TC Central) had the game-winning RBI double in the bottom of the 11th inning to lift the Evansville baseball team to a 6-5 victory over Murray State on Wednesday.

Pascoe went 2-for-6 at the plate and also scored a run for the Aces (13-35).

-- The Grand Valley State University women's track team won its ninth consecutive GLIAC outdoor track and field title. Helping Grand Valley was sophomore Maegan Doyen (Manistee), who placed third in the high jump (5'6").

For Lake Superior State, sophomore Jill Walton (Kingsley) was third in the javelin (128'7") and sophomore Ashley Quick (Harbor Springs) fifth in the 5,000 (18:43.53). Freshman Chelsea Childs (Inland Lakes) was on the LSSU 400 relay team that took eighth (52.75).

Also placing in the GLIAC women's meet was Northern Michigan senior Danielle Stein (Kalkaska), who was fifth in the 10,000 (40:36.58).

On the men's side of the GLIAC meet, Grand Valley State freshman Weston Buchan (Glen Lake) was seventh in the javelin with a personal-best throw of 163'5" while Lake Superior State junior Ben Tarbutton (Gaylord St. Mary) was seventh in the 10,000 (32:36.01).

Lake Superior junior Luke Allen (Onekama) was eighth in the 1,500 (4:02.31) as was Saginaw Valley State sophomore Jesse Evans (Cheboygan) in the 3,000 steeplechase (9:41.05).

-- Olivet junior Scott Purdy (TC West) had a double in MIAA losses to Adrian last week. Purdy had a double and scored a run in a 5-2 defeat on Saturday and had a RBI double and scored a run in a 21-7 defeat against the Bulldogs on Wednesday.

The Comets are 15-21 overall and 13-11 in the conference.

-- Wartburg sophomore Justin Peterson (TC West) finished in a tie for 22nd at the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference golf championships.

Peterson finished with a 63-hole total of 286. Peterson shot a 78 and an 81 in this weekend's final two rounds of the tournament.

-- Northwood junior shortstop Brett Rohn (Cadillac) was 2 for 3 and scored twice to help Northwood top Mercyhurst 8-3 on Sunday in the first game of a GLIAC baseball doubleheader.

Rohn also had an RBI in Saturday's 8-2 loss to Mercyhurst by the Timberwolves (22-28, 7-25 GLIAC).

-- Alma College freshman pitcher Justin Sluiter (McBain) tossed 21/3 innings of scoreless relief in the Scots' 6-0 MIAA baseball loss to Hope on Saturday. Sluiter scattered three hits and struck out two for Alma.

The previous week, freshman Sam Shipman (TC West) got his first MIAA start for the Scots. He tossed a complete game, allowing six hits, in a 4-3 loss.

-- Freshman Dan Taylor (Kingsley) was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and three runs scored in Grand Rapids Community College's 16-12 loss to Lansing CC on Thursday. GRCC is 23-20 and 22-6 in the MCCAA.

-- Central Michigan freshman Robbie Harman (TC Central) started in center field as the Chippewas completed a Mid-American Conference sweep of Northern Illinois on Sunday with a 7-3 victory. Harman walked in one of his two trips to the plate for CMU (24-21, 11-9 MAC).