Sports: Softball
Center fielder steals bases, show
Leadoff hitter Jennifer Krueger has helped lead Badger softball squad early in season
KARI FISCHER/Herald photo
Leadoff hitter and center fielder Jennifer Krueger tops the Big Ten in steals.
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In high school, Jennifer Krueger never even so much as held a bat left-handed. She played infield and hit from the right side. That all changed when she got to Wisconsin, where she’s found success as a left-handed hitting outfielder.
The University of Wisconsin softball team’s starting center fielder and leadoff hitter spent her first year on the team struggling to adjust to a new style of hitting and higher level of play. Now, as a sophomore, Krueger leads the team with a .345 batting average and .425 on-base percentage as the catalyst for UW’s offense.
“She’s huge, she’s the leadoff hitter and she’s the table-setter, like we say, for our cleanup hitters in the three, four, five spots,” UW head coach Chandelle Schulte said.
Upon arriving at UW, Krueger was a quick infielder who needed a role to play on the team. With her speed, coaches saw a possible base-stealing threat, so long as Krueger could get on the bases to utilize it. So began a project to create a slap-hitter from the left side of the plate to take advantage of that quickness. Krueger admits it wasn’t an easy process.
“It was a pretty tough transition, going from high school softball to college softball alone; the pitching is completely different, and switching all the way to the other side of the plate makes it even harder than it was to begin with,” Krueger said. “I just looked at it positively. I knew that it was the best thing for me — [it was] a huge advantage to use my speed that way.”
So far, it’s turned out to be the right move, as Krueger leads the team in both walks and hits this year. It wasn’t an easy change, though, as in her first year, she hit only .156 in just 45 at-bats, despite playing 45 games. Second baseman Livi Abney said Krueger eventually accepted and embraced her new role and style.
“She’s not really a hitter; she’s a slapper,” Abney said. “What her main goal is (is) to just get the ball in play, and she runs as fast as she can (to first).”
Though it may not be pretty, it works, as Krueger gets on base almost every other time she comes up to bat. In this past weekend’s series against Indiana, she went 5-for-7, scoring four runs and hitting a triple.
“Indiana was like, ‘Let’s just get her out once,’” Schulte said, a testament to the frustration Krueger brings the other team when she’s hitting. Once she’s on base, she’s arguably even more dangerous as a base-stealing threat.
With 15 steals in 18 attempts on the year, Krueger ranks second in the Big Ten in stolen bases. She is on pace to finish the season with 26 steals, which would break the UW single season record of 19, set by Carin Bouchard in 1997. With 23 career steals, Krueger ranks fifth all-time at UW and seems to be a lock to break the school’s career record of 41 held by Kris Zacher.
“My whole high school career, I don’t think I got thrown out one time. I went in knowing I could steal bases,” Krueger said.
Schulte believes Krueger’s base-stealing abilities add another dimension to her club.
“Speed never slumps — I’m sure you guys have all heard that,” Schulte said. “But it’s huge, it changes the game. And I know from a defensive perspective, when we play teams with slappers, it changes how you play.”
Of course, in order for Krueger to have that effect on the game, she had to change her game first. Abney credits Krueger’s intense work ethic as the reason she’s made such strides in her game.
“From where she was last year, she’s improved tremendously,” Abney said. “She set her mind on [the fact] she’s gonna be good at this, and she’s excelling now and seeing the benefits of her hard work.”
That effort earned Krueger not only an important spot in the lineup, but also her coach’s praise. Schulte is impressed by Krueger’s advancement, saying she’s “a nine out of 10” as a leadoff hitter. Although Krueger and the coaches are working on improving her bat control to add another dimension to her game, just to have gotten to where she is now is an accomplishment in itself.
“I think right now, she’s my most improved player, maybe the most valuable player,” Schulte said. “The fact that she’s transitioned so well going from the right side to the left side and has become an impact player — that’s hard to do.”
For Krueger, all the changes were just challenges to be overcome. Her competitive nature and work ethic wouldn’t allow her to fail.
“I knew I was going to have to work hard in order to be successful,” Krueger said. “And that’s just the way I am. I like to be successful in everything I do.”
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Jen Krueger deserves all the “Kudos” she receives. For her hardwork and effort I hope the UW sees that she is deserving of tuition support. She should be receiving full scholarship for all that she has accomplished. It is great to see a local girl be a walk on and prove her ablities. Way to go Jen Krueger! You make Portage Softball PROUD!
Way to go Jen Krueger. You were great at P.H.S. and it appears you have taken your terrific work ethic and skills to the next level - and as a “walk-on” no less. The U.W. athletic dept. and Softball team should be finding that “full ride” scholarship for you. We are all proud of you.