FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5-6-02

This Week In Armstrong Atlantic State Athletics

Monday, May 6
• Men's Golf at NCAA DII Southeast Regional (Sneads Ferry, N.C.)

Tuesday, May 7
• Men's Golf at NCAA DII Southeast Regional (Sneads Ferry, N.C.)

Wednesday, May 8
• Men's Golf at NCAA DII Southeast Regional (Sneads Ferry, N.C.)

Thursday, May 9
• Women's Tennis at NCAA DII Women's Tennis Championships (Kansas City, Mo.)
AASU vs. Northeastern State, 10:30 a.m.
• Softball at NCAA DII South Atlantic Regional (Jacksonville, Fla.)
AASU vs. Lenoir-Rhyne, 1:30 p.m.

Friday, May 10
• Women's Tennis at NCAA DII Women's Tennis Championships (Kansas City, Mo.)
• Softball at NCAA DII South Atlantic Regional (Jacksonville, Fla.)

Saturday, May 11
• Women's Tennis at NCAA DII Women's Tennis Championships (Kansas City, Mo.)
• Softball at NCAA DII South Atlantic Regional (Jacksonville, Fla.)

Sunday, May 12
• Women's Tennis at NCAA DII Women's Tennis Championships (Kansas City, Mo.)
• Softball at NCAA DII South Atlantic Regional (Jacksonville, Fla.)

Baseball (34-21 Overall, 11-18 Peach Belt)

The Armstrong Atlantic State baseball team wrapped up the 2002 season with a doubleheader loss at Augusta State on Sunday afternoon. Saturday's scheduled single game was rained out.

The Pirates took a 2-1 lead against the Jaguars in Sunday's first game as junior Chris Boaen drove in Chris Dentler in the third inning, but after a two-run home run by John Graham in the fifth, the Jaguars would go on to the 5-2 victory.

The second game saw the Jaguars break a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning with Chris Cooper's sacrifice fly, which scored Graham with the winning run.

Junior Mike Roga took the loss in game one for the Pirates, pitching six innings, giving up just five hits and two earned runs, striking out four. Brian Allen hurled five innings, giving up four runs while striking out seven to take the loss in game two.

David Harriman and Chris Boaen led the Pirates in the doubleheader with three hits apiece.

AASU graduates seven seniors from the 2002 squad, including back-to-back all-Conference picks Harriman and Kirk Nordness, as well as President's Cup winner Matt Easterwood and four pitchers - Allen, Adam Olejniczak, Pat Daly and Damon Moore.

Softball (39-5, 13-2 Peach Belt, No. 12 NCAA Division II)

The AASU softball squad is the No. 2 seed in the upcoming NCAA DII Softball South Atlantic Regional, to be held at the University of North Florida from Thursday, May 9, through Sunday, May 12.

For the No. 12-ranked Lady Pirates, it is their second NCAA Championships appearance in five seasons since AASU began the fastpitch softball program in 1998. AASU will face Lenoir-Rhyne in its first-round game on Thursday, May 9, at 1:30 p.m.

Host North Florida is the No. 1 seed, followed by fellow Peach Belt Conference schools AASU and Kennesaw State at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. Coker is the No. 4 seed, followed by Lenoir-Rhyne and Longwood.

The four-day double-elimination tournament concludes on Sunday with the regional champion earning a berth in the 2002 NCAA DII Softball College World Series in Salem, Va., from May 16-19.

Men's Golf (No. 21 NCAA Division II)

The No. 21-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State men's golf team makes its first NCAA Championships appearance this week at the Atlantic/Southeast Super Regional from Monday, May 6 through Wednesday, May 8 at the North Shore Golf Club in Sneads' Ferry, N.C.

The Super Regional features two eight-team regionals being held concurrently at the North Shore course. The team champion from the Atlantic and the Southeast regionals, respectively, will automatically advance to the NCAA DII Men's Golf National Championships in Winter Park, Fla. Eight at-large berths will also be awarded to teams finishing in the top half of each regional.

Sophomores David Roger and Thomas Whittaker, as well as freshman Nick Cowper, Jonathan Cox and Ashley Loyd will represent the Pirates at the NCAA Regionals.

Men's Tennis (13-12, 4-3 Peach Belt, No. 11 NCAA Division II)

The No. 11-ranked AASU men's tennis squad advanced to the Mid-Atlantic Regional final over the weekend, defeating Anderson College, 5-2, but losing in the final to host Lander University, 5-1, ending the Pirates' season at 13-12.

The Pirates took two of three doubles matches against Anderson, then picked up singles wins from freshmen Dale White and Achim Roth and sophomore Caue Figueiredo to clinch the victory and advance to the region final.

In the final, the Pirates took just one of three doubles matches as Figueiredo and junior Michael Jezt defeated Lander's No. 3 doubles duo of Leo Sperry and Arthur Hicks, 8-6, but Lander won three singles matches to clinch the region championship.

AASU graduates just one player from this season's squad - senior John Stone - and will return six players next season.

Women's Tennis (23-3, 10-0 Peach Belt, No. 2 NCAA Division II)

The No. 2-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State women's tennis squad breezed through the Mid-Atlantic Regional to clinch its eighth straight berth in the NCAA Division II Women's Tennis National Championship Field of 16, to be held from Thursday, May 9 through Sunday, May 12, in Kansas City, Mo.

The Lady Pirates blanked Fayetteville State, 9-0, then defeated No. 21-ranked Columbus State, 5-0, in the region final to earn the berth. AASU is the No. 2 seed in the national field and will face Northeastern State at 10:30 a.m. CT on Thursday, May 9, in its first match at nationals.

AASU has advanced to the National Championship match five of the last seven years, including capturing titles in 1995 and 1996, the only NCAA National Championships that Armstrong Atlantic State has won.

- Pirates -