This Week In Armstrong Atlantic State Athletics, 4-24-00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4-24-00

This Week In Armstrong Atlantic State Athletics

Monday, April 24
No Events Scheduled

Tuesday, April 25
No Events Scheduled

Wednesday, April 26
• Softball vs. Augusta State, 2:30 p.m.
• Baseball vs. Newberry, 3:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 27
No Events Scheduled

Friday, April 28
No Events Scheduled

Saturday, April 29
• Baseball vs. UNC Pembroke, 3:30 p.m.
• Softball at Columbus State, 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 30
• Baseball vs. UNC Pembroke (DH), 1:00 p.m.

Baseball (34-16, 13-14 PBAC, No. 27 – Collegiate Baseball Division II Top 30)

Head coach Joe Roberts' AASU baseball team won three of four games on the week, including taking two of three from No. 10-ranked Georgia College & State in the Pirates' weekend series.

On Tuesday, the Pirates exacted revenge on Valdosta State by pounding out 15 hits en route to a 10-7 win over the Blazers. Senior Kevin Bullard drove in four runs and junior Brian Pickel collected three hits as AASU avenged a 12-6 loss to VSU from just five days earlier.

Friday, the Pirates hosted the second-place and 10^th-ranked Bobcats of Georgia College & State. AASU led the Bobcats, 5-4, in the sixth inning but GC&SU came back to win with four runs over the final three innings to take game one.

The Pirates rebounded on Saturday, however, to sweep a doubleheader from the Bobcats and take the weekend series. AASU led the Bobcats, 8-3, in the first game, but GC&SU battled back to tie the game at 8-all and send it into extra innings. Both teams scored single runs in the 11^th, then junior Haydn Chinn delivered a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to score Scott Ray with the winning run in the bottom of the 12^th for the 10-9 victory. In the second game, junior Jason Ackley limited the Bobcats to two runs in seven innings for a 6-2 victory and the doubleheader sweep.

This week, the Pirates host Newberry for a midweek matchup on Wednesday, April 26 at 3:30 p.m., then AASU entertains UNC Pembroke for a three-game PBAC series at Pirate Field. The series – the final of the regular season for the Pirates – features a single game on Saturday, April 29 at 3:30 p.m. and a doubleheader on Sunday, April 30 at 1:00 p.m.

Softball (46-4, 15-1 PBAC, No. 3 – NFCA Coaches' Division II Top 25)

Without a conference tournament this season, the Pirates hosted five other PBAC schools this weekend in Savannah for the 2000 AASU Softball Pirate Peach Belt Blast on Friday and Saturday. The No. 3-ranked Pirates played ungracious hosts, however, going 3-0 and capturing the tournament title.

The Pirates defeated Georgia College & State, 9-2, in their first-round game, then Annie Sells hurled a four-hit shutout of No. 6 Kennesaw State in the winner's bracket game, 3-0, to earn a berth in the tournament championship game.

Saturday, the Pirates rocked No. 6 KSU again for 11 hits and four runs and defeated the Owls, 4-0, behind another shutout performance by Annie Sells. The sophomore struck out seven in a five-hit performance that gave the Pirates the tournament title.

Junior outfielder Crystal McCracken had an outstanding tournament, batting .889 (8-for-9) in three games with two doubles and three RBI. Junior Brea Smith also had a good weekend, hitting .625 (5-for-8) and junior Tesh Wiewel hit .500 (5-for-10).

AASU concludes its regular season with two PBAC doubleheaders this week. The Pirates will close out their home campaign with a Wednesday, April 26 doubleheader against Augusta State at 2:30 p.m., then travel to Columbus State for a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader with the Cougars on Saturday, April 29.

Men's & Women's Tennis (14-6, No. 6 (W), 18-6, No. 3 (M) – ITA/NCAA DII Team Rankings)

Head coach Simon Earnshaw's men's tennis team lost its only match of the week, 8-1, to Rollins College on Saturday afternoon in the Pirates' last action before the NCAA Regionals on May 5-7.

Playing without three of their top six singles players, the Pirates managed just one win – from freshman Aref Jallali at No. 3 singles – against the Tars. The loss dropped the Pirates to 18-6 on the season.

The AASU men's and women's tennis teams will learn their NCAA fate on Sunday, April 30 when the NCAA Regional bids and participants are announced.

Track and Field

The AASU men's and women's track squads competed at the Carolinas Intercollegiate Track and Field Championships in Pembroke, N.C., on Saturday, April 22nd.

For the men, senior Gary Ginn captured the 10,000 meter run in a meet-record time of 33:55.59 to pace the Pirates. Ginn finished 40 seconds ahead of the pack in capturing the race. Freshman Chris Ramsey finished second in the 5,000 meters in a time of 16:25.28, while junior Robert Crenshaw finished second in the 800 meters in a time of 1:54.18. Brant Speed also competed in the 800 meters, finishing eighth with a time of 2:03.42 and Drew Korenvaes finished 13th in the 800 meters in a time of 2:14.15.

Speed and Korenvaes also ran in the 1500 meters and finished fifth (4:12.45) and ninth (4:31.94), respectively. The AASU mile relay team finished fifth with a time of 3:48.89 as well.

For the women, junior Nikki Garland captured two events, including setting a meet record in the 1500 meters, winning in a time of 4:37.82. The time also provisionally qualifies her for the NCAA Division II National Championships. Garland also captured the 800 meters in a time of 2:15.46, five seconds ahead of the rest of the pack.

Freshman Jillian Charles also captured an event for the Pirates, winning the 5000 meters in a time of 19:16.99. Junior Amanda Lagesse finished third in the 5000 meters in a time of 20:16.00.

The Pirate track teams will take the week off and will next compete at the Georgia Invitational in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, May 6.

- Pirates -