A pair of Tigers a cut above the rest in 2009

Published 6:29 pm Saturday, June 13, 2009

Coming into the season the Albert Lea softball team knew a few things would be certain, at the top of the list was the production of senior Jenna Christensen and junior Lauren Klick.

Together Christensen and Klick helped lead the Tigers offensively and defensively while providing leadership. They are the 2009 Albert Lea Tribune Area Softball Players of the Year.

Last season Christensen earned Area Player of the Year honors after a monster season where she hit .446, led Albert Lea in hits with 25, runs with 15 and doubles with five. She also hit two home runs.

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This season was different for Christensen as she returned to competition after missing the fall and winter sports seasons with a torn anterior cruicate ligament. Once she returned to the field it was if she hadn’t missed any time.

Her offensive and defensive prowess returned and she finished the season hitting .343 in the leadoff spot. She scored 19 runs and hit seven doubles, along with driving in 10 runs.

Christensen earned all-conference honors in the Big Nine for the second straight season.

Klick dramatically improved in nearly every offensive category during the 2009 season.

After a stellar sophomore campaign when she hit .357, she got stronger at the plate.

This season Klick led the Tigers with a .391 average, drove in 11 runs and led the team with 27 hits. After hitting just one double the year before Klick increased that figure to six.

While invaluable at the plate and in the field, head coach Chad Feikema was quick to mention their leadership qualities first.

“The leadership qualities that they bring to our team are fantastic,” Feikema said. “They are great role models both verbally and by example.”

The example they show comes through with their work ethic. Both battled back from injuries this season and both have put in a lot of extra time to improve their skills. Klick spent time at hitting clinics before the season and works with a personal trainer as she has expressed a desire to play collegiate softball in the future.

“Both of these two have the mental fortitude to work hard and continue to strive for the goals that they have set for themselves,” Feikema said.

The two have fed off of each other throughout their careers as both have played hockey and softball together for the past four years.

“We’ve always been pretty competitive and feed off of each other,” Christensen said. “That’s kind of what you always want is other teammates to push you and make you do better and I guess that’s always kind of a drive for both of us.”

While both are competitive by nature, it’s not a rivalry, Feikema said.

“I think that they both have a tremendous amount of respect for each,” he said. “It’s not a competitive type of thing. They truly root for each other to do well.”

Together the two combined to make the Tigers a strong defensive team. With Christensen at shortstop and Klick at center field hits became more difficult for opponents when the ball came in their direction. The two helped change the way the defense could play as the team could expect each to make all the routine plays and even some plays in the gaps.

“Just having her out there kind of changes the way we can play outfield,” Christensen said of Klick. “We can play the lines a little tighter because she can cover so much ground. I guess that’s a big advantage. You know if any ball goes out there she can probably get to it.”

Feikema believes Klick is one of the best defensive center fielders in the Big Nine Conference.

“They’re both outstanding defensive players,” Feikema said. “Lauren is probably the best defensive center fielder in the Big Nine. She’s just very sure handed.”

Christensen’s leadership as a senior was instrumental for the team this season as her approach to the game set the tone for those around her.

“She’s very competitive by nature, but very level-headed,” Feikema said. “If she strikes out, she doesn’t get rattled, I think that’s why she was so successful.”

Klick said Christensen has helped her out in the past as well by calming her down after a frustrating play or bad at-bat.

With Christensen batting leadoff and Klick hitting in the No. 3 spot their success at the plate was often critical.

“Each of the past two years they have been catalysts for our offense,” Feikema said. “Usually if we were not going to get offensive production out of them we were not going to be in the game.”