FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3-31-08
This Week In Armstrong Atlantic State Athletics
Monday, March 31
Men's Golf at Larry Nelson Collegiate Invitational (Braselton, Ga.)
Women's Golf at J. Ralph Hargett Invitational (Charlotte, N.C.)
Tuesday, April 1
Men's Golf at Larry Nelson Collegiate Invitational (Braselton, Ga.)
Women's Golf at J. Ralph Hargett Invitational (Charlotte, N.C.)
Wednesday, April 2
Softball at GCSU, 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 3
No Events Scheduled
Friday, April 4
Women's Tennis at Abilene Christian, 2:00 p.m.
Baseball at USC Aiken, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 5
Women's Tennis vs. Northeastern State, 9:00 a.m. (@ Edmond, Okla.)
Baseball at USC Aiken, 1:30 p.m. (DH)
Softball vs. Augusta State, 2:00 p.m.
Women's Tennis at Cameron, 2:00 p.m.
Baseball (21-9 Overall, 9-6 Peach Belt Conference, No. 24 Collegiate Baseball Top 25)
The Pirates split four games on the week, losing a midweek contest at No. 15-ranked Erskine, but taking two of three from UNC Pembroke over the weekend.
AASU fell into an early 7-2 hole at Erskine in the first two innings and couldn’t come all the way back, dropping a 12-8 decision on Tuesday. Nick Pyron and Kenny Cail launched solo home runs in the game and each collected three hits.
AASU then hosted UNC Pembroke for a three-game series over the weekend. The Pirates swept Saturday’s doubleheader, 5-1 and 6-5. Cody Walden limited the Braves to five hits and one run in 7 1/3 innings in Saturday’s game one win, while Brandon McCreery hurled 1 2/3 innings shutout ball for the save. McCreery also picked up the save in game two’s 6-5 victory, becoming the first AASU reliever to save both ends of a doubleheader since Nate Herder turned the trick in a season-opening doubleheader sweep of Mount Olive on Feb. 3-4.
UNC Pembroke collected 16 hits in Sunday’s 14-7 win, snapping the Pirates’ six-game conference win streak and avoiding the sweep.
This week, the Pirates visit No. 13-ranked USC Aiken for a three-game PBC series against the first-place Pacers. The two teams will play a 6:30 p.m. game on Friday, April 4, then conclude the series with a 1:30 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, April 5.
Softball (21-16 Overall, 8-4 Peach Belt Conference)
The Armstrong Atlantic State softball squad defeated the Georgia Legends in a pair of exhibition contests on Saturday, the Pirates’ only action of the week.
AASU travels to No. 9-ranked GCSU on Wednesday, April 2, for a 5:00 p.m. doubleheader with the Bobcats. The Pirates then return home on Saturday with a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader with Augusta State at the AASU Softball Field.
Women’s Golf
The Armstrong Atlantic State women’s golf team travels to Charlotte, N.C., for the J. Ralph Hargett Invitational, hosted by Wingate University, on Monday, March 31 and Tuesday, April 1.
The Lady Pirates will be represented in the tournament by senior Kristen Graham, senior Katherine Hooks, junior Alexandra Norman, freshman Kristen Jelinek and freshman Carrie George.
The event features 13 teams and will be competed at Old Sycamore Golf Club beginning Monday morning.
Men’s Tennis (19-0 Overall, 7-0 Peach Belt Conference, No. 1 ITA DII National Rankings)
The top-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State men’s tennis team traveled to Montgomery, Ala., last week and defeated three Top 10-ranked foes to capture the Blue-Gray Classic Championship, stretching its perfect start to the 2008 season to 19-0.
The Pirates hosted the No. 5-ranked squad in NAIA, Lindsey Wilson, on Thursday, picking up a 9-0 victory. AASU the faced off against No. 4-ranked West Florida in a matchup of two top five-ranked DII teams with the Pirates coming away with the 7-2 victory on Friday.
AASU then faced undefeated and top-ranked NAIA foe Auburn-Montgomery on Saturday and the Pirates were victorious, 5-1, handing the Senators their first loss of the season.
The Pirates have now defeated the No. 2-5 ranked teams in NCAA Division II, as well as three of the top five-ranked NAIA squads this season.
AASU will have the week off before traveling to Miami Shores, Fla., for a 2:00 p.m. matchup with No. 7-ranked Barry on Wednesday, April 9.
Women’s Tennis (18-1 Overall, 9-0 Peach Belt Conference, No. 2 ITA DII National Rankings)
The No. 2-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State women's tennis team went 2-1 at the Blue-Gray Classic in Montgomery, Ala., last week.
The Lady Pirates started the classic with a 6-1 win over Division I foe Samford, then picked up an 8-1 win over No. 18-ranked West Florida, before falling, 5-1, to host and top-ranked Auburn-Montgomery on Saturday. The loss ended AASU’s streak of 108 consecutive regular season match wins that dated back to 2003.
AASU travels to the Midwest for three matches this week, visiting Abilene Christian on Friday, April 4, then facing Northeastern State and Cameron on Saturday, April 5.
Men’s Golf (No. 18 GCAA DII National Rankings)
Armstrong The Armstrong Atlantic State men's golf team shot rounds of 318, 315 and 310 to finish in 13th place at the GCSU Bobcat Invitational at the Cuscowilla Golf Club on Monday and Tuesday, March 24 and 25.
West Florida blitzed the field, finishing the three-round tournament with an 874 total, 29 strokes ahead of Sonoma State and Columbus State (903). Valdosta State (904) and USC Aiken (906) rounded out the top five.
Junior Chris Wolfe tied for 14th individually after rounds of 74, 77 and 74 to finish the tournament with a 225 total. Freshman Parker Gordon notched rounds of 76, 79 and 82 to finish with a 237 total, tying for 54th. Jon Wingate shot rounds of 90, 78 and 75, finishing tied for 71st with a 243 total. Tanner Farr (88-82-79, 249, t82nd) and Mitch Baxley (80-81-89, 250, t85th) rounded out the team scoring, while Von Shenefelt (77-80-82=239, t63rd) competed as an individual.
The Pirates return to action this week on Monday and Tuesday, March 31 and April 1, at the Larry Nelson Collegiate Invitational, hosted by Kennesaw State University.
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