By Joe Vanden Acker, Special to the Leader
Contributed Photo Amanda Jaskolski takes a cut at a pitch in a recent Lawrence University softball game. Jaskolski leads the Midwest Conference in home runs.
To describe Amanda Jaskolski’s first home run against Mount Mary University recently, think of the movie “Major League”and play-by-play announcer Harry Doyle:
“Jaskolski swings and crushes one toward South America. The left fielder’s gonna need a visa to catch this one. It is out of here, and there is nothing left but a vapor trail.”
In the opening game of Lawrence University’s doubleheader sweep of Mount Mary, Jaskolski hit two home runs against the Milwaukee school, the first one being a mammoth blast out of Kulwicki Park. The senior shortstop from Shawano has eight round-trippers in what is becoming a banner season at the Appleton college.
“Home runs are never in the mindset for me,” said Jaskolski, who leads the Midwest Conference in home runs. “They just happen when they do.”
They’ve been happening a lot as Lawrence has built a 17-9 record heading into the stretch run of the regular season. Jaskolski is fourth in the conference in hitting with a .453 batting average and is second with an .867 slugging percentage. Her 25 runs batted in is good for third in the conference.
“In the time I’ve coached softball, she’s one of the top kids I’ve had the pleasure of having in our program,” said Lawrence coach Kim Tatro, who is in her 22nd season with the Vikings.
“Jazz (Jaskolski’s nickname) is the complete package offensively and defensively,” Tatro said. “She’s very competitive and very humble. When you put all of those characteristics together, you have a very special player.”
The 2014 Midwest Conference North Division Player of the Year, Jaskolski is putting up impressive numbers despite the fact that every opposing pitcher knows who she is and how good she is.
“That’s my struggle this year,” Jaskolski said. “Last year I came in as a junior and nobody really knew how to pitch to me. I liked that last year. I could get a lot of pitches in the zone.
“I have to be more patient. I love to hit. I don’t like to be walked, but with age and experience, I see that getting a walk will help the team in the long run.”
Jaskolski leads the league with 23 walks and is tops in the conference with a .582 on-base percentage.
“Her swing is smooth and thorough and she’s very patient,” Tatro said. “Teams pitch around her, and when they don’t, they pay the price.”
It’s been tough to pitch around Jaskolski, who hits third in the lineup, because Tierney Duffy, Anna Wawiorka and Savanna Marsicek have been getting on base ahead of her. Forced to pitch to Jaskolski, the result is she ranks 14th in all of NCAA Division III at .33 home runs per game.
“That’s definitely not my mindset when I get up there,” Jaskolski said of hitting homers. “It’s really to be patient and just get a good pitch to hit.”
If Lawrence is to make a push to make the four-team Midwest Conference Tournament, the Vikings will need that continued hot bat from Jaskolski. The Vikings, the 2013 league runner-up, is looking for a third straight trip to the conference tournament.
“If we can get our team back (to the MWC Tournament) and do better than we did last year, that is better in my eyes than being the conference player of the year,” said Jaskolski, who is a 2010 graduate of Shawano Community High School.