FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-6-00

College Baseball: AASU 4, Mars Hill 0

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Senior righthander Joey Williams fired a complete-game five-hit shutout as the Armstrong Atlantic State Pirates defeated Mars Hill, 4-0, in college baseball action at Pirate Field on Sunday afternoon.

Williams struck out five and walked just one batter in picking up his second win of the season. He set down nine in a row at one point and allowed just one runner to reach third base.

AASU (5-0) scored a single run in the top of the first inning when Lions starter Josh Marts' wild pitch scored the Pirates' Jimmy LaRose. The Pirates stretched the lead to 3-0 when AASU's Ray Castillo scored from third on another Marts wild pitch, and Nick Snow's ground ball scored Haydn Chinn. The final Pirate run came in the seventh inning when Ray Castillo's fielder's choice drove in Brian Chester. Mars Hill (0-3) had its best chance to score in the eighth inning when Robert Beatty doubled with one out and Chadd Fowler blooped a single to center field, but Williams struck Logan Flynn out swinging and got Keith Hatcher to ground out to second base to end the threat.

AASU returns to the field on Saturday, Feb. 12 as they open up Peach Belt Athletic Conference play at Augusta State with a single game against the Jaguars, then a doubleheader on Sunday, Feb. 13. The Pirates' next home game will be Tues., Feb. 29 against Mercyhurst at 2:00 p.m.

- Pirates -