FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-4-08
This Week In Armstrong Atlantic State Athletics
Monday, February 4
Women's Basketball at Francis Marion, 5:30 p.m.
Men's Basketball at Francis Marion, 7:30 p.m.
Men's Golf at Outback Intercollegiate (Panama City, Fla.)
Tuesday, February 5
Men's Golf at Outback Intercollegiate (Panama City, Fla.)
Wednesday, February 6
Women's Basketball vs. Georgia Southwestern State, 5:30 p.m.
Men's Basketball vs. Georgia Southwestern State, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 7
No Events Scheduled
Friday, February 8
Softball at Albany State, 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 9
Baseball vs. Southern Indiana, 11:00 a.m. (DH)
Men's and Women’s Tennis at Augusta State, 1:00 p.m.
Softball at Georgia Southwestern State, 1:00 p.m.
Men's Basketball at UNC Pembroke, 5:30 p.m.
Women's Basketball at UNC Pembroke, 7:30 p.m.
Men’s Basketball (11-7 Overall, 5-6 Peach Belt Conference)
The Armstrong Atlantic State men's basketball team dropped a pair of nine-point decisions on the week, falling to 11-7 overall and 5-6 in the Peach Belt Conference.
The Pirates traveled to Clayton State on Wednesday and lost, 70-61, to the Lakers. With the game tied at 52-all, the Lakers went on an 8-0 run and held on for the victory. Patrick Sanou led the Pirates with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Franchot Brown added 14 points off the bench. The loss as the fifth straight for the Pirates in Morrow against the Lakers, dating back to 2002-03.
On Saturday, the Pirates hosted No. 9-ranked USC Aiken and played an even first half with the Pacers, 41-41. The Pacers opened the second half on a 10-0 run, however, and held on for the 76-67 victory. Jamaal Galloway led a trio of Pirates in double figures with 13 points, while T.T. Hall added 12 points and William Kane scored 11.
The Pirates play three times this week, beginning on Monday evening with a 7:30 p.m. contest at Francis Marion. AASU hosts Georgia Southwestern State on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., then travels to UNC Pembroke for a 7:30 p.m. contest on Saturday.
Women’s Basketball (11-7 Overall, 5-6 Peach Belt Conference)
The AASU women's basketball squad split two Peach Belt Conference games on the week to move to 11-7 overall and 5-6 in the Peach Belt Conference.
The Lady Pirates scored a season-low 47 points on Wednesday in falling at Clayton State, 62-47. Lindsey Holmes scored 13 first-half points to lead the Pirates, while Lacey Willis chipped in 10 points.
AASU rebounded on Saturday to defeat USC Aiken, 77-65. Junior Alandris Griffin scored a season-high 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the floor, while Willis collected 16 points off the bench.
In Saturday’s game as well, senior Kaneetha Gordon became the first AASU player and fourth player in Peach Belt Conference history to record 1,000 career rebounds. Gordon joins Christale Spain (USC Aiken), Chiffonia Adderson (Francis Marion) and Skye Barber (North Florida) in the exclusive club of not only 1,000 rebound players but 1,000 point scorers –and- 1,000 rebound players.
The Lady Pirates play three games this week, beginning with Monday night’s 5:30 p.m. contest at No. 22-ranked Florida Southern. AASU then hosts Georgia Southwestern State on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., and wraps up the week on Saturday with a 5:30 p.m. contest at UNC Pembroke.
Baseball (3-0 Overall, 0-0 Peach Belt Conference)
The AASU baseball squad opened the 2008 season with a three-game series sweep of No. 3-ranked Florida Southern over the weekend at Pirate Field.
Senior Ross Partee hurled seven strong innings and Derrek Miller drove in three runs with a pair of doubles as the Pirates defeated the Mocs, 6-3, in Friday’s season opener – the third straight year that the Pirates have opened the season against a nationally-ranked squad.
On Saturday, the Pirates rallied from a 6-1 deficit in the fourth inning to force extra innings and come away with a 7-6 victory in the bottom of the 11th inning on Nick Pyron’s bases-loaded single.
Sunday, AASU had to come from behind once again as the Pirates trailed the Mocs, 7-2, in the sixth inning. The Pirates rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning – all with two out – then scored the game-tying run on Kenny Cail’s RBI single in the bottom of the ninth. The winning run came home on an errant throw on Nick Pyron’s sacrifice bunt, scoring Josh Wilson to give the Pirates an 8-7 victory and the three-game sweep.
AASU will host a second-straight top 10-ranked opponent this weekend as Southern Indiana comes to Savannah for a three-game series, beginning on Saturday with an 11:00 a.m. doubleheader and concluding on Sunday with an 11:00 a.m. contest.
Softball (2-2 Overall, 0-0 Peach Belt Conference)
The AASU softball squad opened the 2008 season by splitting four games at the 2008 Claflin Invitational, beginning the year 2-2.
Friday, the Pirates lost a 4-0 decision to Brewton Parker, but rebounded to defeat Savannah State, 22-0, in five innings. Saturday, the Pirates were edged by Georgia Southwestern State, 2-1, in a non-conference matchup, but AASU defeated Bluefield State (W. Va.), 8-0, in five innings.
This week, the Pirates will visit Albany State for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader on Friday, then open up the Peach Belt Conference schedule with a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader at Georgia Southwestern State on Saturday.
Men’s Tennis (No. 4, ITA Division II National Rankings)
The Armstrong Atlantic State men's tennis team opened the 2008 season with a 5-4 win over No. 10-ranked Rollins on Saturday in Winter Park, Fla.
AASU (1-0) dropped the top two doubles matches, but Rafael Array and Kevin Sijmons picked up an 8-1 win over Adrian Tan and Bill Rockwood to give AASU a doubles point. The Pirates then won at the middle four singles spots to clinch the win, led by Robert Jendelund's 7-6 (0), 6-4 win over Jonathan Gomez at No. 2 singles. Newcomer Tim Johannsen beat Adrian Tan, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 3 singles, while Christian Bergh picked up a 6-2, 6-0 win over Pablo Seijo at No. 4 singles and Paul Bishop defeated Gustavo Carvahlo, 6-1, 6-2, at No. 5 singles.
The Pirates return to action on Saturday, February 9, with a Peach Belt Conference match at Augusta State at 1:00 p.m.
Women’s Tennis (No. 2, ITA Division II National Rankings)
The No. 2-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State women’s tennis team began the 2008 season with an 8-1 win over No. 8 Nova Southeastern on Saturday morning in Winter Park, Fla.
The Lady Pirates extended their regular season winning streak to 91 by taking two of three doubles matches, then sweeping all six singles matches. Iuliia Stupak, Johanna Dahlback, Alida Muller Wehlau, Gabriella Kovacs, Alisa Kagukina and Martina Beckmann all picked up singles wins for AASU on the afternoon, while Stupak and Kovacs teamed for an 8-2 win over Talalenko and Korotkevich at No. 1 doubles and Dahlback and Kagukina picked up an 8-0 win over Kulichova and Crider at No. 3 doubles.
AASU returns to action on Saturday, February 9, when the Lady Pirates open up Peach Belt Conference play at Augusta State at 1:00 p.m.
Men’s Golf (No. 15, GCAA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll)
The Armstrong Atlantic State men’s golf team opens the 2008 spring season on Monday and Tuesday at the Outback Steakhouse Intercollegiate in Panama City, Fla., hosted by Catawba College.
The Pirates will send Chris Wolfe, Parker Gordon, Mitch Baxley, Justin Smith and Daniel Mobley to the Hombre Golf Club in Panama City for the 15-team tournament. AASU will be paired with Columbus State and St. Edward’s in the first round on Monday.