Teona Zepeda, Hill-Murray softball
A little tough love was all it took to squeeze an impressive week of production out of the Pioneers' leadoff hitter.
Coach Colleen Conway pulled the senior center fielder from a 12-2 victory over Mahtomedi on April 18 and had a chat with her after the game.
"I was struggling, and we had a heart-to-heart," Zepeda said. "She laid it all out there for me. She wanted to see me play to my full potential."
Message received.
In her next game, a victory over Simley, Zepeda went 4-for-4 with a double, a triple, three runs scored and three RBI.
Two days later, she was a perfect 5-for-5 with another three runs scored and three more RBI in a victory over Richfield. She finished up her week by going 3-for-3 against South St. Paul, scoring three runs for the third consecutive game and stealing two bases.
In all, Zepeda went 12-for-12, scored nine runs and drove in seven.
"It seemed like I wasn't doing anything right," Zepeda said. "Then we had the heart-to-heart and I couldn't do anything wrong. Right now, I'm on cloud nine."
It was a remarkably successful week for Muenz-huber. He won a Mississippi 8 Conference meet on Monday, the Brainerd Invite at The Pines on Wednesday and finished it off by winning the two-day Tri-State Invitational on Saturday.
At the Hamline Elite Meet on Friday, the senior outkicked Zach Roozen of Mounds View to win the 1,600-meter run and anchored the winning 4x800 relay team.
Three days after setting a school record in the 400 meters at the Roseville Invite (57.94 seconds), Nielsen won the 800 meters at Friday's Hamline Elite Meet in a meet-record time of 2:11.11.
The sophomore shortstop and leadoff hitter went 12-for-22 (.545) last week as the Storm won three of five games. The three-year starter showed impressive power with four homers, two doubles and 10 RBI.
The senior pitcher shut down Minnetonka, giving up only two hits and striking out six in a 3-0 victory. It was his third shutout in four starts this spring. In 27 innings, he is 4-0 with 30 strikeouts and a 0.78 ERA.
The sophomore attacker had 12 goals and 11 assists as the No. 3-ranked Panthers improved to 5-1 this season with victories over Apple Valley, Eagan and Wayzata. In six games, Waagbo has 24 goals and 47 points.
JIM PAULSEN
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