FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-28-00

This Week In Armstrong Atlantic State Athletics

Monday, February 28
No Events Scheduled

Tuesday, February 29
• Baseball vs. Mercyhurst, 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 1
• Softball vs. Lake Superior State, 1:00 p.m.

Thursday, March 2
• Men's Basketball at PBAC Championships (Greenwood, S.C.)
AASU vs. UNC Pembroke, 2 p.m.
• Baseball vs. Queens, 2:00 p.m.

Friday, March 3
• Men's Basketball at PBAC Championships (Greenwood, S.C.)
• Baseball vs. Wayne State, 2:00 p.m.
• Men's & Women's Tennis vs. Lynn, 2 p.m.
• Softball at University of North Florida Tournament (Jacksonville, Fla.)

Saturday, March 4
• Men's Basketball at PBAC Championships (Greenwood, S.C.)
• Men's & Women's Tennis vs. Columbus State, 9 a.m.
• Baseball vs. Queens, 2:00 p.m.
• Men's & Women's Tennis vs. USC Spartanburg, 3 p.m.
• Softball at University of North Florida Tournament (Jacksonville, Fla.)
• Track and Field at Oglethorpe Relays (Atlanta, Ga.)

Sunday, March 5
• Baseball vs. Adelphi, 2:00 p.m.
• Softball at University of North Florida Tournament (Jacksonville, Fla.)

Men's Basketball (14-12 Overall; 11-5 PBAC; No. 9 South Atlantic Region)

The Pirate men's basketball wrapped up its regular season by splitting two games on the week, losing at Augusta State, 91-89, in double overtime on Wednesday,

AASU shot 60.7 percent from the field on Wednesday at Augusta, but the Jaguars used a distinct advantage at the foul line – shooting 33 free throws, compared to AASU's 9 – to come away with the victory. The loss cemented AASU's place in the South Division as the No. 2 seed.

Saturday, the Pirates played host to Clayton State and exacted a little revenge for an earlier 73-68 loss to the Lakers just 10 days before by beating CC&SU, 66-53. Senior Vladimir Rasic – the team's lone senior, playing in his final home game as a Pirate – scored a career-high 12 points for the Pirates in the victory.

The Pirates now advance to the PBAC Championships in Greenwood, S.C., where they will face UNC Pembroke on Thursday, March 2, at 2:00 p.m. Should the Pirates advance past the Braves, they would then face the Augusta State/Clayton State winner at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. The PBAC Tournament Championship game is at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Women's Basketball (7-19 Overall; 4-12 PBAC)

The Lady Pirates wrapped up the 1999-2000 season with a split of two games on the week, losing at Augusta State, 62-59, but defeating Clayton College & State, 74-65.

AASU shot just 34.5 percent from the field against Augusta State, but stayed in the game thanks to hitting 10 of 23 three-pointers. Sophomore Lexie Martin led the Lady Pirates with 20 points, while freshman Dorthell Little chipped in 17 points.

In the season finale on Saturday, the Lady Pirates led the Lady Lakers by eight at halftime, 33-25, but opened up the second half on a 11-2 run to break open the game and cruise to the 12-point victory. Freshman Duanda Ball scored a season-high 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the floor, including 6-of-10 three-pointers, to lead the Lady Pirates.

With just one junior, five sophomores and six freshmen on the squad, the Lady Pirates will have all players returning next season and should be in the thick of the PBAC race in 2000-2001.

Men's & Women's Tennis (6-3, No. 3 (W), 4-2, No. 4 (M) - NCAA Division II Coaches' Poll)

Head coach Simon Earnshaw's tennis teams were perfect this week as the Lady Pirates picked up two PBAC wins, defeating Francis Marion, 9-0, and Kennesaw State, 7-2, while the men's team defeated the No. 14-ranked Patriots, 6-3.

Both Pirate teams remained undefeated in PBAC play. The women are on top of the conference standings with a 6-0 mark, while the men are also in first with a 3-0 league record.

This week, the Pirates host three key matches as they take on Lynn University on Friday, March 3 at 2:00 p.m., then host USC Spartanburg and Columbus State on Saturday, March 4.

Baseball (10-4, 5-4 PBAC, No. 23 – Collegiate Baseball NCAA Division II Coaches' Top 25)

Head coach Joe Roberts' No. 23-ranked AASU baseball team won two of three games at PBAC foe Francis Marion over the weekend.

The Pirates were two-hit by Francis Marion's Kyle Lucas in Saturday's single game, losing a tough 1-0 game. B.J. Brinkmeier took the loss for the Pirates despite giving up just one unearned run and six hits in nine innings. Brian Pickel had both of the Pirates' hits as he went 2-for-4.

In Sunday's doubleheader, the Pirates rallied for five ninth-inning runs to win the first game, 7-4, then held on for the doubleheader sweep with a 5-3 win in the nightcap.

Joey Williams improved to 4-1 with the complete-game victory in the first game, while Jason Ackley improved to 4-0 with the victory in game two. Shane Shelton closed out the seventh inning for his first save of the season.

This week, the Pirates host action in the Savannah Invitational with five games, beginning with Tuesday's game against Mercyhurst at 2:00 p.m. AASU will also face Queens twice (Thursday, March 2, 2 p.m. and Saturday, March 4, 2 p.m.), Wayne State (Friday, March 3, 2:00 p.m.) and Adelphi (Sunday, March 5, 2 p.m.).

Softball (5-0, 0-0 PBAC, No. 11 – NFCA Coaches' Division II Top 25)

The AASU softball squad hosted action in the 2000 AASU Spring Softball Classic over the weekend and went 3-0 in the tournament, defeating Lenoir-Rhyne, 6-0 and 7-1, and Valdosta State, 17-0, before rains came and washed out the Pirates' final game with Lincoln Memorial.

Annie Sells two-hit the Bears on Friday, picking up her second win of the season, and Sells and Crystal Saccomanno hit home runs as the Pirates cruised to the 6-0 win.

Saturday, the Pirates saw home runs from Tesh Wiewel, Sells and Ansley Paschal as the Pirates beat Lenoir-Rhyne, 7-1. Julie King scattered six hits and one run to pick up her first win of the year. In the second game of the day, the Pirates cranked out 17 runs and 14 hits in defeating the Blazers, 17-0. Maria Lopez gave up just two hits in picking up her second win of the season and Crystal McCracken supported the effort with a grand slam – the second for the Pirates as a team in just five games. Wiewel also added a home run, her second of the day.

This week, the Pirates host Lake Superior State for a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Wednesday, March 1, then travel to Jacksonville, Fla., for action in the University of North Florida's spring softball tournament. The Pirates will face Barry, Florida Southern, Eckerd, Valdosta State, Saint Leo and Northwood in the tournament.

- Pirates -