FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4-23-01
This Week In Armstrong Atlantic State Athletics
Monday, April 30
No Events Scheduled
Tuesday, May 1
No Events Scheduled
Wednesday, May 2
No Events Scheduled
Thursday, May 3
No Events Scheduled
Friday, May 4
• Women's Tennis hosts NCAA DII South Regional
Kennesaw State vs. Harding, 11:00 a.m.
AASU vs. Clark Atlanta, 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 5
• Women's Tennis hosts NCAA DII South Regional
Region Championship Match, 11:00 a.m.
• Men's Tennis at NCAA DII South Regional (Pensacola, Fla.)
AASU vs. Delta State, 10:00 a.m.
Sunday, May 6
• Men's Tennis at NCAA DII South Regional (Pensacola, Fla.)
Region Championship Match (Winner vs. Ouachita Baptist), Noon
Baseball (38-15 Overall, 18-12 Peach Belt Conference, No. 16 NCAA DII, No. 4 South Atlantic)
The No. 16-ranked AASU baseball team wrapped up the 2001 regular season by taking two of three games at UNC Pembroke over the weekend, winning Saturday's contest, 10-6, then splitting Sunday's doubleheader, losing 11-5 in the first game but winning 2-0 in the second game.
AASU won the first game despite striking out a Peach Belt Conference-record 19 times against UNC Pembroke hurler Jeremy Ward. The win was the Pirates' 10th consecutive conference win, extending their own school record, and also extended AASU's road conference winning streak to seven games. Senior B.J. Brinkmeier picked up the win for the Pirates, his fourth consecutive win, to improve to 8-3 on the season.
In Sunday's doubleheader, the Braves pounded out 19 hits in taking the first game, 11-5, but junior Ross Koenig hurled a complete-game two-hit shutout in the second game to give the Pirates the series. Koenig struck out four and improved to 5-0 on the season with his first complete game of the year.
On Wednesday, the Pirates learned that they were ranked fourth in the South Atlantic Region heading into the weekend and now the Pirates will await a possible selection into the NCAA Championships by the NCAA Championship Selection Committee. If the Pirates are selected, it will be the 10th NCAA Regionals appearance in the past 14 years for AASU and the third selection in the past four seasons.
Softball (33-14 Overall, 11-9 Peach Belt Conference, No. 22 NFCA Division II Top 25)
The Armstrong Atlantic State softball team wrapped up the regular season by traveling to No. 2-ranked Kennesaw State on Saturday and dropping a doubleheader to the Owls, 1-0 and 6-1.
The first game featured a pitcher's duel between the 2000 PBC Player of the Year, Annie Sells, and the 2001 PBC Freshman of the Year, Lisa Macki. Sells and Macki went into the seventh inning locked in a scoreless duel, but KSU used consecutive hits to lead off the seventh inning to come away with the slim 1-0 victory.
In the second game, KSU pounded out 14 hits and six runs to win, 6-1. Julie King took the loss for the Pirates, falling to 15-8 on the season, and senior Crystal McCracken drove in the Pirates' only run with an RBI double in the first inning.
AASU now awaits word from the NCAA Championship Selection Committee about a possible NCAA Regionals berth. The No. 22-ranked Pirates made their first regional appearance last season, going 2-2 and losing to KSU in the South Atlantic Region championship game.
Men's Tennis (14-9 Overall, 5-3 Peach Belt Conference, No. 15 ITA Division II Rankings)
The No. 15-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State men's tennis team will make its seventh consecutive NCAA Regionals appearance in the NCAA DII South Regional on May 5-6 in Pensacola, Fla.
AASU will enter the regional as the No. 2 seed and will face Delta State in a first-round match on Saturday, May 5. Should the Pirates defeat Delta State, they would then play Ouachita Baptist on Sunday, May 6, for a chance to advance to the NCAA Division II Men's Tennis National Championships on May 10-13 in Pensacola.
The Pirates did not face either Delta State or Ouachita Baptist, both members of the Gulf South Conference, this season.
Women's Tennis (19-5 Overall, 9-1 Peach Belt Conference, No. 4 ITA Division II)
The No. 4-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State women's tennis team will advance to its seventh consecutive NCAA Regionals appearance by hosting the NCAA DII South Regional on May 4-5 at the AASU Tennis Complex.
The Lady Pirates are the top seed in the four-team regional and will face Clark Atlanta in a first-round match on Friday, May 5 at 2:00 p.m. Kennesaw State and Harding (Ark.) will play in another first-round match at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, with the winners of the two first-round matches meeting on Saturday, May 6 at 11:00 a.m. to determine who will advance to the NCAA Division II Women's Tennis National Championships on May 10-13 in Pensacola, Fla.
AASU defeated Kennesaw State twice this season, winning 5-1 on February 17 and 5-2 in the semifinals of the Peach Belt Conference Championships on April 20. AASU did not face either Harding or Clark Atlanta this season.
- Pirates -