FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3-20-00

College Baseball: No. 27 AASU 12, Kutztown 3

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Freshman Ryan Armstrong pitched a complete-game six-hitter, giving up just one earned run and striking out 10, as the Pirates downed Kutztown, 12-3, in Savannah Invitational action at Pirate Field on Monday afternoon.

Armstrong, making just his second start of the season, gave up two unearned runs in the second inning on a wild pick-off throw, then settled down to retire 15 of the next 17 batters en route to his first collegiate complete game. The Mississauga, Ontario, native improved to 2-0 on the season and the Pirates improved to 24-7 overall.

The Pirates gave Armstrong all the support he needed with a six-run second inning, keyed by Brian Pickel's solo home run and back-to-back-to-back RBI doubles from Jimmy LaRose, Haydn Chinn and Kevin Bullard. After the Pirates scored one run in the third, Kutztown (12-7) managed just one more run in the seventh inning to cut the lead to 7-3, but AASU sent 10 men to the plate in a five-run seventh inning to put the game out of reach.

LaRose led the Pirates with three hits and two runs scored, while Brian Chester had two hits and three RBI on the day. Kutztown's Joe Leach had two hits to lead the Golden Bears. KU hurler Jake Talley gave up 11 runs in 6 1/3 innings pitched to take the loss.

AASU returns to action on Thursday, March 23, as they host Kutztown in the final game of the 2000 Savannah Invitational at 2:00 p.m. The Golden Bears see action on Tuesday, March 21 as they play Barton at 10 a.m. and Mars Hill at 2:00 p.m.

- Pirates -