This Week In Armstrong Atlantic State Athletics, 3-13-00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3-20-00

This Week In Armstrong Atlantic State Athletics

Monday, March 20
• Baseball vs. Kutztown, 2:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 21
No Events Scheduled

Wednesday, March 22
• Softball vs. West Virginia State, 2:00 p.m.
• Women's Tennis at UNC Pembroke, 2:00 p.m.
• Track and Field at SSU All-Comers (Savannah, Ga.)

Thursday, March 23
• Baseball vs. Kutztown, 2:00 p.m.
• Softball at Lander, 2:00 p.m.

Friday, March 24
• Track and Field at Florida Relays (Gainesville, Fla.)

Saturday, March 25
• Softball at Kennesaw State Tournament (Kennesaw, Ga.)
AASU vs. Longwood, 11:00 a.m.
AASU vs. Alabama-Huntsville, 7:30 p.m.
• Baseball vs. North Florida, Noon (DH)
• Track and Field at Braves Track Classic (Pembroke, N.C.)

Sunday, March 26
• Men's Tennis vs. Drury, 10:00 a.m.
• Softball at Kennesaw State Tournament (Kennesaw, Ga.)
AASU vs. Presbyterian, 10:00 a.m.
AASU vs. Longwood, 2:00 p.m.
• Baseball vs. North Florida, 1 p.m.

Baseball (23-7, 6-6 PBAC, No. 27 – Collegiate Baseball NCAA Division II Coaches' Top 25)

Head coach Joe Roberts' No. 27-ranked AASU baseball team won three games in the Savannah Invitational on the week, then took one of three games from No. 25 USC Aiken over the weekend.

AASU defeated North Dakota State, 1-0, on last Monday, despite being two-hit by the Bison. The Pirates then swept two games from Bemidji State, 7-2 and 7-4, on Tuesday and Thursday.

Over the weekend, the Pirates fell to USC Aiken, 10-4, on Saturday, then split a doubleheader with the Pacers, winning 16-8 in the first game but losing 13-11 in the second game.

The first game featured nine home runs, including six by the Pirates, which ties a PBAC record for most home runs in a conference ballgame. Armstrong State had hit six home runs against Augusta College in 1994 in a conference game as well.

Junior first baseman Brian Pickel enjoyed an oustanding weekend for the Pirates, hitting .533 (8-for-15) with two home runs and 10 RBI at USC Aiken. His grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning of Sunday's second game brought the Pirates to within two of the Pacers as AASU fought back from a 13-4 deficit.

This week, the Pirates wrap up action in the Savannah Invitational with two games against Kutztown, on Monday, March 20 at 2:00 p.m. and on Thursday, March 23 at 2:00 p.m. The Pirates then entertain PBAC-leading and No. 2-ranked North Florida for three games this weekend. AASU and the Ospreys will play a twinbill on Saturday, March 25, beginning at noon, then play a single game on Sunday, March 26, at 1:00 p.m.

Softball (26-1, 6-0 PBAC, No. 3 – NFCA Coaches' Division II Top 25)

The AASU softball ascended to the No. 3 ranking in the NFCA Division II Top 25 and went 5-1 on the week, dropping its first game on Monday at Catawba, but sweeping two PBAC doubleheaders over the weekend.

At Catawba on Monday afternoon, the Pirates lost a close 3-2 decision to the Indians, despite one-hitting Catawba in the first game. AASU responded with an 8-1 win in the second game.

The Pirates then hosted two PBAC schools over the weekend and recorded sweeps, knocking off USC Aiken, 4-0 and 4-1, on Saturday, then sweeping Francis Marion, 7-1 and 4-1, on Sunday.

Sophomore Annie Sells one-hit the Pacers on Saturday and held the Patriots to two hits on Sunday, improving to 10-0 on the season. Juniors Crystal McCracken and Tesh Wiewel continued to supply the power, each hitting home runs against the Patriots in game one on Sunday. AASU has clubbed 23 home runs in 27 games, a total that leads the Peach Belt.

AASU returns to action on Wednesday, March 22 with a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader against West Virginia State. The Pirates then travel to Lander on Thursday, March 23, for a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader with the Lady Senators, then head to Kennesaw, Ga., for action in the Kennesaw State Invitational on Saturday and Sunday, March 25-26.

Men's & Women's Tennis (12-4, No. 3 (W), 10-2, No. 4 (M) - NCAA Division II Coaches' Poll)

Head coach Simon Earnshaw's men's tennis team wrapped up a successful trip to California unbeaten as the Pirates sent Division I University of the Pacific to defeat, 4-3, on Tuesday, then knocked off the No. 1-ranked team in Division III, UC Santa Cruz, 5-2, on Wednesday.

The men's squad won the doubles point from Pacific, then got singles wins from Christopher Petersen, Frederic Heitz and Dave Webley to clinch the match over the Tigers.

AASU then swept the doubles matches from the Fightin' Banana Slugs and won four of six singles matches to clinch the match over UC Santa Cruz, giving AASU its 11^th straight win.

This week, the Lady Pirates travel to UNC Pembroke for a PBAC match on Wednesday, March 22 at 2:00 p.m., while the men host No. 15 Drury on Sunday, March 26, at 10:00 a.m. in their next match.