FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4-16-01

This Week In Armstrong Atlantic State Athletics

Monday, April 16
No Events Scheduled

Tuesday, April 17
No Events Scheduled

Wednesday, April 18
• Softball vs. USC Spartanburg, 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 19
• Baseball vs. Valdosta State, 3:30 p.m.
• Women's Tennis hosts Peach Belt Conference Championships, All Day
• Men's Tennis hosts Peach Belt Conference Championships, All Day

Friday, April 20
• Women's Tennis hosts Peach Belt Conference Championships, All Day
• Men's Tennis hosts Peach Belt Conference Championships, All Day
• Golf at Peach Belt Conference Championships (Aiken, S.C), All Day
• Softball at Peach Belt Conference Championships (Kennesaw, Ga.), All Day

Saturday, April 21
• Baseball at Georgia College & State, 3:00 p.m.
• Women's Tennis hosts Peach Belt Conference Championships, All Day
• Men's Tennis hosts Peach Belt Conference Championships, All Day
• Golf at Peach Belt Conference Championships (Aiken, S.C), All Day
• Softball at Peach Belt Conference Championships (Kennesaw, Ga.), All Day

Sunday, April 22
• Baseball at Georgia College & State (DH), 1:00 p.m.
• Softball at Peach Belt Conference Championships (Kennesaw, Ga.), All Day

Baseball (32-14 Overall, 13-11 Peach Belt Conference, No. 28 NCAA DII, No. 8 South Atlantic)

The Pirates lost a heartbreaking 14-13 game in 10 innings at No. 7-ranked Valdosta State on Tuesday, but rebounded to run their conference winning streak to six games with a three-game sweep of USC Spartanburg over Easter weekend.

Tuesday, the Pirates pounded out 17 hits and led, 13-7, entering the eighth inning but the Blazers rallied for five runs in the eighth, the tying run in the ninth and the winning run on a squeeze play in the 10^th inning. Pat Daly went 3-for-5 with three RBI and Kirk Nordness added a three-run home run for the Pirates.

Over the weekend, AASU visited Spartanburg, S.C., and swept three games from the Rifles, winning Saturday night's contest, 9-3, then sweeping Sunday's doubleheader, 14-7 and 5-4. Catcher David Harriman, the PBC's Player of the Week last week, went 5-for-12 with three home runs and 10 RBI in the three-game series.

This week, the Pirates host Valdosta State in their final home game of the 2001 season on Thursday, April 19 at 3:30 p.m., then travel to No. 3-ranked Georgia College & State for a three-game PBC series with the Bobcats. Saturday's single game will start at 3:00 p.m. and Sunday's doubleheader will start at 1:00 p.m.

Softball (28-10 Overall, 9-7 Peach Belt Conference)

The Armstrong Atlantic State softball team went 5-1 on the week to improve to 9-7 in the Peach Belt Conference and 28-10 overall.

The Pirates split a doubleheader at UNC Pembroke on Tuesday, winning the first game, 11-0, but dropping the second game, 3-2, as the Braves came back with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. AASU got back on the winning track on Wednesday with a 3-1, 6-2 sweep of Francis Marion in Florence, S.C.

On Saturday, the Pirates hosted No. 13-ranked Columbus State and swept the Cougars,

7-0 and 7-1, as Annie Sells and Nicole Weirauch each hit two home runs in the doubleheader.

For the week, Sells hit .476 with four home runs and eight RBI and went 3-0 with one save and an 0.30 ERA from the circle. Weirauch hit .429 with two home runs and six RBI and shortstop Ansley Paschal hit .471 with two doubles, five runs and two stolen bases on the week.

This week, the Pirates host USC Spartanburg on Wednesday, April 18 at 2:00 p.m. in their final home games of the 2001 season. AASU then travels to Kennesaw, Ga., for the 2001 Peach Belt Conference softball tournament, where the Pirates will be seeded fifth and will face Augusta State in the first round on Saturday morning. The double-elimination tournament begins on Friday and runs through Sunday.

Men's Tennis (13-7 Overall, 5-3 Peach Belt Conference, No. 4 ITA Division II Rankings)

The No. 4-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State men's tennis team split two matches on the week, ending the regular season at 13-7 heading into this week's Peach Belt Conference championships.

The Pirates dropped Friday afternoon's match at No. 13-ranked Barry University, 5-2, losing four singles matches after winning two of three doubles matches.

On Saturday, the Pirates defeated No. 25-ranked Lynn University, 5-2, dropping two of three doubles matches but winning four singles matches to clinch the victory.

AASU will now compete in this week's Peach Belt Conference Championships, hosted by the Pirates, from Thursday, April 19 to Saturday, April 22. The Pirates enter the tournament as the No. 4 seed and will host USC Aiken in their first-round match on Thursday at 11:00 a.m.

Women's Tennis (16-5 Overall, 9-1 Peach Belt Conference, No. 8 ITA Division II)

The No. 8-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State women's tennis team played three matches on the week, losing to No. 3-ranked Lynn and No. 4-ranked Rollins, but defeating No. 6-ranked Barry in the Lady Pirates' “Florida Swing” to wrap up the regular season.

The Lady Pirates lost to Rollins, 6-3, on Thursday afternoon, winning one doubles match and two singles matches. AASU then rebounded to defeat Barry, 5-2, taking two of three doubles matches and winning three singles matches for the win.

On Saturday, AASU lost to the Lynn Lady Knights, 5-1, but Zsofi Golopencza knocked off No. 3-ranked Monika Mastailrova, 6-2, 6-1, at No. 1 singles.

The Lady Pirates will now compete in this week's Peach Belt Conference Championships, hosted by AASU, from Thursday, April 19 to Saturday, April 22. The Lady Pirates enter the tournament as the No. 2 seed and will host the winner of the Francis Marion/Columbus State match at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday.

Golf

The Armstrong Atlantic State men's golf team finished 12th at the 2001 Southeastern Collegiate, hosted by Valdosta State University on Monday and Tuesday afternoon.

The Pirates finished with a three-round 934 total, 70 strokes over par. Freshman Bill Faith led the Pirates individually, tying for 33^rd place with a 75-77-78=230 (+14) three-round total. Freshman David Roger finished tied for 42nd with a 80-79-74=233 (+17) three-round total.

Rounding out the Pirate scores were freshman Travis Kelly, who finished tied for 62nd after a 76-81-80=237 (+21) total, and freshmen Thomas Whittaker and Andrew Suggs, who each finished tied for 78th. Whittaker finished with an 88-79-76=243 (+27) total, while Suggs finished with an 80-80-83=243 (+27) total.

The Pirates conclude their regular season on April 20-21 at the Peach Belt Conference Championships in Aiken, S.C., this week.

- Pirates -