Experience helping Holthus thrive at Parkside
Burlington Central graduate Christine Holthus made the most of her chance to shine Friday afternoon at Judson University's softball field.
Holthus, now a junior at NCAA Division II Wisconsin-Parkside and the Rangers' starting center fielder, was 2-for-3 with 3 runs scored and 2 stolen bases as Parkside downed Judson 10-1 in Game 1. The Rangers evened their record at 9-9 for the season with a 5-1 victory in Game 2.
"Lately we haven't been hitting as well as we should but this game we opened up," said Holthus, the honorary co-captain of the 2007 Daily Herald All-Area team. "I've been in a bit of a slump lately too, but hopefully today will be something I can continue and we can continue."
Holthus, who went 2-for-2 with another stolen base and 2 runs scored in Game 2, is now hitting .320 for the season after Friday's doubleheader. She started the season hot, earning Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Week honors the first week of March, but tailed off some before coming back with a strong performance against Judson.
"Christine's been in a little bit of a slump but she's capable of so much," said Hall of Fame Parkside coach Laura Fillipp, a former coach at Barrington High School and the College of Lake County who has now been at Parkside nine years.
"She's worked really hard the last three years on becoming the complete player. When she came to Parkside she was just a -slapper and a bunter. She's worked hard on her power slap and she's really becoming the complete player."
Holthus thinks Parkside has the ability to turn around its season.
"I'm having fun this year and we've got a lot of great senior leaders," said Holthus, who has yet to make an error in center field.
The two losses were the sixth and seventh straight for Judson, which saw its record dip to 14-14 for the season.
The Eagles did have a bright spot in Game 1 when junior catcher Nicole Dimiceli, a Lake Park graduate, cranked a line drive home run over the center field fence, her ninth round-tripper of the season.
Dimiceli, an NCCAA All-American last season, was honored between games and presented a plaque for recently becoming Judson's all-time leader in hits, doubles and RBI. She also holds the school's career home run record. She is hitting .442 this season with 40 RBI to go with her 9 home runs.
College baseballJudson sweeps: Sweeping a key CCAC doubleheader series from second place Olivet Nazarene University, Judson University won its 18th and 19th games of the year to stay in first place at 9-2. Judson won the opener 9-2, and then took the nightcap 5-2. Nick Krisman improved to 4-2 on the year with a complete game win while in Game 2, while Mitch Smith (3-2) went 6 innings for the win and Ed Draper picked up his fifth save of the year in the opener. In Game 1, Matt McHenry was 3-for-4 with 2 RBI while Andy Parsill was 2-for-4 with 4 RBI for the Eagles. In Game 2, Giovanni Cantwell, Parsill, and Brian Brauer each had 2 hits while Parsill and Cantwell had 2 RBI each.True20001501Judson University catcher Nicole Dimiceli, a Lake Park graduate, puts the tag on Parkside's Krista Kelly during action at Judson Friday.Brian Hill | Staff PhotographerTrue