The Winona Daily News from Winona, Minnesota • 11

Q- Zr- -r Daily News Friday, June 26, 1 9331 Twddds mie OUT) clh DDT) Winona native Leaf takes over WSU's men's basketball team i I i Jr- they beat me so you don't forget those things." Eldred (3-5) gave up five hits and struck out six, winning his first game since June 5. Mike Myers, who faced one batter Wednesday night, held the Twins to one hit over the final 1 innings. The Brewers scored all the runs they needed in the first with the aid of three Twins errors that sabotaged Minnesota starter Brad Radke (8-6). In addition to the errors, Matt Lawton lost a ball in the Metrodome ceiling, allowing Mark Loretta to reach base with a leadoff double. Jeff Cirillo drove in the first run with a single and Dave Nilsson made it 2-0 with an RBI double.

Marquis Grissom's single gave Milwaukee a 3-0 lead. "We still had to put the ball into play but we took advantage of the mistakes and that's what you want your club to do," Milwaukee manager Phil Garner said. "In today's case we certainly did take advantage." Twins manager Tom Kelly was appalled by his team's four errors. Radke committed his first career error in the fifth inning. The three-error first was Minnesota's first since April of last season in Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS Cal Eldred's performance was just what the Milwaukee Brewers needed.

Knowing the bullpen needed some rest, Eldred allowed just two runs in IVz innings Thursday afternoon as the Brewers went on to a 9-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins. The Brewers may have moved to the National League this season but Eldred hasn't forgotten the days of tired American League bullpens. "I've been through that so I had a little bit of experience," Eldred said. "You have to know you can't go out and do too much, you just have to try not to waste pitches." Eldred called it the "old American League days," and in those old AL days, he had pretty good success against the Twins, despite never winning a game in the Metrodome. The Twins starting lineup entered the game with a combined .217 batting average against him.

"The made some adjustments on me and I had to make some right back," Eldred said. "Regardless of how you've done against them, I know the last time Bin ti minimi in.i.un imim i i "Iff 11 nil i i 9 lt, 'I -7 'v earned state tournament berths in both sports. From there he went to Saint Mary's University and played two years of varsity basketball and tennis before graduating with a B.A.. degree in 1983 and a B.S. degree is 1985.

Leaf went on to earn a M.A. degree from Winona State in 1989. His coaching career began with the Cotter boys tennis team before he signed on with WSU. Leaf began his Winona State assistant basketball coaching career in the 1987-88 season under Jerry Nauman and for the last six years under Wothke. He's also been the head men's tennis coach the last seven years.

Leafs status as tennis coach is still uncertain. "We don't want to short-change the tennis program," said Holstad. "We're just in the planning stages to what the next step will be." Leaf and Holstad were both unsure as to who Leafs assistant coaches will be. Mark Bambenek, a high school teammate of Leafs, has served as an assistant next to Leaf the last eight years. Since being named head coach, Leaf has not had a chance to talk with Bambenek.

The length of time between Wothke's resignation and Leafs naming as the new coach didn't help the Warriors in recruiting. Leaf admits that WSU lost some good prospects that signed elsewhere because of the uncertainty at Winona State. "It was tough because there wasn't a head coach in place," said Leaf. "Hopefully it won't hurt us because we have so many returners coming back. We needed to get a point guard because the two we've got are going to be seniors.

We did sign Drew Carty from Stillwater High School. There are a couple more recruits I still have to talk to." To put it mildly, Leaf is thrilled with his new position. "I've been working at it all he said. "I'll be getting more involved now. I've talked with all the players.

I'm very, very excited about having this posi-tioa I look forward to working with these great young men and continuing the tradition we have here at Winona State." By Jim Kohner Winona Daily News Winona State University looked long and hard to find a men's basketball coach since Les Wothke announced his resignation on March 13. When it was all said and done, the school didn't have to look too far after all. Mike Leaf, a Winona native who's been an assistant basketball coach at WSU the last 11 years, was named the team's new head coach on Thursday. Leaf inherits a team that finished second in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference last season and was 17-10 overall. And the good news for Leaf is that 13 of the 15 varsity players wi 1 1 be ba Mike Laaf fo th 1998-99 season.

"I've always wanted to become a head coach at the collegiate level," said Leaf. "I've worked hard the last 11 yearsat Winona State. When the opportunity came, I was real anxious to get an interview." WSU athletic director Larry Holstad said the school had 45 applicants for the position. A search committee took that list and dwindled it down to 12, and then to four. Those four were all brought in for interviews.

"People looked at Mike as being a very big part of the program," said Holstad. "He's been part of the program under two coaches. We felt his personality and ability to work with parents and recruits, along with his work around the university community, would be an asset. Having taught here, they looked at that as being plusses on his side. "He knows the student-athletes we have and he knows the area Those would be assets too.

He had support from parents of some players and from players that he recruited. They sent letters supporting him." Leaf is a 1979 graduate of Cotter High School. While there, he played basketball and tennis and Associated Press Brewers' catcher Bobby Hughes loses his face mask as Minnesota's Terry Steinbach collides with him in the second inning of Tuesday's game. Stoltz split: ptaic By Joel Badzinski Winona Daily News Jess Stoltz looks fine. When last seen, he was walking around, smiling, breathing, talking.

But there are some who would say the Winona VFW Buddies player is unconscious this summer. And they'd be right. Figuratively, of course. Stoltz continued his season-long tear Thursday against the Rochester East Stars in the first game of a doubleheader split at Gabrych Park, going 3-for-4 with a double, home run and three RBIs in a 10-0 five-inning win. He also pitched a complete game and allowed four hits and two walks, striking out nine.

Rochester won the second game 7-6. "I just started the year off well and I've kept going, hitting the ball hard," said Stoltz, who played on the Winona High varsity this spring. "It's been a lot of fun out there." In the first game, Stoltz plated the game-winning RBIs right away in the bottom of the first inning off right-hander Andy Passe. Brett Schmit laced a one-out double, then Stoltz followed with an opposite-field homer over the good and he said, 'Ed, this means we're and that struck me." Trzebiatowski, who finished in 4:25:33, said the rest of his life has fallen into shape, too. "I feel like a million bucks," he said.

"Inside, I feel better. All the anxiety, I've just learned to deal with problems and go on." Since turning his midlife crisis into' a reawakening, Trzebiatowski said he's working harder at his job at Peerless Chain, has started his own computer repair business, and is teaching ninth-grade religion classes at St Stan's. Jerry Modjeski Jerry Modjeski was a running dynamo until freak accidents knocked him into semi-retirement The 58-year-old Modjeski, who owns and operates Winona Mechanical, went 1,869 days without missing a run, ran 14 marathons and 20 biathlonstriathlons. That was then-Three years ago, Modjeski broke both legs in a skydiving accident in Chippewa Falls, Wis. He quit jumping from airplanes after that, but at an OSHA conference on fall protection he fell down some stairs and tore all the ligaments in his left leg, broke his Please see GRAIMDMA'S2B Charlie Blackburn takes the throw Park.

doubles and an RBI. Stoltz and Kevin Spahr had RBI hits in the four-run fourth. Rochester (7-5, 11-8) also made four errors in the inning. Sean Zaborowski finished the game via the 10-run rule in the fifth with a bases-loaded single. Rochester East third baseman in safely Thursday at Gabyrch right-field screen.

Winona (7-2 First District, 12-5 overall) made it 3-0 on Jesus Rueda's RBI double. Schmit made it 4-0 in the second, bringing in Jon Tollefson with a two-out double. Schmit was 3-for-3 with three runs, two Teeing off 8 mmaiTDv reasons to roaro Las Vegas woman ups Vikings' ante Associated Press LAS VEGAS A 31 -year-old Las Vegas businesswoman who wants to buy the Minnesota Vikings has reportedly lipped the ante to $225 million. Shruti Misra originally submitted a bid of $180 million, according to a representative who requested anonymity. The representative told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that she has-now increased that bid to $225 million, including $195 million in cash.

The representative says Misra's offer should have been received Wednesday by Vikings' legal counsel John Mooty. But Mooty said he hadn't received the offer as of late Wednesday afternoon. He did not immediately return a phone call today. Misra reportedly has vast real estate holdings in Nevada, California and Mexico. Her representative has said she will not comment on the proposed purchase.

The representative said Misra's initial offer was rejected, so she submitted a more formal bid Tuesday, upping the price to $225 million. "I'm anxious to receive a good proposal," Mooty said late Wednesday. "But up to now, I haven't received a good proposal from that person." Misra is among several people who have publicly said they want to buy the Vikings. Prospective buyers have until Wednesday to submit bids. Mooty said Misra's initial bid was rejected for several reasons, including: She failed to first complete "due diligence" in examining the team's finances.

She had a clause stating she would have the right to move the National Football League team to another city. Viking owners and the NFL have said they want a buyer who intends to keep the team in Minneapolis. Misra's offer fell short of the $200 million minimum price sought by the current owners. v. i.

I Jason DicusWinona Daily News as the Buddies' Matt Styba slides "We came ready to play," Buddies coach Dan Matejka said. "Offensively, we got in the box and made them field the ball. Jess has just been on a tear and the guys setting the table, like Brett, Please see BUDDIES2B Vikings sign Birk EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) The Minnesota Vikings signed the first of this year's draft choices, offensive lineman Matt Birk. Birk, a sixth-round pick from Harvard and a St.

Paul native, signed a three-year deal Wednesday for the minimum NFL annual salary of $1 58,000 and an undisclosed signing bonus. He will compete for a spot at right tackle. among them. Ed Trzebiatowski Running changed Ed Trzebia-towski's life. "About a year and a half ago, I had a minor midlife crisis," said Trzebiatowski, 48, of Fountain City.

"I had to ditch all my bad habits." So Trzebiatowski quit smoking he went through 2Yz packs a day for 35 years and drinking. With that done, he was faced with another problem. "I had never done any sports," he said. "I remember when I was 12 years old they came to our class and asked who wanted to join a ball team. I went behind the school and smoked a cigarette.

"So I found myself with a lot of nervous energy. I hooked up with my brother-in-law (Jerry Modjes-ki) and started running and it wasn't long after that we started talking marathons." Modjeski, a veteran marathoner from Winona, got Trzebiatowski into a program and made a convert. "One day we did our 20-mile run around Winona," Trzebiatowski said. "When we got done, I remember asking Jerry, 'people ask you if you're in shape, does this (20 miles) mean we're in NATIONAL LEAGUE Colorado 6, Houston 5(12) WINONA Buddies 10-6, Roch. East 0-7 Local runners take Grandma's challenge By Joel Badzinski Winona Daily News DULUTH, Minn.

The front page special section headline in the Duluth News-Tribune blared, "Left in a fog" after the weather took center stage at the 22nd Grandma's Marathon Saturday. For the 7,665 participants, the autumn-like temperatures and intermittent rain were perfect conditions in which to run 26.2 miles. Grandma's veterans talked about 1981, when another cool, overcast day helped Minnesotan Dick Beardsley run a record 2 hours, 9 minutes, 37 seconds. Saturday, Simon Peter, a policeman from Tanzania, and Yelena Plas-tinina, a mom from the Ukraine, won in good, but not record-setting times. Miles and even hours behind the full-time super runners practicing for glory in Boston, New York or the Olympics, were thousands of people, brushing off the same fog and damp, with different but no less important motivations.

Six Winona-area runners were BASEBALL IIMTERLEAGUE Milwaukee 9, Minnesota 2 Oakland 5, San Francisco 2 San Diego 6, Seattle 0 Detroit 6, Chi. Cubs 4 Cleveland 8, St. Louis 1 Toronto 1, Montreal 0 Florida 5, Tampa Bay 1 Boston 7, Philadelphia 5 N.Y. Mets 3, Baltimore 2 N.Y. Yankees 6, Atlanta 0 Kansas City 6, Pittsburgh 1 Cincinnati 7, Chi.

W. Sox 6 Texas 9, Arizona 4 Anaheim at Los Angeles, (n) Kevin E. SchmidtWinona Daily News Scott Schwein tees off at Winona Country Club. Please see the results on Page 2B of the Minnesota PGA Junior Tour Event to sponsor Rose Bowl i LOS ANGELES (AP) Granddaddy has a new listing. The Rose Bowl, the last holdout in college football's sponsorship game, changed its name on Thursday to the "Rose Bowl presented by The four-year deal was arranged by ABC-TV, which is paying $19 million for the rights to televise the Jan.

1, 1999 game. Financial terms of the package were not immediately available. "We have Ma Bell joining the granddaddy of them all," Harriman Cronk, Tournament of Roses chairman of game management, said during a conference call. Agassi exists Wimbledon3B.