Weekly Recap - May 4-10

FINALLY we had competition again after a 10-day break that seemed like forever. Hopefully all of our students survived finals week and will enjoy their time at home before coming back to us in the fall.

The Athletics Department was well represented at graduation, and we are so proud of each person that was able to walk across the stage to get that degree, whether a bachelor’s or master’s. Track star Dionne Gibson (pictured left) was awared the 2009 Hunter Cup.

While on the academics, we are also proud of the six perfect APR scores (baseball, men’s basketball, women’s golf, softball and soccer) that came out in the NCAA’s 2009 report. In addition to the one-year success, 14 of our 16 sports came in over the 925 threshold over a four-year period with the other two receiving a squad-adjustment, meaning CSU made it through without any penalties.

Athlete of the Week:
Misha Morris has been named the CSU Athlete of the Week this week after shattering the 100m school record, qualifying herself for the NCAA East Regional in the event.

Morris’ time of 11.52 was just 0.01 seconds off the Big South record, breaking the CSU mark by 0.2 seconds and winning the event at the Orange and Purple Classic, hosted by Clemson. She also ran a season-best 24.20 in the 200m dash on Saturday.

Results from Last Week:

May 6, Baseball @ College of Charleston, L/ 10-3, L/5-2
The C of C bats were hot once again as they took both games of a double header to get the competition started back. Both were seven-inning games to allow for a late (5 p.m.) start time. Derek Smith knocked his first homerun out of the park, while Jake Cox and Patrick Dolan also hit homers in the series. Usually weekend starters, Jesse Cadenhead and Anthony Markham got the starts, and unfortunately took the losses for CSU, with Cadenhead pitching a six-inning, complete game.

May 7, Baseball @ USC Upstate, L/10-3
Back on the road the next night, the Bucs had to travel to Spartanburg to face USC Upstate, a team that shut out Tennessee earlier in the season for a 1-0 victory. CSU scattered nine hits and got another homer by Derek Smith, but could not hold down the Spartans, despite using a total of seven pitchers. After three tough losses in two nights, CSU got the weekend off before facing Savannah State in a double header on Tuesday, May 12.

May 7 – May 9, Softball @ Big South Tournament
All five times that CSU and Gardner-Webb have faced off on the softball diamond this year have been interesting games to say the least. During the regular season, CSU took the series with a walk-off hit on what was supposed to be an intentional walk. That win gave CSU the fourth seed going into the 2009 Big South Championship, hosted by Radford. It also gave GWU the fifth-seed, meaning the two teams would face off again in the first round. CSU did not get a hit in the game until the sixth inning, when a three-batter stretch ended with a three-run homerun by Gail Matsushima to give CSU a 3-2 lead, despite having just two hits. Needing to get just one more out to seal the victory in the seventh, GWU came through with a two-run double to take the lead back. They went on to add an insurance run and won the opening game 5-3.

CSU would have to think about the disappointing loss all night before facing the second seeded Eagles of Winthrop with their tournament life on the line. Wellons pitched an incredible one-hitter to give CSU a chance, and the bats responded, giving the Bucs a 3-1 victory, setting up a rematch with GWU.

Tied 2-2 after the full seven innings, the game went into the bottom of the eighth before lightning and rain forced the two teams to spend the night, resuming play first thing the next morning. After a squeeze play failed in the bottom of the 10th, it was up to Megan Hall, who came through with an RBI single to plate the game-winning run, knocking GWU out of the tournament and advancing CSU to within one game of the championship.

To get there, they would have to go through the #3 seed Liberty. Despite three hits from Megan Hall, and loading the bases in the first inning, CSU fell 3-1, ending their tournament run just shy of their ultimate goal. Coach Winkler, in his first year, saw his team to a 26-33 overall record and their best regular season record since 2001, and best tournament finish since 1993.

Jamie Wellons and Megan Hall were each named to the all-tournament team, while Amy Trenkamp, Jamie Wellons, (both first-team), Melissa Adams and Megan hall (second-team) were all selected as all-conference. Gail Matsushima was named to the academic all-conference team.

May 9, Women’s Track @ Orange and Purple Classic
The final event of the week was another exciting one as CSU went to Clemson with hopes of qualifying additional athletes for the upcoming NCAA East Regional meet. They did just that as Misha Morris ran 11.52 in the 100m dash, shattering the old record (11.73) held by Dionne Gibson. Morris won the event and easily hit the NCAA mark to qualify for the East Regional. Gabrielle Houston also won her event and qualified for the NCAA meet with a 23.78-second finish in the 200m dash. Houston improved her mark for Junior Nationals as well as the freshman ran a new personal-best. Amerikorie Odey finished as the runner-up in the 400m hurdles, while Christi English finished fourth in the triple jump.

What’s coming up:
Tuesday, May 12 – Baseball vs. Savannah State (DH/7 inning games) – 1 p.m.

Thursday, May 14 – Baseball @ Coastal Carolina – 6 p.m.

Friday, May 15 – Baseball @ Coastal Carolina – 6 p.m.

Saturday, May 16 – Baseball @ Coastal Carolina – 2 p.m.

Friday-Saturday, May 15-16 – Track @ Georgia Tech Invitational