FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3-19-01

This Week In Armstrong Atlantic State Athletics

Monday, March 19
No Events Scheduled

Tuesday, March 20
• Baseball vs. Hillsdale, 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 21
• Softball vs. USC Spartanburg, 1:00 p.m.

Thursday, March 22
• Softball vs. Kutztown, 1:00 p.m.

Friday, March 23
• Baseball vs. Kutztown, 2:00 p.m.
• Softball at Kennesaw State Owl Invitational (Kennesaw, Ga.)
AASU vs. St. Mary's (Tex.), 5:00 p.m.
AASU vs. Longwood, 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 24
• Baseball at North Florida (DH), 1:00 p.m.
• Softball at Kennesaw State Owl Invitational (Kennesaw, Ga.)
AASU vs. Kutztown, Noon
AASU vs. Alabama-Huntsville, 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, March 25
• Softball at Kennesaw State Owl Invitational (Kennesaw, Ga.)
AASU vs. Longwood, Noon
• Baseball at North Florida, 1:00 p.m.

Baseball (21-8 Overall, 6-6 Peach Belt Conference)

The Pirates went 3-2 on the week, taking two games in Savannah Invitational action over SIU Edwardsville and Concord, but dropping two of three to USC Aiken over the weekend.

Monday afternoon, the Pirates used a seven-run fourth inning to break open a 3-3 ball game and go on to a 12-8 win over SIU Edwardsville. Chris Boaen's three-run home run capped the scoring in the fourth inning and the Savannah product finished the game with three hits and five RBI.

On Tuesday, the Pirates found themselves behind 13-2 against Concord, but AASU rallied to overcome the deficit and won, 18-14. Junior first baseman Matt Easterwood tied a school record by going 6-for-6, becoming only the third player in AASU history to record six hits in a game.

Over the weekend, the Pirates dropped both games of Saturday's doubleheader to visiting USC Aiken, 5-4 and 5-3, but rebounded to take Sunday's games, 8-6. The Pirates pounded out 41 hits in the three-game series, but committed 10 errors in the field.

This week the Pirates host Hillsdale on Tues., March 20 at 2:00 p.m. and Kutztown on Fri., March 23 at 2:00 p.m. to conclude the 2001 Savannah Invitational before traveling to Jacksonville, Fla., for a three-game PBC series with North Florida on Sat., March 24 and Sun., March 25 at 1:00 p.m.

Softball (13-3 Overall, 2-0 Peach Belt Conference, No. 15 NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll)

The No. 15-ranked AASU softball team went 6-0 on the week in Hawaii, rebounding from last Sunday's doubleheader loss to Hawaii Pacific by sweeping doubleheaders from BYU Hawaii and Hawaii Hilo.

The Pirates shut out BYU Hawaii on Monday, 6-0 and 9-0, limiting the Seasiders to just three hits total in the doubleheader. Julie King fired a two-hit shutout in game one and Annie Sells pitched a one-hit shutout in game two, striking out seven in five innings pitched.

On Thursday, AASU traveled to Hawaii Hilo and picked up two wins, 5-3 and 3-1. The Pirates got home runs from Annie Sells, Nicole Weirauch and Crystal McCracken in the doubleheader sweep. Friday, the Pirates swept another doubleheader from Hawaii Hilo, beating the Vulcans, 4-0 and 2-1.

This week, the Pirates host USC Spartanburg in PBC action on Wed., March 21 at 1:00 p.m. and Kutztown in non-conference action on Thurs., March 22 at 1:00 p.m. AASU then travels to compete in the Kennesaw State Owl Invitational on Fri., March 23 through Sun., March 25. AASU will face Longwood, Kutztown, No. 10-ranked Alabama-Huntsville and No. 14-ranked St. Mary's (Texas) at the tournament.

Men's Tennis (10-2 Overall, 5-0 Peach Belt Conference, No. 6 ITA Division II Rankings)

The No. 6-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State men's tennis team won two of three matches in Hawaii this week, improving to 10-2 on the season.

The Pirates swept Hawaii-Hilo, 9-0, on Monday, then recorded a 6-3 upset of No. 4 Hawaii Pacific on Wednesday. AASU then fell to No. 10 BYU Hawaii, 6-3, on Thursday afternoon.

AASU returns home from Hawaii over the weekend and will then face North Florida on Wed., March 28 in Jacksonville, Fla., as it picks back up its Peach Belt Conference schedule.

Women's Tennis (Women: 11-3 Overall, 6-1 Peach Belt Conference, No. 15 ITA Division II)

The No. 15-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State women's tennis team went 2-1 this week in Hawaii, improving to 11-3 on the season.

The Lady Pirates defeated No. 14-ranked Hawaii Hilo, 7-0, on Monday, then knocked off No. 8-ranked Hawaii Pacific, 7-2, on Tuesday afternoon.

The No. 15-ranked Lady Pirates then fell to No. 1-ranked two-time defending DII champion BYU Hawaii, 9-0, on Thursday afternoon, becoming the victim of the Seasiders' 83rd consecutive victory.

AASU returns home from Hawaii over the weekend and will then face North Florida on Wed., March 28 in Jacksonville, Fla., as it picks back up its Peach Belt Conference schedule.

Golf

The Armstrong Atlantic State men golf team recorded its first Top 10 finish of the season with a seventh-place finish at the Wolverine South Intercollegiate at the Hunter Golf Course in Savannah, Ga., on March 3-4.

AASU recorded a two-day total of 618 (313-305, +42) and finished 37 strokes behind the team champion and host University of Michigan. AASU, one of only three NCAA Division II teams participating in the primarily Division I field, finished one stroke ahead of USC Aiken.

Freshmen Thomas Whittaker and David Rogers each finished as the Pirates' low scorers, tying for 19th individually. Whittaker shot 77-74=151 while Rogers - playing in his first tournament for the Pirates - carded a 73-78=151.

Freshman Bill Faith finished tied for 33rd individually with a 78-76=154 score (+10), while Andrew Suggs finished tied for 66th (85-77=162, +18) and Travis Kelly finished tied for 76th (91-79=170, +26).

AASU will be next in action at the Bobcat Invitational, hosted by Georgia College & State University, in Greensboro, Ga., from March 25-27.

- Pirates -