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(03/31/04 12:00pm)
The College's women's rugby club returned from Annapolis, Md. with a third place finish at the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union (MARFU) championships over the weekend.
After dropping a 21-0 decision to Mary Washington in the first round of the tournament on Saturday, the Lions, who are 3-1 this spring and went an undefeated 3-0 in Eastern Pennsylvania Rugby Union competition in the fall season, went on to defeat St. Joseph's University by a score of 22-19 on Sunday.
"We were very excited going into the tournament," Heidi Giglio, junior lok said. "We've come a long way and have really developed as a club."
The club, which was created in 1998, qualified for the MARFU championships by finishing second in Division II in the fall season.
The Lions failed to capitalize in the first match. "I think we were the better team. They just got three lucky breaks," Giglio said.
After the disappointing loss, the Lions returned to the field on Sunday with an eager squad of underclassmen ready to compete. With seven graduating seniors on the team, the Lions chose to play next season's starting 15 to prepare for the transition.
The College scored three tries early in the match to take the lead over St. Joe's. "It was refreshing to see that when we lose the seniors we will still be a strong team," Giglio said.
"We had a good performance in the second game," Val Vaccaro, senior prop, said. "We have a solid base of younger girls who have come a long way. I am confident that they will be in the same position, if not better next year."
The Lions compete next at the two-day Westchester University Tournament this weekend. Last season, the club took second place out of the 28 teams who competed in the tournament.
"We're hoping to avenge our loss from last season," Vaccaro said.
The Women's rugby club will compete at home on the Green Lane field on April 17 against Millersville University as well as on the club's alumni day on May 1.
(02/11/04 12:00pm)
When David "Boomer" Wells rode down the Canyon of Heroes with the 1998 World Series Champion New York Yankees, shredded computer paper and ripped newsprint fell from office windows, fans piled on each other's shoulders and dangled from light polls just to catch a glimpse of his 125-50 team, and the perfect game pitcher finally felt like he was an official Bronx Bomber.
"Babe Ruth s been here, and Gehrig, and Mantle, and Whitey, and Yogi, and DiMaggio, and Reggie . and now me. I finally feel like I ve joined the club," Wells wrote in his controversial autobiography entitled "Perfect I'm Not. Boomer on Beer, Brawls, Backaches, and Baseball."
Wells not only joined the club of series winning ball players, but his lifestyle initiated him into a line of controversy-clad men who have donned the pin stripes. The New York Yankees fined Wells $100,000 in response to his book that Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman said tarnished the Yankee image.
In his text, the all-star claims that steroid use is rampant among major leaguers and that he was half-drunk on the mound the day he pitched his perfect game against the Minnesota Twins.
"Fifteen men in the history of organized baseball have ever thrown a perfect game. Only one of those men did it half-drunk, with bloodshot eyes, monster breath, and a raging skull-rattling, hangover. That would be me," Wells wrote.
In support of Wells, Dave Addis of the Virginian-Pilot wrote, "The Yankee image still trades heavily on the legends of Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle, both of whom played more games with hangovers than David Wells will play in his entire career, sober or otherwise."
Boomer s words may or may not have actually tarnished his team's image, but if the Yankees feel that their employee s book hurt the organization, the front office has every right to take action.
In this and similar cases of professional athletes being reprimanded for expressing views that differ from those of the organizations that employ them, many argue that the speaker's words are protected by the First Amendment. They aren t.
Former Atlanta Braves reliever John Rocker ran his mouth off to Sports Illustrated writer Jeff Pearlman in a 1999 interview. The 50-day suspension and $20,000 fine that baseball commissioner Bud Selig imposed on Rocker as a result, led to a nationwide discourse on First Amendment rights.
As much as the content of his speech was shunned, many Americans defended the closer s right to say it, stating that Major League Baseball should not have the right to censor his politically incorrect mouth. But what many do not understand is that the First Amendment only protects the freedom of expression against government intervention.
"It means a squad of secret police can't knock down his door and arrest him for his thoughts," Steve Kelley, a Seattle Times reporter wrote. "It doesn t mean Major League Baseball can t severely punish him for what he said."
Although private sector corporations have the right to ensure their employees represent their best interest, some believe that their stifling of speech is taken too far.
Fines, suspensions and other disciplinary actions have been imposed on professional athletes since the beginning of pro-sports in the United States, but whether or not it is ethical to suppress the speech of athletes remains a controversial issue on the modern playing field.
Christine Brennan of USA Today raises the question, "Isn t there something inherently fascinating about the athlete who emerges from the cookie-cutter image of his or her teammates or peers and dares to be different?"
After all, it was not merely The Babe's swing that made him so beloved. It was his hedonism too. Although there was no official count as to how many people walked through Yankee Stadium to pass his coffin and pay their respects to Ruth in August of 1948, the line was estimated to include between 77,000 and 200,000 mourners.
That degree of patronage is hard to match for modern athletes confined within the limits of professional contracts that force them to conform to role model status. The thing that makes athletes like Dennis Rodman and Charles Barkley so intriguing is their courage to be different in a business that forces its members to stay within the lines.
Professional sports organizations have every right to impose their own rules, but perhaps management should consider letting some variety leak into their clubs before all the Boomers in the dugouts conform into good guy, Sunday school teaching, Andy Petittes and the character flaws that make professional athletes the heroes that fans can relate to are lost forever.
(02/04/04 5:00pm)
Before Saturday's 65-60 loss to Rowan University, a sophomore on the College's women's basketball team asked head coach Dawn Henderson if the College had ever lost to its New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) rival, the Profs.
Henderson, who is in her 15th season as head coach of the Lions and recently tallied her 250th victory, thought her young player's question was ironic, because according to the head coach, "They used to beat up on us." In Henderson's early coaching years with the Lions, the Profs were the team to beat.
But in recent seasons, the Lions have dominated the court when it has come to facing the team from Glassboro, NJ. Going into last week, the Lions had won seven straight against the Profs, a streak that dated back to the 1999-2000 season, before any of the team's current players ever ran the court in a Lions' uniform.
"We havn't lost to them since I've been here," senior center Adrienne Warner said.
The Profs broke a long-running streak of losing to the Lions at home on Saturday. "(The Profs) have been playing well this year. We knew that going into the game," Henderson said. Rowan now stands at 7-1 in conference play, and sits at the top of the Gold Division.
With the loss, the College, picked as an early season NJAC favorite, fell to 6-2 in the conference. The Lions remain tied with Montclair State University for first place in the Blue Division.
"We played well, we just didn't come out with a victory," sophomore guard Deana Cuozzo said.
Rowan entered the locker room with a one-point advantage at the break. The lead shuffled hands 12 times in the second half before the Profs took the lead for good with a little over 14 minutes left in the game.
In a 12-point hole with 4:21 remaining on the clock, freshman Megan Hueter sparked a 10-point Lions run. Hueter scored five of her total 10 points during the spurt that cut the Prof lead to two.
"We were playing good defense and we got energized," Henderson said.
The Profs halted the Lions comeback by sinking 6-of-6 from the foul line as the clock wound down to the final four seconds. Cuozzo hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer, but her shot wasn't enough to keep the College's winning streak against Rowan alive.
Rowan junior center Samantha Eskuchen tied her career high scoring mark, by tallying 21 points in the victory. She also grabbed six boards.
High scorers for the College included Cuozzo, who led the Lions with 13 points on the day. Senior forward and co-captain Laura Mala chipped in 10 points for the Lions and junior co-captain Theresa DiMedio added eight boards.
Earlier in the week, sophomore guard Tiara Simpkins, guided the College to a 77-60 victory over Mount Saint Mary College. Simpkons matched her career high, posting 20 points in the win, which snapped Mount Saint Mary's six game winning streak.
"We played a good game against a good team," Henderson said. "It was an important non-conference game for us."
The Lions shot a season best 61.4 percent (27-44) from the floor, and their defense held the Blue Nights to a 3-for-15 shooting performance from behind the arc.
"The win showed us how good we are, and helped us realize our potential," Mala said.
Cuozzo came off the bench to shoot a flawless 7-7, adding 18 points for the Lions. Warner had 14 points.
The Lions will try to improve their conference record when they take on William Paterson University on Saturday at 3 p.m. in Packer Hall.
(02/04/04 12:00pm)
Beer has been on tap at 100 Homecrest Avenue for as long as the self-proclaimed "resident leprechaun" of Buddy's Shamrock Tavern can remember.
Bob Delaney, the pub's bartender, has been serving drinks in the building for 17 years and three owners.
He says a bar has stood on the corner for longer than he has been around, and Delaney is 75.
"It is like going to an accident every day, you come to work and you don't know what to expect," Delaney said, laughing over the bar, to his afternoon regulars.
Jennifer Dowiak, the tavern's general manager, who likes her current job much more than her old gig of managing Perry's Club 14, said that Delaney was closing the bar that night. He joked, "Well this bar is closing at six p.m. then!"
Such is the friendly atmosphere of the Irish style pub, a location that is now frequented by just as many college students as Ewing and Trenton locals.
The Williams family, originally from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, purchased "The Shamrock" in 1995, with a vision based on their native neighborhood, a place dotted with saloons or churches on every corner.
The brother sister pair of James Williams and Susan Scott named the tavern after their grandfather, William Patrick "Buddy" Williams.
From pool and dart leagues, to 21st birthday celebrations, where those turning legal hop behind the bar to serve their friends complimentary shots and come away with attire reading, "I turned 21 at Buddy's Shamrock Tavern and all I got was this lousy T-shirt," the Williams strive to make The Shamrock a fun and comfortable spot, where all feel welcome.
Management even offers a safe ride. The big green Shamrock school bus, painted with the phrase "Follow me to Buddy's," will transport a minimum group of 10 people to and from the bar at no charge.
"I said I would paint my ass green before I'd drive that bus," Dowiak said. Now she is a frequent designated driver for students at the College.
Tricia Kane, a senior elementary education major at the College, stopped at the Shamrock as part of her 21st birthday Ewing area bar crawl in September.
She ended the night Irish stepdancing in front of a room of patrons, including a few of her closest college friends and some Ewing area locals that helped her celebrate the milestone.
"It was an unexpected good time," Kane said, whose favorite aspects of the bar are the pick-up dart games in the back room and the electronic quiz wiz video screen.
Scott's two school-aged children hang out in the bar too, and according to their mother, they like to play Quiz Wiz just as much as Kane.
While most kids are told not to play ball in the house, the bar is such a home to the Williams family that when Scott's son walked in the door, sporting a back pack and bouncing a kick ball, his Uncle James, who lives above the tavern, scolded him with, "What did I say about playing ball in the bar?"
The Shamrock is modeled after a classic Irish pub, a place people enjoy not just for its food and beer, but also because it is a neighborhood center to gather and socialize with friends and family.
"In Ireland, you can just get drunk and be yourself," Scott said. "Even dogs go to the bar, because the floors (in Irish pubs) are made of stone, people bring dogs to keep their feet warm."
The Williams family has brought a piece of Irish charm to the Trenton area. The Shamrock boasts an Irish drinking team nicknamed "The Green Mile". About 100 members have been inducted into the club for downing an extended list of whiskeys, creams and beers.
Patrons are taught the team's secret handshake, and are awarded a T-shirt during official inductions, which are held on the 17th of each month.
Friday nights are college nights at the bar. Domestic pints are on tap for $1. During the pub's happy hour, domestic pitchers cost $6.50. After a few rounds of dollar beers and cheap pitchers, students from the College can be heard singing karaoke in tune with the locals.
"I like Shamrocks because it gives you the local bar feel while still having the college student atmosphere," John Gross, a senior secondary education biology major, who can often be spotted on a Shamrock barstool, said.
The tavern also features mid-week all-you-can-eat nights. Tuesday is pasta night, Wednesday is barbeque rib night and Thursday is Mexican fiesta night.
The Shamrock is open 11 a.m.- 2 a.m., seven days a week. The Williams also own the only Irish bar in Hamilton, Buddy's Shamrock Pub, on 2 Elmwood Ave. in Hamilton.
For more information on The Shamrock, or to request a safe ride on the Buddy Bus, call 609-406-0260.
(02/04/04 12:00pm)
Not all viewers tuned in to CBS on Sunday just to see the Patriots battle the Panthers. The showdown in Houston marked the twentieth anniversary of Super Bowl XVIII, remembered not only for a 49er defense that shut down passing sensation Dan Marino, but for the 60 seconds of airtime that created a national pastime - the Super Bowl commercial.
Apple's Computer's 1984 advertisement was the first in a line of expensive, eye-catching football interruptions.
From the McDonald's shootout between Michael Jordan and Larry Bird when the first star to miss his shot was threatened with witnessing the other scarf down a Big Mac and fries, to the Bud Bowl and "Bud" "Weis" and "Er" frogs, Super Bowl commercials have been as much a source of entertainment as the game itself.
This season, the issues surrounding Super Bowl advertising weren't just in reference to cheetahs whose spots spelled out "Do the Dew," or women with cat-like reflexes catching Doritos in their mouths. Advertising in Super Bowl XXXVIII was not so simple. After CBS refused to air a commercial titled "Child's Play," the winner of moveon.org's "Bush in 30 Seconds" ad contest, moveon.org claimed that CBS was stifling free speech and called for a oneminute boycott of the network's halftime show.
Some viewers made a statement against large media companies censoring political speech by switching to CNN to watch the commercial that depicted children performing adult labor. The advertisement ends with the words, "Guess who is going to pay off President Bush's $1 trillion deficit?" CBS cited its policy against advocacy ads, but the White House was permitted to run an ad during this year's big game, and in previous years Super Bowl commercials have focused on more controversial issues than the deficit. A 2002 commercial implied that buying drugs funds terrorism.
Free speech is not a partisan issue. The media must be open for all sides to express their views, and by censoring its ads CBS is setting a dangerous precedent that our country cannot afford for other media corporations to follow.
(10/28/03 5:00pm)
Freshmen swimmers dove into collegiate competition, playing key roles in the College's men's and women's season opening sweep at Montclair State University (MSU) on Saturday.
Women's Swimming
The women's squad defeated MSU's Red Hawks 148-73, giving the team a 1-0 start to the season.
In the first meet of her senior season, diver Kristen Simms posted a national qualifying score of 412:125 in the one-meter event.
"Everyone that swam main events swam well," Head Coach Jennifer Harnett said.
The Lions captured the 400-meter medley relay by teaming up seniors Aubrey Horvath and Lauren O'Donnell with freshmen Tara Plusch and Kendall Warren.
"It was a good chance for a lot of the freshmen to swim without pressure," O'Donnell said. "We lost a lot of girls to graduation, but the freshman class is working hard and we're working together."
In her collegiate debut, Warren also won the 100-meter backstroke in a time of 2:22:39 and the 200-meter freestyle in 2:04:61. O'Donnell took the 500-meter freestyle in 5:31:01 and Horvath captured the 50-meter freestyle in a time of 25.10.
Harnett believes the key positions left open by graduation will not only be filled by the talented rookie class, but by versatile veteran swimmers who are able to switch roles on the team.
"There is a lot of opportunity for people to shine this year," Harnett said.
Sophomore Erin Stutz, who holds the College record in the 400-meter individual medley, swam and won the 1000 freestyle on Saturday. Harnett praised Stutz performance.
Fellow sophomores Jen Lyon and Beth Hurley also contributed to the win. Lyon came out on top of the 200-meter butterfly event and Hurley won the 100-meter freestyle.
Men's Swimming
The College's men's team finished first in every swimming event, handing MSU a 136-92 defeat. The College's record is now 1-0.
"We swam well," Head Coach Brian Bishop said. "We knew they were a rebuilding team, so we were just trying to work out our kinks."
Junior Davy Bisslik won the 200-meter freestyle in 1:49.72, and was a member of the top 400-meter medley relay team. Other winning relay team members were seniors Wess Donnelly, John Malecki and Steve Nepola. The group swam a time of 3:40.97 in the event. Malecki also won the 200-meter IM in 2:06.72 and Nepola won the 100-meter freestyle in 50.66.
The men lost talented team members to graduation, but Bishop is optimistic about the rest of the season. "We had a real good recruiting year, and are hoping for big things," he said.
"This was our chance to see our freshmen compete live," Bishop added.
The freshmen team members won a number of events for the Lions. Anthony Bartolone took the 1000-meter freestyle in 10:30.41, Kyle King won the 50-meter freestyle in 22.61 and freshman George Savulich won the 200-meter butterfly race with a time of 2:03.03.
Other freshmen who contributed to the win include Jonaid Lone and Mark Rynone.
"We know what our upperclassmen can do," Bishop said. "We wanted to see what our freshmen can do, and they swam well."
"A lot of guys had some great swims for this early in the season," senior Adam Beal said.
Junior Jack O'Donnell won the 200-meter backstroke in 2:07.23, fellow junior Brian Rahter took the 500-meter freestyle in a time of 5:08.90 and sophomore Steve Swenson won the 200-meter breaststroke in 2:15.64.
"It was a good opener, and it helped us to gear up for the next couple of meets," Bishop said.
Upcoming Meet
The Lions next meet is at the Kutztown University with Franklin & Marshall College on Nov. 11, at 6 p.m.
(10/07/03 4:00pm)
The College's men's and women's cross-country teams tested themselves against top talent at the Paul Short Invitational at Lehigh University last Saturday.
Georgetown University captured both ends of the competition.
The Hoya women, ranked 10th in Division I (DI), posted 28 points to best the 32-team field of Division I, Division II (DII) and Division III (DIII) programs.
The Georgetown University men scored 31 points to place first of the 33 teams competing in the all-division race.
Women's Cross Country
The women, ranked 15th in DIII, scored 466 points to finish in 17th place, among the top DIII teams in the competition. The men, ranked 13th in DIII, took 15th place overall, with a score of 427.
"The meet gave us the chance to run against top DI programs," Head Coach Steve Dolan said. "We had a good performance, and came out in the middle of the field of outstanding competition."
Senior Beth Vesey led the Lions with a 19th place finish and a time of 21:39 on the 6,000 meter course.
"Beth had a great finish," Dolan said. "This was as good as I have seen her run in college."
Seniors Lindsay Scarborough and Erin Cahill posted a time of 22:43 to take 79th place and 22:50 to finish 86th, respectfully.
"This was our first big meet," Cahill said. "A lot of underclassmen stepped up."
Freshmen Christine Nystrom and Jenna Fasulo and sophomore Kara Horner helped the Lions stay in pace with the competition.
Nystrom took 125th place, Horner finished in 158th place and Fasulo picked up 167th place in the race.
"It was the first time running this race for a lot of girls, and they did really well," Vesey said. "It is the middle of the season, and this race shows us where we stand."
Men's Cross Country
The men competed without top runner, senior Adrian Cline, who stayed out of the race because a heel injury.
But without Cline, who broke the record at the Connecticut College Invitational earlier in the season, the Lions still managed to run a strong race, Dolan said.
Dolan highlighted junior Brian Donavan's performance.
Donovan took 42nd place in the 8,000 meter race, with a time of 25:23. Senior Brian Brach finished in 55th place and posted a time of 25:32.
"Our whole top seven really stepped up," Donovan said.
Junior Sean Lesniak finished 98th by running 26:02, and freshman Marc Altenau took 111th in 26:13.
Juniors Joe Lacovara-Switzer and Chris Burns finished back-to-back in 122nd and 123rd in times of 26:19 and 26:20, respectively.
"It was a good competition," Dolan said. "We like to give ourselves a test in the middle of the season, and I think that is exactly what we got."
Upcoming Meet
The Lions will compete next at the Lafayette College Invitational on Oct. 18.
(09/16/03 4:00pm)
The College's men's cross-country team ignited its season by taking first place in its fall opener and setting an individual course record. The women posted a third place finish at the Connecticut College Invitational at Harkness Memorial Park on Saturday.
In his inaugural first place College finish, senior Adrian Cline bested the pack by running a record breaking time of 25:33 on the 8,000 meter course.
"We weren't going out to win it," Cline said. "We were going out to put in a good race. A group of us were taking it easy, and started pushing it after the middle of the race. I got the lead and was able to hold off the second place finisher."
The College scored 56 points to win the meet. Second place finisher Tufts University, scored 78 points to narrowly edge third place finisher, Southern Connecticut State by 79 points.
"A couple of veteran guys ran real well and it was really exciting," Head coach Steve Dolan said. "The first three guys had great races, and the next two did as well."
Senior Brian Brach placed third in the race with a time of 25:37, followed by junior Brian Donavon who placed fourth with a time of 25:44.
Junior Sean Lesniak finished 23rd by running a 26:35, and freshman Marc Altenau finished 25th with his time of 27:35.
"I was surprised and happy with our finish," Cline said.
The women's cross-country team, ranked 6th, took third place with 86 points. The Trinity College Tigers won the meet with 18 points, and top-ranked Williams College Purple Cows took second with 86 points.
"The team had some good runs and should continue to improve as the season goes on," Dolan said.
Senior Beth Vesey led the Lions by posting a time of 18:34, and finishing in second place, in the 5,000 meter run. Senior Lindsay Scarborough finished 13th with a time of 19:18, and senior Erin Cahill came in 22nd with a time 19:28.
Sophomore Kara Horner and freshman Christine Nystrom also scored points for the Lions with their 23rd and 26th place finishes.
"It was a good start and a good weekend for the entire team," Vesey said. "Both teams should be competitive in the New Jersey Athletic Conference as well as the Atlantic Region," Dolan said.
(09/16/03 12:00pm)
The smallest of organizations can do the greatest of good. Phi Alpha Delta brought this message to Bert Davis, associate athletic director and students who now use the newly renovated weight room in the basement of the Student Recreation Center.
Under the supervision of Davis, seven active brothers and several alumni spent 17 and a half hours during the third weekend in July, painting the walls and cleaning the machines, weights and floor mats.
"People called the place the dungeon," said Keith Horbatuck, president of Phi Alpha Delta. "The machines were bad. The place was disgusting."
"They supplied the labor, and I supplied the materials," Davis said.
"They had inspiration and followed through, and deserve a lot of credit," Davis added.
Mike Robortaccio, vice president of the organization and director of the weight room clean-up, said that a regular group of about 50 students use the room throughout the day to work with heavier weights than those in the Packer Hall gym. The weight room is equipped with free weights, barbells and dumbbells.
The fraternity's efforts are part of a larger renovation that is taking place at the Rec. Center. "We are going to be renovating the entire building in phases," Davis said.
The first phase is currently underway.
The College is installing a new heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system in the Rec. Center.
Upon completion of the HVAC system, the College plans to create racquetball courts and fitness rooms for power lifting, free weights and cardiovascular equipment.
Rooms for activities like aerobics and martial arts will also be included.
"We are revitalizing the entire building, and bringing it back to a rec. center," Davis said.
The brothers of Phi Alpha Delta are happy to be able to give something back to the campus.
"Because we are a local fraternity, we get to pick and choose projects. We vote on projects that benefit the community and campus as a whole," Robortaccio said.
Phi Alpha Delta participates in a range of community service events including a monthly campus clean-up, and is in the process of signing up members to compete in the Philadelphia Marathon to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
"Even though we are a small organization, we try our best to give back," Robortaccio said of the fraternity, which has seven active brothers.
"Even with limited manpower, there are a lot of things you can do if you put your mind to it."
(04/29/03 4:00pm)
The College held on for two wins on Sunday and kept their playoff hopes alive as they bested Kean University in both ends of the home doubleheader.
The College, rallied for five runs in the fourth inning of the second game and held on to the lead to post an 8-4 victory over Kean University.
The Cougars jumped out to an early lead after scoring one run in the second and two in the third, before the Lions took control.
Kristen Zimmerman, sophomore right fielder, led the Lion charge with a two-for-four performance at the plate. She scored two runs and drove in one.
After pitching four innings of relief, striking out three batters and allowing only one earned run, rookie Jackie Schnorrbusch improved to 6-1 on the season.
Lions 4, Cougars 3
The Lions (22-10 overall, 9-7 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC)) won the earlier game of the contest, when Zimmerman smashed a double to right center, then crossed the plate on a Cougar error in the bottom of the seventh inning, to notch the 4-3 victory.
Carolyn Kaschak, junior shortstop, drove in the first run of the game in the fifth inning. Her single to left center drove in Danielle Bertran, junior leftfielder. The Lions rallied for two more runs in the inning, scoring both on Cougar errors.
Kean threatened to take the lead in the top of the seventh. After a two-run homer off the bat of rookie designated hitter Allie Cenci, the Cougars evened the score at three when freshman infielder Jessica Kwiatkowski singled home sophomore outfielder Megan Sworen.
Sophomore pitcher Jessica Donahue struck out 10 Cougars at the plate and improved to 12-5 with the win.
During the break between Sunday's two games, the College honored the team's three graduating seniors, Jen Kichula, Lauren McEvoy and Michele Meier, as well junior Katie Fritz, who, due to academic conflicts, will not able to take the field next season.
McEvoy, who injured her knee earlier in the season, recently returned to the lineup, only to break her arm when she was hit by a wild pitch.
"Lauren's bat not being in the lineup was one of the differences," Sally Miller, head coach, said, in reference to the team's six game losing streak.
Over the athletic careers of the four honorees, the College has posted an overall 107-53 record, with one tie and an NJAC record of 40-19.
Riding on four straight victories after Sunday afternoon's pair of wins, the postseason once again looks like a possibility to the team, who last week snapped its six-game losing streak.
"One bad week defined our season," Bertran said. "We really want to make the NJAC's. If we can get there, we know we can do a good job."
"Things are turning around for us," Kichula said. "Everyone has given their all, and I could not be happier with the team."
Upcoming Game
After Sunday's victories, the Lions must win their final two games against Montclair State University and hope for a few other rivals to lose in order to advance to the playoffs.
"We are in control of the way that we end," Miller said.
"We will try to keep focus on what we need to do, and not on how other teams play," Miller added.
(04/22/03 4:00pm)
After a disappointing week of play, including doubleheader losses to Rutgers-Camden and undefeated Ramapo College, the College's softball team dropped another pair of tight losses to William Paterson University on Saturday at Wightman Field.
"They were two tough losses that we needed to win," sophomore Kristen Zimmerman said, in reference to the College's 1-0 opening game and 5-4 nightcap defeats. "The NJAC is not really in our hands. We wish it was, but we have to win the rest of our games to keep it in our control."
William Paterson University jumped out to an early lead in the second game of the doubleheader, posting three runs in the first inning.
Shortstop Katie Morris slammed a two-run double to ignite the Pioneers, and pitcher Sam Kszepka drilled an RBI single to continue the rally.
The Lions (5-7 New Jersey Athletic Conference, 18-10 overall) took a 4-3 lead during a three run third inning, forcing the Pioneers to turn to their bullpen in relief. Senior Diane Catalano answered the call by retiring the last batter of the inning, and the next 12 straight Lions to enter the batter's box. She allowed only one hit in her four-and-a-third innings on the mound.
The Pioneers sent eight batters to the plate in the bottom of the sixth, and scored two runs to recapture the lead, and post a final 5-4 victory over the Lions.
Pioneers 1, Lions 0
Sophomore pitcher Jessica Donahue hurled eight innings of scoreless softball, allowing just two hits, giving up one base and fanning four Pioneer batters, before the Pioneers defeated the Lions 1-0 in the ninth inning of the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader.
"I felt good on Saturday," Donahue said. "It is a shame we lost, we definitely played better than we have in the past week or two, but it did not show in the end result."
Donohue and William Paterson University pitcher Sam Kszepka showcased their arms in a pitching duel. Kszepka also gave up only two hits and one base on balls in the contest. She struck out seven to record her second shut out of the spring and improved her record to 6-0 this season. Donohue fell to 10-5 with the loss.
The Pioneers posted the lone run of the game in the bottom of the ninth inning, when right fielder Danielle Patlen started the inning off on second base, in compliance with the international tiebreaker rule. The Pioneers managed to load the bases with only one out. Patlen crossed the plate, and scored the decisive run, as a result of a Lion error.
"We have to keep stepping up from here, and finish the season on a good note," Donohue said.
Upcoming Game
The Lions host Kean University on April 26, 12:00 p.m.
(04/08/03 4:00pm)
The College's softball squad split their Wednesday doubleheader with New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) rival Rowan University, shutting out the Profs in the first game, 4-0, before dropping in a tight 3-2 decision in the second half of the home action.
The Lions now post an impressive 16-4 overall record, along with a 3-1 NJAC record, and are ranked No. 10 nationally according to the most recent Division III poll. After Wednesday's games, the Profs evened out at 9-9 overall, with a 1-3 record in the NJAC.
The College was previously hammered by Rowan in the start of the season at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla., when they were handed a 14-2 defeat. Lion players view their success in the recent doubleheader as redemption against their local rival.
"It felt very good after a disappointing loss before," junior shortstop Carolyn Kaschak said. "We felt like we had control over both games."
Rowan started the second game off strongly when sophomore center fielder Nicole Panikiewsky smashed a solo home run in the bottom of the third to give the Profs 1-0 lead. The Lions retaliated the following inning by scoring two runs off of the bats of Kaschak and NJAC Rookie of the Week freshman pitcher Katie Quigley. Quigley hit an RBI double to drive home junior second baseman Katie Fritz, and then scored on Kaschak's RBI double.
The College remained on top until the sixth inning, when Rowan junior first baseman Crystal Barbour smacked a single, driving in two runs, and allowing Rowan to recapture the lead, which they would hold for the remainder of the game. Quigley threw for five innings in the defeat, letting up two runs on five hits, while fanning a pair. Sophomore pitcher Jessica Donohue took the loss for the Lions. She came in for Quigley in the sixth and gave up the unearned winning run.
Lions 4, Profs 0
Donahue shut down the Profs in the first game, earning a complete game shut out, while striking out five, in the Lions' 4-0 victory.
The College swung for the lead in the bottom of the third, when senior center fielder Michelle Meier singled home sophomores Siobhan Scullin and Cristina Venetucci, to give the College an early 2-0 advantage. The Lions upped the lead to four, when Kaschak slammed a two-run double, scoring Fritz and Scullin. Donahue held on for the victory.
"Jess showed a lot of heart," Fritz said. "She just shut their team down."
"We all focused on our own game, whatever we had to do to come out and beat them," Fritz added. "We came out and put things together to get the win."
After defeating Rowan, Kaschak feels that the Lions have no limit this season.
"If we play our game, we can beat anyone in the league, anyone in the country," Fritz said.
Upcoming Game
The Lions play April 10, 3 p.m., at home against Gwynedd-Mercy College.
(04/01/03 5:00pm)
A late-game Lion rally was not enough to overpower the Cougars in the final half of doubleheader action at Kean University on Sunday.
Kean jumped out to a quick lead, when sophomore right fielder Justin Nathanson picked up a pair of RBIs in the bottom of the second on a single shot through the left side, which scored freshman designated hitter Kevin Wright and sophomore left fielder Anthony Puzzo.
Kean increased their lead to four, in the bottom of the sixth. Senior catcher Michael Davis drove in senior center fielder Ryan Flannery. Davis took advantage of a Lion throwing error and also scored in the inning.
The Lions rallied back in the bottom of the seventh. Already with two outs against them, the Lions picked up two runs on two hits and a walk. After Kean quickly retired two batters, junior pitcher Steve Czajka drew a walk, and junior right fielder Jon Mizglewski singled through the left side. Both scored off of Schoonhoven's double down the left field line.
With the Cougars leading 4-2 in the top of the ninth, the Lions had runners on first and second, and the go-ahead run at the plate, with only one out. The Lions were unable to capitalize on the situation, and left both runners on base, as Kean reliever Jason Roman, retired the final two the Lion batters.
In the earlier portion of the double header, Senior pitcher Steve Bucchignano lead the Cougar charge in the first game, and picked up the 6-3 complete game win, allowing just four hits and one earned run while fanning five at the plate. Fellow senior Bobby Baykowski picked up the win in the second half of play by lasting into the eigth inning and striking out five, before senior reliever Jason Roman retired the Lions, in Kean's 4-2 victory.
Kean came out swinging in the first game, posting a 2-0 lead by the fourth inning, before the Lions tied the game in the sixth, and lost it in the eighth.
The Lions scored their first run in the top of the fifth inning, when junior second basemen Chris Schoonhoven drove home senior right fielder Greg Martinez on a sacrifice fly to right, trimming the deficit to one run.
Cougar designated hitter Kevin Wright reestablished the two run lead by blasting a solo home run over the left field fence in the bottom half of the inning.
The Lions caught up in the sixth, and tied the game at four. Martinez drove home junior centerfielder Jason Gumnitz, and junior third baseman Steve Czajka picked up an RBI single, when designated hitter Brian Hickey crossed the plate, and scored the tying run.
Kean broke the tie in the eighth, when they scored three runs off of two College errors. The Cougars were able to hold onto the lead through the final four Lion batters.
The Lions overall record in the young season is now 11-5-1 and they dropped to 1-3 in the NJAC.
Profs 5, Lions 4
The Lions also fell to Rowan earlier in the week by a score of 5-4. The Lions managed to load the bases in the bottom of the ninth, but failed to score the deciding run.
Senior shortstop Nick Stine went 2-5 on the game and picked up three RBIs off of a double and a home run. Schoonhoven hit 2-4 and scored a run in the loss.
Upcoming Game
The Lions play at Rutgers University-Camden on April 3 at 3 p.m.
(03/25/03 5:00pm)
The Lions pushed their winning streak to six as they bested the University of Rochester for the third time in two days, capping off a triumphant first weekend of home play.
The Lions (13-3) took on Rochester in a Sunday doubleheader, shutting out the Yellow Jackets 5-0 in the opening game, behind the one-hit pitching performance of sophomore Jessica Donohue. The Lions closed out the day by posting a 7-2 win in the second game.
"We have been on a roll," junior right fielder Danielle Bertran said. "Any time we step on the field, we feel like we are going to win."
Sunday's victories came after a previous 7-4 win over Rochester in a round-robin hosted by the College on Saturday, where the Lions also defeated Ursinus College by a score of 4-3.
"To play four games, and to win four games is a great feeling," Katie Fritz, junior second baseman, said.
"It has been a team effort, every game," Sally Miller, head coach said. "We do not have one, two or even three players carrying this team. We have consistent starters as well as people coming off the bench. Everyone adds to the wins."
The Lions swung for 15 hits in the final game, behind the bats of senior Jen Kichula, junior Carolyn Kaschak and sophomore Kristen Zimmerman. Both Kichula and Zimmerman were flawless in the batter's box.
Kichula went 4-for-4 at the plate, improving her career-hit tally to 113. Zimmerman hit 3-for-3 on the game, and Kaschak chipped in with an impressive 3-for-4 performance and three runs scored.
Freshman starting pitcher Jackie Schnorrbusch improved her season record to 4-1 with the win, while fellow freshman Kelly Quigley recorded a save for her final innings of work on the mound.
"It is always hard to beat a team three times in a row, because you learn the tricks and plays of the opposing team," Fritz said.
"We were shown a lot of things after playing them twice that we were able to use to our advantage," Miller said. "We were able to dissect them to a key, and attack them with our weapons."
The opening game of the doubleheader was highlighted by Donahue's sixth straight win. The sophomore struck out eight Yellow Jackets at the plate in her first career one-hitter.
The College rallied for 11 hits in the victory. Seniors Lauren McEvoy and Michele Meier both went 2-for-3 from the batter's box, while Kichula and Kaschak batted 2-for-4. Kichula blasted an RBI double in the first inning, to drive Kaschak in for a run.
"It was a successful weekend, and a good home start," Fritz said.
The Lions begin conference play this Saturday, as they take on Rutgers-Newark at home.
"We have a positive outlook and are gaining confidence," Bertran said. "Everyone feels excited to start playing our first conference games."
"The way we've been playing, we're ready to go," Miller said.
(03/18/03 5:00pm)
The Lion softball squad returned to the state with an impressive 7-3 record and an optimistic outlook on the 2003 season, after kicking off the Spring, competing in the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Florida.
Despite losing the first two games of the week by one run each, the Lions battled back to post a seven-game winning streak, including the defeat of No. 1-ranked Ithaca and No. 2- ranked Lake Forrest, before state rival Rowan handed the College a 14-2 loss in its final game.
The Profs rallied for 12 runs in the bottom of the second, before defeating the College in five innings. The Lions managed to swing for four hits, behind the bats of seniors Lauren McEvoy and Michele Meier and sophomore Kristen Zimmerman. All three hit 1-for-2 from the plate.
"We know they are a big rival, and sometimes games just don't go right," Carolyn Kaschak, junior shortstop, said. "The biggest thing is, it was one game. We take the mistakes and learn from them."
"Rowan showed us what we have to work up to for the season," Katie Fritz, junior infielder, said. "But our record shows what a great team we are. We are very powerful, and everyone contributed to our wins."
Prior to being bested by local opponent Rowan, the College extended its winning streak to seven by beating the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in a 7-3 bought.
The College opened the game by tallying one run in each of the first two innings, and then exploded for five in the third inning.
Karen Murphy, junior designated hitter, stood out with a flawless 3-for-3 performance in the batter's box. Jen Kichula, senior catcher, and McEvoy also contributed with their bats, both hitting 2-for3 for the game.
Jessica Donahue, sophomore pitcher, posted her fourth win of the young season, by enduring seven innings, fanning six, and giving up six hits.
"Jessica shut them down," Zimmerman said. "They beat us last year, and we jumped all over them this year."
Throughout the week, the youthful Lions' pitching rotation put on a positive showing, highlighted by the tremendous efforts of Donahue, who went 4-1 on the week and struck out 35 batters at the plate.
Rookie hurlers Kelly Quigley and Jackie Schnorrbusch also contributed to the team's success.
"The freshman pitchers learned a lot," Sally Miller, head coach, said. "They got a good idea of where we want them to be, and where they need to be."
Along with the rookies, veteran players making their starting debuts stepped it up and elevated their play.
"Karen Murphy was amazing, and called a great game behind the plate," Danielle Bertran, junior outfielder, said.
"We won a lot of games as a team," Kaschak said. "Everyone contributed."
Miller said the success of the Lions squad at the Rebel Spring Games yields an optimistic outlook for the remainder of the season. Many players are hitting at high percentages and defense is coming together.
"It was a really good start, and a very positive week," Miller said.