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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Emma Wein
Platteville pitcher leads Dubuque 14U softball team to USSSA national title
Wein
Plattevilles Emma Wein helped the Dubuque Sting Rays win the USSSA 14U National Championship in Rockford, Ill. on Aug. 2. Wien was named the tournaments Most Outstanding Pitcher and received all-tournament honors after leading the Stingrays to a perfect 90 record.

 EDITOR'S NOTE: The SWnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a new web-only feature that will publish each Friday throughout the calendar year. 

     Platteville's Emma Wein is this week's SWnews4u.com Athlete of the Week for the week of July 27–Aug. 2.

     Last weekend Wein helped her Dubuque Sting Rays club softball team win the 14U B division national title at the USSSA National Championship in Rockford, Ill. July 30 through Aug. 2.    

     During the four-day tournament, Wein started seven games and went 7–0 and struck out 22 batters while walking just three in 34 1/3 innings pitched and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Pitcher, based on nominations from other coaches in the tournament. She was also named to the all-tournament team.

     Wein recorded a pair of five-inning shutouts early in the tournament and pitched the Sting Rays to a 10–9 win over Wisconsin Xplozion in the championship game. She also batted .455 with two triples, one double and had an on-base percentage of .655 during the tournament. 

     Wein's Dubuque club went a perfect 9–0 to finish first out of 29 teams. The Sting Rays went 3–0 in pool play on Thursday with wins over Lake Forest Scouts, St. Louis Fusion and Edge Chaos.

     The Sting Rays then defeated Freeport Orange Crush, 16–4, on Friday afternoon, and New Berlin Heat, 12–0, Galesburg Crush, 4–1, and the McHenry Warriors, 10–8, on Saturday to advance to the semifinals. Dubuque then beat Kishwaukee Valley Storm, 4–2, Sunday morning to reach the finals, before defeating Wisconsin Xplozion, 10–8, to win the national title.

          In May, Wein helped Sting Rays win the 21-team Iowa USSSA Spring State Championships with a record of 8–1. Dubuque battled back after an early loss to the West Des Moines Tigers by winning five straight games, including back-to-back against West Des Moines on Sunday in the double elimination championship to win the title.

     The Dubuque Sting Rays finished the 2015 with a record of 28–8.     

     Wein has played with the Dubuque Sting Rays club team four the past four summers. She will be a freshman at Platteville High School this fall.     

     Wein is the daughter of Kory and Amy Wein of Platteville.