Van Wychen Ties NCAA Division III Softball Hitting
Streak Record
UW-Stevens Point senior centerfielder Jill Van Wychen wasted no time
on Saturday tying the longest hitting streak in NCAA Division III history.
Entering
the day two games away from the record, Van Wychen hit singles on the very
first pitch of each game to extend her streak to 33 straight games and tie
Angie Adams of Adrian (Mich.) for the all-time record.
Van Wychen, the Pointers� leadoff batter, bunted for both hits with
the first coming in the top of the first inning of an eventual 4-3 win over
UW-Superior and the second coming in the bottom of the first inning of a 6-5
loss to UW-La Crosse. The games were part of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference cluster weekend in Menomonie.
"I always try to start the game off good for the team," Van Wychen
said. "I think when I can get on base right away it really helps spark
our offense. It totally helped me relax getting the hits right away."
Her record-tying hit against UW-La Crosse was a hard bunt back to pitcher
Karen Sennert, but Van Wychen beat out a close play at first. She hit a line
drive over the shortstop into left centerfield in her next at-bat and bunted
for another single in the seventh. Van Wychen will try to surpass the record on Sunday when the Pointers
take on UW-River Falls at 11 a.m.
"I never really thought of that record," Van Wychen added.
"But I would love to break it tomorrow."
Saturday�s hits were part of a huge day for Van Wychen, who was
three-for-four in both games to finish six-for-eight for the day. She has
now led off a game with a hit 16 times this season and raised her WIAC-leading
batting average to .492.
Van Wychen has a hit in every game of this season, dating to the last
game of the 2002 season when she went zero-for-three in the season finale
against UW-Whitewater. She hits in 110 of her 125 career games with at least one
official at-bat and has hits in an incredible 79 of her last 85 games,
including 41 of the last 42.
The Pointers are currently 21-12 overall and have three regular
season games remaining � all on Sunday. They will then take part in the
WIAC tournament next weekend in Platteville.
Longest NCAA
Division III Softball Hitting Streaks
No., Player, Team, Dates
33, Jill Van Wychen, UW-Stevens Point, March 16, 2003-current
33, Angie Adams, Adrian (Mich.), March 21, 1997-1998
32, Lisa Cancilla, Chapman (Calif.), Mar. 19-May 10, 1996
30, Jessamine Maiben, Chapman (Calif.), May 11, 1995-March 22, 1996
30, Sue Schrader, Nebraska Wesleyan, May 13, 1993-April 22, 1994
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