Shows
The RundownEpisode 60 - 2025 MSHSL Softball Season Check In Number 1On this episode of The Rundown Mike and Brent return for the 2025 MSHSL Softball season to give you the scoop on the state of softball! For this first look into the 2025 season we cover all of the classes and give you our best analysis on who to watch for as the season progresses. Will we have it right? Only time will tell! As always thank you for listening to The Rundown!Please note the special update around the 22 minute mark where we bring you an updated result from the April 26th match up between Mankato East and Cre...2025-04-2847 minThe RundownEpisode 59 - Insight from the HuskiesThis week on The Rundown two of St. Cloud State's finest join us to talk about their fantastic start to the season (22-8) and set the table for what appears to be an exciting second half of the season for the Huskies. Brooke Holmes and Maggie Fitzgerald share their perspectives on the experience of college softball and this sophomore/senior leave all of us with some food for thought on how top student athletes prepare, excel, and enjoy the game! Thank you for listening to The Rundown! 2025-03-241h 18The RundownEpisode 58 - An Over Looked Option No LongerOn this episode of The Rundown we are joined by North Iowa Area Community College head coach Matt Egger. The 2023 ICCAC Division II Coach of the Year gives us the inside look at the NJCAA landscape and the incredible opportunities that exist for play at this next level. For many athletes the junior college option provides a great opportunity to continue to develop their skills and extend their scouting window. It is an option for many athletes that should not be over looked. Give this one a good listen folks because NIACC does it well, and Coach Egger is...2025-02-2644 minThe RundownEpisode 57 - Road to the Summit - All things UST and The NFL's Big GameOn this episode of The Rundown we are joined by Head Softball Coach at the University of St. Thomas, Jen Trotter. We talk about her journey as a coach and the success the Tommie's are having as they migrate their program into NCAA's top level of play. The Tommie's are on the up swing...look for them to take a run at the top spot in the Summit league in 2025. Tori and Mike also chat some NFL and this Sunday's big game! Of course Tori is bending at the knee for the K.C. Chiefs "greatness" and Mike could c...2025-02-071h 24The RundownEpisode 56 - Badger Time, Mate!This week on The Rundown we are joined by Associate Head Coach of the Wisconsin Badgers, Michael Roberts! Coach Roberts has had an amazing career coaching at the NCAA Division 1 level, working at Washington during the Huskies three straight 40 win seasons from 2015-2017, and Oregon when in 2014 the Ducks went 56-9-1 advancing the the WCWS semifinals! Prior to his time at Wisconsin Coach Roberts also made a stop at Virginia serving as the Associate Head Coach and Pitching Coach and helped the Cavaliers hit the 30-win mark for the first time in school history since 2010. Coach Roberts has...2025-01-271h 28The RundownEpisode 55 - D1 Dog!We are back on The Rundown and this kickoff episode for Season 3 features two fantastic young women who are closing in on the final chapters of their travel and high school careers! We go in depth chatting with Midwest Speed 18U National-Holt's Division I pitcher/catcher battery of Brier Blietz (University of St. Thomas) and Kylnn Stangl (University of Minnesota). We cover their experiences growing up in the crazy world of club softball, the lessons they learned while walking through the recruiting process, and the legacy they hope to leave for the younger players in our program. It is a...2024-12-101h 37The RundownEpisode 54 - "Whirl Wind" - 2024 Season RecapOn this episode of The Rundown Tori and Mike are joined by the head honcho, Sean Hall, Director of Midwest Speed and Owner of S&C Sports Services. We visit with Sean about another successful club season, recap some solid tournament finishes, and talk a bit about the upcoming tryout week! Another season is in the books and another is just around the corner! It is going to be a good one!! Thank you for listening to The Rundown! 2024-08-0239 minThe RundownEpisode 53 - 2024 State ChampionsThis week on The Rundown we bring you the re-cap of the 2024 MSHSL State High School League State Tournament! We cover all 4 classes and the teams that have etched their names in history. It was a great tournament down in Mankato that made good on some predictions and gave us some exciting surprises! Congratulations to all of the student athletes and coaches on a tremendous 2024 season! It is now time for summer club Season to begin! These next 8 weeks are going to be a whirlwind folks! I can't wait! Let's Go! As always, thank you for listening to The R...2024-06-121h 22The RundownEpisode 52 - Down to the Wire - 2024 MSHSL State Tournament Predictions!This week on The Rundown we find ourselves only a few days ahead of the final push for the remaining 8 teams from each of the 4 classes of MSHSL Girls softball! We are "down to the wire" on the 2024 season and this episode has upsets, bold predictions, and a little rant mixed in! Sara Moulton of Strike Zone Sports joins us to share her expertise and even a few predictions for the tournament! It is a banger of a podcast this week folks! Good luck to all of the young women competing this week down in Mankato! Thank you for...2024-06-042h 07The RundownEpisode 51 - To Be A Coach? & 2024 Section UpdatesThis week on The Rundown we tackle a recent social media post and conversation about the challenges associated with coaching softball. It is an introspective conversation on how we should handle ourselves as coaches, players, parents, and programs when things become difficult. We also break down the current status of MSHSL section play, and give our two cents on how things may shake out over the course of the last week of May! Who is going to make it to the big dance in Mankato and who is going to be left on the sidelines? We have it all c...2024-05-282h 17The RundownEpisode 50 - Mid Season ReviewThis week on The Rundown Mike and Brent give a full breakdown of how things are shaking out in the MSHSL Girls Softball world. From single A to AAAA we have the contenders and the pretenders covered! We also get into a little MIAC conference tournament conjecture and give a quick status update for the NSIC Conference tourney! Lots of ground covered in this one folks! As always, thank you for listening to The Rundown! 2024-05-031h 21The RundownEpisode 49 - Update From The Wolf DenThis week on The Rundown we catch up on the NCAA Women's Softball season with a little Big 10 opening weekend recap and some NSIC chatter. In our second segment we are joined by two Junior studs from Saint Cloud State University, C/OF Reese Holzhueter and (P) Emma Eickhoff. Both of these women are off to a heck of start this season and we get into why the pack is howling up in Husky land. Thank you for listening to The Rundown! 2024-04-021h 47The RundownEpisode 48 - The 411 on High School Season 2024This week on The Rundown it is full on Minnesota State High School League Girls Softball! Mike is joined by our high school contributor and friend Brent Anderson of the TC Blitz for another spring season of contributions! This episode is the 411 on the 2024 season. We have state champion picks for each class and go deep into the sections and teams to watch across the state. Class A to AAAA...this is a show you want to hear! As always thank you for listening to The Rundown! 2024-03-181h 42The RundownEpisode 47 - Moose or Meece?On this episode of The Rundown Tori and Mike sit down with one of the good guys in our game of club softball, Nick Reimler Head Coach of Minnesota Moose 16U National Orange. Nick and his squad of Moose (or is it Meese?) are one of the best teams in our region, and are doing a great job of growing their organization. We chat on a number of topics in this tangential, yet relevant conversations. On a non-softball related note, Tori and disagree on a the recent success of a certain professional franchise in MN that I refuse to...2024-03-051h 23The RundownEpisode 46 - Fist Pumps with Rachel ClickOn this episode of The Rundown we are joined by College of St. Benedict Head Softball Coach, Rachel Click. Rachel joins us for the duration of this episode as we recap the S&C Winter Bash Alliance qualifier and talk all things CSB! This is a solid episode with some fun twists and turns along the way! As always, thank you for listening to The Rundown!2024-01-041h 44The RundownEpisode 45 - First Year Lessons from a New Gopher!On this installment of The Rundown Tori and Mike recap a busy and successful fall season for the Midwest Speed 16U National Holt team. It was a fall to remember and our team worked very hard for the results they achieved. Couple of proud coaches here folks! We also find some time between classes to catch up with former Midwest Speed standout Brooklyn Jones who is halfway through her first year attending school and playing ball for our Minnesota Golden Gophers! Brooklyn shares the experience and challenges she has faced in her first semester. From the sounds of it...2023-12-191h 07The RundownEpisode 44 - Keepin' it Cool with Coley RiesOn this episode of The Rundown your hosts recap another busy tournament weekend from the USSSA Minnesota Fall State Tournament. We cover the tournament's high finishers from a weekend of quality softball! As if tournament coverage is not enough for you...we also are joined by Gustavus Adolphus College Head Softball Coach and 2017 national champion Coley Ries! Coley shares amazing experiences from her 2017 championship season and gives us an understanding of what drove her and her teammates to greatness! In our conversation we also talk training pitchers and Gusties prospects for the 2024 MIAC season! Thank you for listening to The...2023-10-091h 22The RundownEpisode 43 - Catching with the GuruOn this episode of The Rundown Mike and Tori are joined by teammate, catching instructor, and friend Bryan Ludwig. Bryan now has the honor of becoming a returning guest of the show, and once again goes deep on the importance of the catching position and its critical role in our sport. We talk more about receiving, and give you some great insights on how to better leverage practice time for your catchers! It is a great conversation that will get you thinking about the position and how as coaches we can be better. As always thank you for listening t...2023-09-081h 15The RundownEpisode 42 - Alliance National Champs!On this episode of The Rundown Tori and Mike welcome the 18U Tier II Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series National Champions - Midwest Speed 18U Koltes! We are joined by Head Coach - Jim Koltes, Associate Head Coach and Pitching Coach - Bob Beedle, Assistant Coach - Audrey Benderski, and Tournament MVP - Macy Borowski! We go in depth with this amazing panel on their once in a lifetime Championship season and their team's run to close out the Championship in Southern California! This was a special team to us and we are very proud of each and every one o...2023-08-081h 06The RundownEpisode 41- California LoveOn this Episode of The Rundown we return with a banger of a show from the great state of California! Recorded on the mountains just outside of beautiful Lake Matthew we bring you the latest and greatest from the Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series! Tori and I are joined by a few of our Program's national level coaches in Sean Hall, Jim Koltes, Bob Beedle, Audrey Benderski and Tuscany Ballot. We talk about winning national tournaments, a players perspective of battling in the AFCS, club tryouts, and so much more. After a hiatus, we are pumped to bring you such...2023-07-251h 08The RundownEpisode 40 - State Tournament ScoopOn this episode of The Rundown Mike and Brent give you our third MSHSL Softball postseason breakdown featuring an exhaustive preview of the 2023 State Tournament. On this show we give you some inside predictions on which teams to watch and some excellent games to put on your watch list on June 8th and 9th at Caswell Park in Mankato! This season has been a blast to follow and the final few games in Mankato are going to be must see softball! Enjoy the show folks! As always, thank you for listening to The Rundown! 2023-06-071h 06The RundownEpisode 39 - 2023 MSHSL Section UpdateThis week on The Rundown Mike and Brent bite off a big chunk of MSHSL Section play coverage and give you the skinny on a great week of play! We cover all the sections in Class A to Class AAAA! We cover the walk offs, the blow outs, the underdogs, and If you want to be the smartest fan in the stands you need to listen to this show! Some amazing performances happened this week! Get yourself up to speed folks! This is an hour of High School softball GOLD! As always, thank you for listening to The Rundown! 2023-05-271h 09The RundownEpisode 38 - The Extra MileOn this episode of The Rundown Mike and Tori cover a ton of ground bringing you insights into all three NCAA softball divisions. We will preview the Division one NCAA tournament bracket and make our predictions on which teams will make it out of regional play! We cover the division two NSIC Tournament and breakdown the excellent games played by UMD, Augustana, and SCSU! It was a great tourney. Wrapping up the collegiate segment we cover the amazing season that Bethel University had, going undefeated in conference play, repeating as MIAC Champions and their prospects in the Division three...2023-05-222h 14The RundownEpisode 37 - Breaking It DownThis week on The Rundown Tori and Mike get busy and bring you a four segment mega show featuring a returning guest, editor of Breakdown Sports, Tim Kolehmainen! Another MSHSL softball season has begun and we get into the weeds on predictions, analysis, and all things high school softball. We are also joined by friend and colleague, Jim Koltes of the Maple Grove Crimson! We talk all things Maple Grove softball and relive some great memories about their 2019 MSHSL 4AAAA State Softball Championship! This is a packed episode of The Rundown and one you do not want to miss...2023-04-171h 46The RundownEpisode 36 - Bombers LegendOn this episode of The Rundown we recap an amazing fundraiser held in the name of our friend and coaching colleague at Midwest Speed, Rick Thomas. Rick was recently diagnosed and is now battling a rare form of cancer and the amazing community of softball players, families, and coaches really showed up to help Rick during this difficult journey he finds himself on. It was truly amazing to feel the love and support for such an excellent man! God Bless you Rick. The whole state of MN Softball is in your corner for this fight! On this episode we...2023-04-031h 30The RundownEpisode 35 - Raising the StandardOn this episode of The Rundown Tori and Mike talk shop with State Cloud State Husky softball captains Raven Vandenlangenberg and Sydney Trees about their experiences as collegiate athletes. Raven and Sydney share some great insights about how to manage your time, treat your teammates, and prepare yourself for your future career. These collegiate athletes have raised the bar for success both on and off the field! Enjoy this week’s episode of The Rundown! Music Bed "Unexpected Journey" Alex Zavesa2023-03-2045 minThe RundownEpisode 34 - Go Out and Take ItThis week on The Rundown Tori and Mike connect with one of Tori’s old friends and colleague Lauren Gardner. Lauren has since built an amazing career in sports broadcasting and now works for the MLB and NHL Networks hosting her own show, Off Base, and as one of the many female hosts of Quick Pitch, On the Fly, and NHL Tonight! In this episode, Lauren and Tori share some stories of the past, and Lauren talks about her road to building a successful career! We hope you enjoy this episode of The Rundown! Thank you for listening! M...2023-02-181h 05The RundownEpisode 33 - Carrot Cake For The WinOn this week’s episode of The Rundown we talk with ASA/USA Hall of Fame pitching coach Doug Gardner about his amazing career in fastpitch! Doug shares a little bit about what it takes to make it in our game and about how he is helping raise funds to help a young Wisconsin athlete recover from injuries sustained from a traumatic car accident. Doug is an amazing coach and has helped many young women achieve their dreams! We hope you enjoy this episode of The Rundown. Thank you for listening!2023-02-101h 01The RundownEpisode 32 - Using DataThis week on The Rundown Tori and Mike connect with Sr. Account Executive at Blast Motion to talk about hitting data and how Blast Motion is helping players and coaches benchmark success and create development plans for athletes. Jon shares best practices and some great insights from his professional career as a pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds and as a front office member responsible for bringing data into the player development mix! Enjoy this week’s show and thank you for listening to The Rundown! Music Bed "Unexpected Journey" Alex Zavesa2023-02-0358 minThe RundownEpisode 31 - Catalyst SoftballOn this episode of The Rundown Mike and Tori relive the last MN Vikings game of the 2022 season, and Tori makes a solid case to defend his beloved Kirk Cousins. More importantly, we sit down with former MN Gopher and owner of Catalyst Softball Academy, Erika Smyth. Erika shares the acquisition story of purchasing the softball arm of Starters Sports Training, and gets into the details of how Catalyst is pushing the development envelope with her athletes. It is a great conversation and Erika is doing a fantastic job transforming the softball landscape in Minnesota and beyond. Thank you...2023-01-261h 34The RundownEpisode 30 - The Reason For The SeasonOn this Christmas week episode of The Rundown Tori and Mike relive their recent memories from an unbelievable and record breaking Minnesota Vikings victory over the Indianapolis Colts. It was truly a game to remember and Ol’ Coach Holt got to witness it live! We also get to hear from Tori about his life’s journey in faith, and how his struggles as a young man led him to the Lord and to his calling - coaching, mentoring, and spreading the Good News to all! We wish each of you a very Merry Christmas! Thank you for listening to The...2022-12-2454 minThe RundownEpisode 29 - NFCA 2022This week on The Rundown we join you from San Antonio Texas at the beautiful JW Marriott Hill Country Resort and Spa as we attend the 2022 National Fastpitch Coaches Association National Convention. We give you a flavor of what the experience was like networking and learning from the biggest names in our sport! If you name them…we saw them and talked to them. It was unreal! The NFCA calls upon us to help transform the game…what can you do to start? Join NFCA and come to their regional convention in January! Until then...check out this great epis...2022-12-111h 50The RundownEpisode 28 - Huskie NationOn this week’s episode of The Rundown Mike and Tori connect with Saint Cloud State University Women's Softball Head Coach, Mitch Roberts. The Huskies are coming off of a very strong 2022 campaign, and in Mitch’s first year, the team set the school’s single season record for NSIC wins with 23 and home runs with 60! We cover how Mitch builds his team culture and he spills a few secret ingredients on how to win as well. We also give a little preview on the 2022 Winter Bash and preview the Alliance National Qualifying event that S&C Sports Services has ad...2022-11-291h 06The RundownEpisode 27 - It's Hard to WinThis week on The Rundown Tori and Mike host a round table with some of the most experienced coaches in the Midwest! Sean Hall, Jeremy Chell, Bob Beedle and Mike Mills join the hosts for an amazing 90 minutes of softball chatter. Mike gets angry about stalling, we share some trade secrets, and we give you the best memories of our careers! Honestly, a description of this episode does not do it justice! Give it a listen and thank you for listening to The Rundown!Music Bed - Unexpected Journey - Alex Zavesa 2022-11-131h 31The RundownEpisode 26 - Up, Down, and Off-speed!On this episode of The Rundown Mike and Tori catch up with Sara Moulton of Strike Zone Sports and this time she is joined by her business partner and SZS hitting instructor, Sam Macken! This episode marks our first remote broadcast, and we got a first class tour of Sam and Sara’s state of the art facility in Eagan MN! We cover a wide range of topics from hitting mentality to dodge ball! These two instructors know their stuff, and we are very fortunate to have them play such an important part in our softball culture here in MN...2022-10-181h 24The RundownEpisode - 25 Talking with the LegendThis week on The Rundown we are joined by our sport’s most legendary coach! Our guest is an 8 time NCAA Women's College World Series Champion, 3 time NCAA Coach of the Year, Head Coach of the 2004 gold medalist Olympic Women's Softball team, and the winningest NCAA softball coach in history with 1,674 wins! We are blessed to share the mic with 36 year Head Coach (retired) from the Arizona Wildcats, Mike Candrea. It is an amazing chat with the legend and one you will not want to miss. If that isn't enough for you…we also give you the skinny on anot...2022-10-101h 50The RundownEpisode 24 - Bulldog for LifeOn this week’s episode of The Rundown we share about our recent visit with Chelsey Falzone - Manager, Youth Engagement at the Minnesota Twins, as she gave our new team a first class experience at the Twins vs White Sox game at Target field, and more importantly planted the seed for these young women to pursue careers in professional sports! Thank you Chelsey for a wonderful and motivating evening for our group. This week, we recap the USSSA Fall State Tournament and are joined by Midwest Speed 18U pitcher and Boscobel Bulldog, Gretta Grassel, as we offer her con...2022-10-041h 55The RundownEpisode 23 - Be Where Your Feet AreIn this episode of The Rundown! Mike and Tori give you the details on our 15-0-1 record and 3rd straight Championship in the S&C Woodside USA Elite Select Qualifier in Wisconsin Dells! This week we are joined by Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator of the Mississippi State Bulldogs, and NAFA Hall of Famer, Josh Johnson. We talk with Josh about his playing career and he shares some insight to the amazing success State has seen with their pitching staff over the past 3 seasons. Josh’s focused and strategic approach seems to be paying off for the Bu...2022-09-231h 43The RundownEpisode 22 - The TLC and The ChampThis week on The Rundown Tori and I recap the first tournament of the 2022 fall club season, the S&C Fall Showcase. It was a great weekend of ball and many new rosters got their first taste of competition! Our guests are MN Ice 16U Head Coach and Owner of TLC, Tien Ly. We talk with Tien about the focus of his training center and about the development and growth of his up and coming 16U team! We are also joined on the show by friend and Lakeville Lobos teammate Matt Meyer. Matt Meyer downloads with us on his...2022-09-101h 33The RundownEpisode 21 - Making AdjustmentsThis week on The Rundown we give you a recap of the Minnesota Senior Men’s Adult Baseball Association World Series and the performance of our beloved Lakeville Lobos. We are also joined by Kirsten Verdun, Wisconsin Badgers Associate Head Coach to talk pitching, and pitch calling with one of the Big 10’s best. Fall Softball is also upon us and we give a brief purview of the Labor Day weekend Fall S&C Showcase at Aronson Park in Lakeville. A busy fall is ahead and we look forward to sharing it with you. As always, thank you for list...2022-09-011h 21The RundownEpisode 20 - Managing WantOn this episode of The Rundown Tori and Mike recap our time spent away from the game and share some inside info on our whereabouts and what we did to relax and get ready for another exciting fall club season. We are also joined by Northwestern University Head Coach and 2022 Big 10 Coach of the Year, Kate Drohan! Kate gives us some great intel on the success of her program and how crucial team leadership is to achieve success at the highest level. We chat a little baseball, and talk about the unique relationship Kate and her sister Caryl share...2022-08-221h 10The RundownEpisode 19 - Hitting NukesOn this week’s episode of The Rundown Mike and Tori recap the end of the 2022 summer season and share a bit about our experience playing the top competition in the nation at the 2022 Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series in Kokomo Indiana. We also get a quick story from Tori on his near death experience with a fence! Our guests on the show include Midwest Speed pitching and hitting extraordinaire, Macy Borowski, who can now add Showtime Sports 2022 Midwest Summer Showcase Homerun Derby Champion to her resume! We will get the scoop from Macy on her performance at the derby an...2022-08-081h 08The RundownEpisode 18 - Get Out of the WayThis week on The Rundown a very busy Tori and Mike bring you the newly named assistant coach at the University of St. Thomas, and fastpitch guru, Nat Wagner! Nat gives us great insight into his coaching career, philosophies, and gives us a bit of an “under the hood” look into his exceptional "student of the game" approach. We are also joined by Midwest Speed 15U National Head Coach, Don Bross, as we relive the amazing run his team just experienced finishing runner-up in the 16U USSSA Elite Select World Fastpitch Championship in Kansas City! Mike and Tori also get...2022-07-251h 43The RundownEpisode 17 - Highs Lows and OpportunityIn this week’s episode of The Rundown Tori and I give you a full report on the epic journey and saga of the Triple Crown Sparkler and the IDT in Denver Colorado. We also bring you along for the highs and lows of the USSSA Minnesota Top Tier State Tournament and give you a recap and highlight the great teams and programs that took home the titles in each age bracket! For our guest this week we are joined by Stew Parker, Northern Director of North American Fastpitch Association (NAFA) and have a bunch of laughs discussing how St...2022-07-121h 27The RundownEpisode 16 - Stay The CourseOn this week’s episode of The Rundown we take you on the road to the Windy City for the HFL/Alliance National Championship qualifier. It was a wild week highlighted by a tournament victory, a bid to Nationals, time spent with an old friend, and a chance to meet Eddie Vedder! We also had a great conversation with 2019 National Champion head coach, Gretta Melsted of Augustana. Coach Melsted provides great insights into her program's perennial success and shares excellent advice to young players looking to be recruited to the next level. Thank you for listening to The Rundown! 2022-06-271h 12The RundownEpisode 15 - 50 Years of Title IXThis week on The Rundown Mike and Tori bring you two amazing guests and bring into focus the most impactful legislation ever written for the protection and advancement of women's sports - most commonly known as Title IX. On the 50th anniversary of this landmark legislation we find ourselves reflecting upon the growth of women’s athletics and yet recognize the reality that there is still a long way to go! Our first guest, former Minnesota Gopher Women’s Hockey Coach and three time national champion, Laura Halldorson shares her story about bringing women’s hockey to the forefront in Min...2022-06-231h 40The RundownEpisode 14 - The GauntletIn this week’s episode of The Rundown Tori and Mike recap an amazing weekend at the 2022 Lexi Kretsch Summer Showdown! We spend time with Co-Director of the Midwest Speed Jeremy Chell and preview the S&C Summer Showcase. The next big event of this new and fast moving summer club ball season is upon us!! In our final segment we recap the MSHSL State tournament and find out just how accurate we were with our picks from Episode 1 - 10,000 Strikes! Thank You for listening to The Rundown! Music Bed - Unexpected Journey - Alex Zavesa - www.p...2022-06-151h 10The RundownEpisode 13 - Daughter of the KingOn this week’s episode of The Rundown Mike and Tori bring a fully packed episode to you with guests Mike Carter and Emily Hansen. Mike Carter of the Minnesota Vortex/A’s chats with us about the Lexi Kretsch Summer Showdown and shares the impact that Lexi’s beautiful life left on him, his program, and now via her namesake tournament, the greater fastpitch community in our area! Emily Hansen of the Minnesota Golden Gophers visits with us about her career with the Gophs and she shares how her faith, and involvement with Athletes in Action helped her stay f...2022-06-061h 31The RundownEpisode 12 - Wearing Two HatsThis week on The Rundown Tori and Mike talk recruiting and program building with 22 year head coach, Greg Jones of Winona State University. Greg gives us some great insight into the recruiting process and advice on how to handle what is supposed to be an exciting and fun time for the player and family. Tori and Mike hit you with the latest updates on MSHSL section play and give a couple of shout outs for some exceptional performances sent our way. Thank you for listening to The Rundown! Music Bed - Unexpected Journey - Alex Zavesa2022-05-3058 minThe RundownEpisode 11 - A Catcher's ValueIn this week’s episode of The Rundown we cover the dynamic position of catcher, and connect with former Minnesota Twins Bullpen Catcher, Twins Youth Academy Clinician, Augsburg Baseball Alumni, and current Midwest Speed Catching Instructor, Bryan Ludwig. Bryan breaks down the paradigm shift in catching instruction and brings to light the foundations behind this new era of the position. As always, Tori and Mike give you their latest updates on the MSHSL softball season, and also give you a heads up on what they will be up to on August 1st! Thank you for listening to The Rundown! 2022-05-231h 46The RundownEpisode 10 - Unseen EffortThis week on The Rundown Tori and Mike catch up with Penny Foore, Head Coach of the 2022 MIAC Champion Bethel University Royals! We talk with Penny and wish her squad the best of luck as they represent their University in their first appearance in the NCAA Championship tournament. Penny talks about her approach, coaching background, and the fun times coaching with her husband Roman, and Tori and Mike talk “Tom Brady” and give you all an update on the tail end of the MSHSL season. Thank you for listening to The Rundown! Music Bed - Un...2022-05-161h 09The RundownEpisode 9 - Doing Something About ItOn this week's episode of The Rundown Tori and Mike connect with Jim Hanson, Director of Clutch Hitters, and Commissioner of the Pine to Prairie women’s adult fastpitch league! Jim reviews his earlier career and how coaching filled what he felt was “missing” in his life. We cover the roots and mission of Clutch Hitters, talk pitch calling, the club fastpitch scene, and the creation and success of the Pine to Prairie league! Tori and Mike share some stories from the road, and update you all on a fast a furious MSHSL High School Fastpitch Season! Thank you for lis...2022-05-091h 09The RundownEpisode 8 - Whatever It TakesThis week The Rundown catches up with former Prior Lake and Auburn Tiger great, Justus Perry, and chat about her unparalleled journey to the top level of College softball and the next step in her career as a coach with St. Catherine's University and the Midwest Speed. Mike and Tori update you on another great week of MSHSL softball and feature commentary on a few big matchups in the South Suburban and Suburban East conferences. Thank you for listening to The Rundown! Music Bed - Unexpected Journey - Alex Zavesa - www.pixabay.com2022-05-021h 03The RundownEpisode 7 - Finding Your VoiceThis week on The Rundown Michelle Tafoya visits with Mike and Tori about her illustrious career in broadcasting and touches on what she has planned for the future. Michelle gives some great insights on the secrets to her success and stresses the importance of hard work. Athletes, parents, coaches, and friends of the podcast…you don't want to miss this one! We can all take something from the experience and wisdom shared by Michelle. Thank you for listening to The Rundown! Music Bed - "Unexpected Journey" - Alex Zavesa - www.pixabay.com2022-04-2558 minThe RundownEpisode 6 - Applaud the EvolutionOn this week’s episode of The Rundown Mike and Tori have an important talk about the current shortage of umpires in the game of fastpitch softball with Jeremy Shibley. We share a couple of stories from our not so proud moments, but more importantly discuss how we can all work to better our game and ensure we have the much needed umpires our athletes and the game deserves! We also talk with John Kelliher from Showtime Sports Camps and discuss how his programs and showcase camps help athletes get noticed by the next level...oh, and have a lo...2022-04-181h 20The RundownEpisode 5 - Learn How to GrindThis week on The Rundown Tori and Mike cover a few of the early season MSHSL softball games and offer a bit of commentary on results that stood out. This episode catches up with MN Vikings great, Superbowl XLVII Champion, and current Lt. Governor candidate Matt Birk. In conversation with Matt, we tackle some of the big issues facing Minnesota and discuss the importance of protecting women's sports. Matt previews what is on the horizon for the Scott Jensen/Birk ticket in Minnesota. On the softball front, we cover all things MSHSL softball with editor Breakdown Sports, Tim Kolehmainen...2022-04-111h 23The RundownEpisode 4 - Stay True to You! In this episode of The Rundown we are joined by All-American pitcher from the Minnesota Gophers Amber Fiser! She talks about leading the Maroon and Gold Women’s Softball team to their 1st College World Series, her mentality and strategy in the circle, and much more. Mike and Tori are also joined by Sean Hall, Co-Director of Midwest Speed and Co-owner of S&C Sports Services. Sean sits down and talks about the beginnings of S&C, the development of his club program, and the impact of the Summer S&C Showcase tournament. Thank you...2022-04-041h 23
The Grey RoomsS4E14 - The TowerPART 4: EP 14 - "Engines of War"Written by Michael ZenkeThings are coming to a head and the chess pieces are falling into place.• Piece 1: Admiral Beckett, performed by LaQuin Groves• Piece 2: Bob, performed by Graham Rowat• Piece 3: The Architect, performed by Margaret Ashley• Piece 4: Todd, performed by Alistair Mackey• Piece 5: Moth, performed by Mark Whitten• Piece 6: Samantha, performed by Sarah Ruth Thomas• Piece 7: Belial, performed by Joe StofkoSTATION 14: THE TOWERWritten by Kyle WilcoxIn the not-too-distant future, the haves and the have-nots...2022-04-0154 minThe RundownEpisode 3 - Defining LegacyOn this week's episode of The Rundown we go “around the horn” with a standing update from division 1 NCAA, NCIS, UMAC, and MIAC. We talk teams on the rise and give a shout out to some local coaches and programs that are making things happen in the UMAC and MIAC. Director of the Minnesota Force club softball program and Hall of Fame shortstop of the Arizona Wildcats, Julie Standering talks about her illustrious playing career and running one of the top club programs in the Midwest. Head Fastpitch Coach Alicia Du'Monceaux from the University of Northwestern - St. Paul joins...2022-03-281h 37The RundownEpisode 2 - No Room for BitternessOn this episode of The Rundown Tori and Mike bring three amazing guests “into the circle!" US Olympic Hockey Champion and former Warroad “softball" player Gigi Marvin leads us off talking about multi-sport athletes, her time playing fastpitch and her 5 trips to the MSHSL State Softball Tournament, and patience in the recruiting process. Batting in the 2 hole for The Rundown will be Chelsey Falzone - Manager, Youth Engagement at the Minnesota Twins and Bethel University Softball alumna will talk about her journey playing both baseball and softball and the Twins efforts to grow the game of Fastpitch. Closing out the...2022-03-211h 35
The RundownEpisode 1 - 10,000 StrikesOn this inaugural episode of The Rundown you'll meet show hosts Tori Holt and Mike Orth - coaches with Midwest Speed Fastpitch and directors with S&C Sports Services. Tori and Mike will give you the inside scoop on the direction and focus of this exciting look into the fantastic game of fastpitch softball in Minnesota and beyond. On this episode, you will hear from former All-American Golden Gopher and owner of Strike Zone Sports (SZS) - Sara Moulton. Sara shares insights from her experiences as a youth and collegiate athlete, and discusses the success and growth of her p...2022-03-1747 min