Area notebook: Klein, GAC reach nationals; Thygesen, Cashman, Moline

The Gustavus Adolphus women’s softball team advanced to the NCAA Division III Elite Eight last week after defeating Webster University 11-1 in the NCAA Regional Championship in the Indianola bracket at Simpson College in Iowa.

Gustavus blew by its first-round opponents, outscoring them 41-14 during their four-game dominance despite being the lowest seed (7th) to advance. In the clinching win, Red Wing graduate Emily Klein hit an RBI double in Gustavus’ seven-run fourth inning over Webster.

The senior center fielder also led off the first round game against Luther College with a home run, and she finished the game with two RBI. In the first of two games against Webster, Klein went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, two RBI and two runs.

Klein was also selected to the All-Tournament Team, along with three other Gustavus players. It is Gustavus’ first appearance in the NCAA Division III Finals.

The Gusties now look forward to their game against the University of Texas-Tyler (38-8) at 10 a.m. Friday. The remainder of the tournament takes place in Montclair, N.J., at Montclair State University. Other teams in the championship are Texas-Tyler, Coe College (38-11), Salisbury State (39-5), Cortland State (39-5), Tufts (42-1), Messiah (39-4), and Ohio Northern (39-4).

• Adam Thygesen and the Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team qualified for the school’s first berth in the NCAA Division II baseball tournament.

The Mustangs received the No. 5 seed and begin play at 3:30 p.m. today against second-seeded Minnesota State, Mankato in Colorado.

The 2008 Red Wing grad has played in eight games, making three starts. He’s hitting .385 with a double and a triple in 13 at bats.

• Reid Cashman, a former Wingers standout, ended his 2008-09 hockey season Tuesday night against the Hershey Bears in Game 7 of the AHL’s Eastern Conference Finals in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Cashman’s team lost 3-0.

The Red Wing native was called up to the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins after he concluded his season with the Wheeling Nailers, and has been with the Penguins since. He did have some stints with the team earlier in the season, posting two goals and four assists in 18 games.

• The Midwest Collegiate Conference (MCC) recently handed out its awards for the recent softball season. Included in the awards was Pepin native Kacey Moline.

The senior from Viterbo University received honorable mention all-conference honors. The center fielder batted .311 while leading the team in hits (46), runs scored (27) and RBIs (26). She also hit six home runs, good for second-best on the team.

She made two errors while starting all 48 games she played in.

Tags: sports notebook, sports