Congratulations to Leah French, Kelsey Sterud, and Rory Zuehlsdorf on being selected to play in the Wisconsin Fastpitch Coaches Association All Star Game Series at Woodside Sports Complex in Wisconsin Dells on June 16-17. The Cardinal trio will be among the best seniors from all five divisions to participate in the annual all-star event. 

Congratulations to Dain Pechacek on receiving the $1,000 CAB Company Baseball Scholarship. Pechacek plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse this fall. The CAB Company has awarded over $10,000 in academic scholarships to graduating baseball players who are planning on formally continuing their education beyond high school. Matt Feriancek was the first winner of the scholarship that was established in 2007. Feriancek graduated from St. Mary’s College (Winona) where he had a very successful collegiate baseball career. 

Gusty winds and a fine mist did not stop the Prescott baseball team from visiting and practicing on the actual field used in popular baseball movie “Field of Dreams” outside of Dyersville, Iowa. Movie Ghost Player Paul Scheurman was there to greet the team as they entered the site last Friday. An extra in the film, Scheurman shared with the team and coaches how being a ghost player in the film has affected his life. The Dyersville native, who played baseball at the University of St. Mary’s in Winona, was one of 150 players who tried out for the nine ghost player spots. Scheurman played Catcher and was drafted by the Washington Senators in 1972. For over 25 years Scheurman and his fellow ghost players have played exhibition games for thousands of fans at the field. Additionally, the ghost players have done the same for fans as they have traveled the United States and the Caribbean for over two decades. 

The Prescott girls softball team was awarded the #2 seed and a first round bye  in their Division 3 bracket. The defending Division 3 champions will play the winner of the game between #7 seed Bloomer and #10 seed Nekoosa. The Fall Creek Crickets grabbed the #1 seed. In Division 2 baseball, the Prescott Cardinal baseball team earned the #2 seed and a first round bye in the WIAA playoffs. The Cardinals will play the winner of the game between #7 seed Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau and West Salem. Private school La Crosse Aquinas, the defending WIAA Division 3 State Champion, was awarded the #1 seed in the half sectional. 

Peter Brookshaw and the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks begin the week in first place in the West Division of the American Division Standings. A 2018 Prescott alumnus, Brookshaw is among the team leaders in batting average, runs batted in, and hits. 

The Warhawks of Whitewater, the Eagles of La Crosse, and the Titans of Oshkosh all won their regional groupings in the NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament last week and advanced to the best of three super regional series this week. Whitewater will square off this week with the winner, advancing to the eight-team double elimination national tournament in East Lake, Ohio May 30 to June 5.  

In softball, UW-Whitewater and UW-Stevens Point advanced to the Super Regionals of the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament. The Warhawks will tangle with St. Mary’s University (Winona) and the Pointers will square off with Trine University of Angola, Ind. The eight winners of the best of three series will advance to the eight-team double elimination national tournament in Bloomington, Ill. 

Headshaker of the week: Last weekend the Prescott baseball team played at Legion Park, a city field located in the middle of Platteville. The “No Mow May” outfield was not only covered in gone to seed dandelions, but also full of small crevices and valleys that would impress any driftless area expert. There were other nuggets. A portion of the centerfield fence was kept shut by several bungee cords. The protective netting above the dugouts had more holes than a Wisconsin Dells mini golf course. The visitor’s dugout wall was awash in who’s dating who graffiti. And fans would be remiss not to mention public address music containing profanity and explicit lyrics. It was something to behold. One member of the traveling Prescott contingent said Saturday’s games at Platteville’s Legion Park was similar to the atmosphere of walking by the tilt-a-whirl and scrambler rides of a summer small town carnival. It was a headshaker.