Brethauer Excited for UMW Career
September 1, 2010
By KELLY SCOTT
After six years as an assistant coach for Columbia University, Abby Brethauer takes the position of head coach for Men’s and Women’s Varsity Swimming at Mary Washington. Following a surprising leave by former coach Matt Sellman, Brethauer has already begun implementing her ideas and passion for the sport into the program.
“I feel so lucky to walk into a program with such great history,” Brethauer said. “I have big goals, but I know a lot comes from talking to the team. If they aren’t on board, it doesn’t matter.”
Having big goals is an understatement for Brethauer, who would love nothing more than to one day beat her Division III alma mater, Kenyon College. Kenyon College is considered one of the top swimming schools in all of NCAA Division III, with their varsity men’s swimming team having won 31 consecutive national championships and the women’s team having won 23 titles since 1984. Last year the Mary Washington women’s team ranked fourth and the men’s team ranked 21st, so a good base is set for Brethauer to build upon.
As a former NCAA Division III record holder and three-time team national champion at Kenyon, Brethauer believes her college swimming background will give her an edge.
“Coming from one of the top D III schools, I know how it’s done,” Brethauer said. “We were no different than any other teams despite the mystique, and once you get past that, it’s easier to think about beating them.”
The swimmers, each with a few goals of their own, are also excited about Brethauer’s hopes for the future of the UMW swimming program.
“She seems awesome,” junior Caroline Deluca said. “[She’s] so chill and low-key, exactly what we need after a loss. I’m excited for a good season with her.”
The Eagles will have quite a transition this year, but through the input and guidance of the seniors, Brethauer plans to keep many traditions and routines the same to make the change as easy as possible.
“I have a couple of sets I want to incorporate– those kind of sets that as soon as you finish, you know they made you better, whether you failed or not,” Brethauer said. “You see, I think failure is a good thing. Watch me fail, and then watch how I come back from it.”
According to the swimmers, as long as Brethauer is ready to tackle challenges, have fun, and really work with the dynamic of the team, UMW swimming will only thrive in the years to come.
Senior Ashley Green had some words of wisdom for her new coach.
“Keep an open mind about everything. Have fun with it and get to know everyone as best you can,” she said.
With everybody on board, the Eagles plan on having even more success in the CAC Conference as they strive to win their 21st and 11th consecutive conference titles for the women and men’s teams respectively.
Strasburg Sidelined 12-18 Months
September 1, 2010
Back on June 8, everyone at my friend Coleman’s house had a look of glee on their face. We were all mesmerized by this you
ng 21-year old flamethrower and were captivated by each pitch that left his hand. Smiles and high fives were exchanged after a particularly nasty pitch and cheers rang out after each baffled batter walked back to the dugout with looks of utter confusion on their faces.
The Nationals prized pitching prospect Stephen Strasburg didn’t just look like the real deal–– it was more than that. The electrifying fastball was his trademark pitch, and on this, the night of his major league debut, it was routinely in the 98-101 MPH range. But Strasburg was far from just a hard thrower; this kid was a true pitcher. He mixed in a 90 MPH change up (yes, change up), a 93-94 MPH sinker, and a devastating, knee-buckling curveball. Four plus-pitches that the phenom could throw for strikes at any time in any count. Strasburg dazzled in his first MLB start, giving up just two runs while striking out 14 batters, including the last seven he faced. This was it, a savior for Washington area baseball.
Just about seven weeks after the memorable debut, Strasburg was scratched from his scheduled start against the Atlanta Braves because he couldn’t get loose before the game. Strasburg was later put on the DL with shoulder stiffness, and everyone in D.C. thanked their lucky stars that it wasn’t anything more serious than that.
Strasburg returned rather quickly and in just his third start off the DL, he was in the midst of dominating the reigning two-time NL Champion Phillies. It looked as though the rookie was back to form, lighting up the radar gun again while tallying six strikeouts and surrendering just two hits in 4.1 innings. Then Strasburg threw what appeared to be just another ordinary 97 MPH fastball, except this time something wasn’t right. Strasburg winced in pain and shook his arm.
Once again all Washington area baseball fans held their breath as their baseball savior walked off the field and was later put on the DL for a second time in his short major league career. As Nationals fans said a collective prayer for the man that Washington outfielder Nyjer Morgan nicknamed “Jesus,” Strasburg underwent two different MRI’s. Unfortunately, Nationals fans weren’t so lucky this time around, as the second of the MRI’s revealed that Strasburg had a torn ligament in his pitching elbow that will require the dreaded Tommy John surgery. The surgery has been scheduled for tomorrow and the estimated timetable for recovery from this surgery is 12-18 months, meaning that not only is Strasburg’s rookie season finished, but that most likely the next time fans will get a chance to see him pitch again won’t come until 2012.
But the big question remains, which Stephen Strasburg will baseball fans see when he does return? Will he be able to recapture the brief dominance he had in his short stint in the majors? Will he be able to dial his fastball up to 100 again or snap those nasty curves the same way he showed this season? While it’s true that Tommy John surgery has seen advancements in recent years, and there have been more success stories recently (i.e. Chris Carpenter, Josh Johnson, Tim Hudson), it is still far from an exact science. While we all hope for the best, we just don’t know what the future holds for the National’s young star.
The thought of Strasburg’s unlimited potential going unreached is disheartening to say the least, but while we all hope otherwise it could very well be a reality. No one wants another Kerry Wood or Mark Prior story, but both of those guys were every bit as tantalizing to watch as Strasburg and their careers didn’t quite go as planned. So even though it was a sunny day in the mid-80’s last Friday in the Nation’s Capital, it seemed rather dark and gloomy out to me.
Fall Sports Preview
August 19, 2010
Once again the end of August is upon us, which means the start of a new school year and the beginning of Fall sports at Mary Washington.
The UMW men’s soccer team is trying to build on a successful 2009 season where they went 12-7-1 overall, 6-1-1 in conference play, and advanced to the second round of the CAC tournament. The men’s team will have to replace two first-team All-CAC selections from a year ago, as both Peter Toohey and Emmett Rutkowski have since graduated. But that doesn’t mean that this team lacks talent as they should be a force to be reckoned with in the conference. Sophomore Duke Mensah-Abrampah returns coming off a first-team All-CAC year in his own right as he tied for the team lead with seven goals. The Eagles’ also return a pair of All-CAC second-team players in junior Will Gallop and senior T.L. Tutor as well as the CAC Co-Coach of the Year, Roy Gordon. The conference will once again be very strong as defending CAC champion Salisbury is ranked 20th among all Division III schools in the country and York will return their top three goal-scorers from last season. The men’s soccer season is set to kick off Sept. 1 with a road bout against Virginia Wesleyan College.
The Eagles women’s soccer team had a great year in 2009 as well. After a solid regular season in which the team went 12-5-5 overall and 4-2 in conference play, the women’s squad caught fire in the CAC tournament as they upended both Stevenson and Salisbury (the top two teams in the regular season) in succession to win the CAC Championship. The team returns all but three players from last year’s squad, including five first-team All-CAC selections, and a second-team All-CAC player. Junior Amy Olson will once again look to lead the Eagles scoring attack and junior goalie Tina Brehm will continue to anchor the defense on the other end. The CAC looks to continue to be a powerhouse conference as both Stevenson and Salisbury appear very strong once again, but with all the returning talent on the UMW team they should be in contention for another CAC title. The women’s season begins on Sept. 1 with a home match against Shenandoah University.
Both the men’s and women’s cross country teams had excellent seasons last year as the men won the CAC title and the women finished second in the conference. However, coming into this season the men’s team has the biggest holes to fill, as they lost last year’s Men’s Runner of the Year Frank DeVar, to graduation. Not only that, but the men’s team also bid farewell to All-CAC first-team selection Brian Fulton and a pair of All-CAC second team runners in Matt Cash and Jake Pattyson. The team will need sophomore Scott Plunkett to continue to run well as he is the only All-CAC first team member UMW brings back from last year. Meanwhile, the women’s team is happy to return their Runner of the Year in senior Sarah Dawes for a final season. Dawes looks to help take the Lady Eagles to the next level this year and win the CAC Championship. Both teams will continue to be under the supervision of last year’s CAC Coach of the Year, Stan Soper, and continue the rich tradition of cross country here at UMW. The cross country season gets underway with the McDaniel College Invitational on Sept 11.
The UMW field hockey team had a respectable 2009 campaign. The Eagles went 12-8 overall and 4-2 in conference place to finish third in the CAC regular season standings. The ladies went on a run in the CAC tournament, advancing to the championship game before falling to Salisbury. The team returns two All-CAC first-team selections from last year in seniors Emma Jones and Heidi Sheehan as well as a pair of All-CAC second-team members as senior Nicole Conti and sophomore Florence George are back as well. Senior goalie Chrissy Bowdren also returns for one more year after posting the third best goals against average in the conference a season ago (1.71). Both Salisbury and York look to be very strong once again, but the talent on the UMW team gives them a chance to compete with both of those schools for CAC supremacy.
The volleyball team at UMW had a strong season in 2009 as they finished second in the CAC regular season standings with an 18-11 record overall and a 7-1 mark in conference play. The Eagles will have a tough task on their hands as they will have to replace last year’s CAC Athlete of the Year, Anne Lutkenhaus, who graduated in the Spring. With Lutkenhaus gone someone will need to step up to fill her shoes, and that means more pressure is going to fall on sophomore Laura Gomez, who was last year’s CAC Freshman of the Year. Fellow sophomores Karissa Herrick and Ellen Smethurst will also need to step up to help Gomez pile up the kills in order to fill the hole left my Lutkenhaus’ departure. However, the team still has a lot of young talent out on the court and that coupled with the guidance from the sidelines from last year’s CAC Coach of the Year Dee Conway should make UMW volleyball a CAC contender once again. The volleyball season is slated to begin Sept. 1 with a road game against North Carolina Wesleyan College.
Track & Field Places 2nd at CAC’s
April 22, 2010
Courtesy of Sam Plunkett
Last Saturday the University of Mary Washington men’s and women’s track and field teams competed at the 2010 Capital Athletic Conference Championships in Salisbury, Md.
Both teams put up a good fight but eventually walked away in second place behind CAC champion Salisbury University. The women’s failure to capture first especially stung, as it marked the end of their domination of the conference after a 16 year streak of CAC championships.
Conditions throughout the day were unfavorable with treacherous winds with accounts reminiscent of a twister. Despite the less than ideal conditions, the teams were prepared to compete in every race. The team knew that predictions of the meet had both the Salisbury and Mary Washington team scores quite similar.
“We knew that a lot of things would have to fall into place in order for us to come out with the win and we really needed some luck on our side,” junior Madalyn Crowell said.
As initial results started to tally up during the meet, chances of winning started to decline.
“I kept checking the points between our team and Salisbury. They were quite far ahead of us in terms of points from early on in the meet, but I just kept hoping that somehow we could catch up and surpass them,” Crowell said.
In the end, the Eagles were not able to keep scores as tightly as they wanted.
“The only thing that would’ve helped us is if we came into the meet with everybody we thought we were going to have,” junior Stephen Harrison said. “The team was riddled with injuries by the end of the season, which really hurt us as a unit.”
One of Mary Washington’s strengths is its talented numbers placed in each event; however, Salisbury boasts the same strategy and assets. On this day, the Eagles were outnumbered and thus fell short.
“They just have so much depth that it’s hard to compete, blow for blow in every event.” Harrison explained. “[Salisbury] knew what they had to do and they did it.”
First place winners from the meet include junior co-captain Lynette Humphries in the 100 meter hurdles, freshmen Michelle Sutherland in the 400 meter hurdles, junior Rebecca Campbell in the high jump and sophomore Nicole Ditto in the triple jump. On the men’s side, first place finishers included senior co-captain Matt Cash in the 800 meter run as well as the 1500 meter run where he set a CAC record time of 3:57.26. Senior Jason Driscoll also took first in the 5000 meter run.
In addition to CAC individual event champions many other Eagles had tremendous performances on Saturday. In the 4×400 meter relays, the UMW women heat consisting of freshmen Brooke Thompson, graduate student Bridgett Dettmann, junior Stacy Keser and Sutherland took first place. Meanwhile, the men placed second in that same event with junior Scott Matthiessen, senior Mo Yousuf, Cash and sophomore Bobby Tillett. Junior Sarah Dawes pulled off a triple, finishing second in the 1500 meter run, third in the 800 meter run and fifth in the 5000 meter run. Junior Stephen Harrison placed fourth in both the 1500 meter run and 5000 meter run.
UMW stole the top four spots in the women’s 400 meter hurdles by Sutherland, Humphries, Thompson and freshmen Rachel Sipe. Sophomore Michaela Sands and junior Sara Kniceley placed second and third in the women’s 3000 meter steeple chase, respectively. Sophomore Chris Marino placed third in the men’s 3000 meter steeple chase. Freshmen Chelsea LeHew placed second in the pole vault. Sophomore Amanda Zapata placed third in the women’s javelin throw. Jeremy Burke finished third in the 100 meter dash. In the 1500 meter run, Cash, Driscoll, freshmen Scott Plunkett and Harrison swept first through forth, respectively. Junior Matt Gellar placed second in both the men’s hammer throw and shot put.
In the end, although both UMW teams fell to Salisbury the meet was not merely seen as a loss.
“I can honestly say that they earned the win this year and they deserved the victory, due to some great performances. I think that they did benefit from some of our losses, but it was clear that they worked hard this season and it paid off,” Crowell said.
“Our coaches were all very proud of our effort, though I know it was disappointing to them to see us lose to Salisbury,” Dawes added.
Next on the track and field agenda for continuing athletes is the Penn Relays in Philadelphia this weekend. Mary Washington’s men’s 4×800 relay will be looking to take down a school record. From there, athletes will then attend several last chance meets in order to qualify for nationals.
Looking onto future seasons, the UMW track and field is already thinking about taking down the Seagulls.
“I’m pumped up to defend our Cross Country CAC title,” Harrison said. “I know all of us returning Cross Country guys can not stop thinking about the fall season already. It’s time to grow from our experiences and just look forward.”
Spring Sports Seasons in Review
April 21, 2010
With only a week left in the spring semester, finals looming next week, followed by the sweet release of summer, it’s time to take a look back at the UMW spring sports and see how each team fared in their 2010 season.
The Mary Washington men’s lacrosse team had a decent year. The team went 8-9 overall and 4-5 in conference play en route to a fifth place finish in the Capital Athletic Conference. The season was filled with streaks for the Eagles, as they began the season poorly with an 0-3 start, then they went on a four-game winning streak, followed that up with a four-game losing streak, and then another winning streak, this time a three-game stretch of wins. UMW was outshot on the season (497-535) and outscored as well(142-155), though they did record more saves then their opponent (187-155). Sophomore Harry Snyder and junior Mark Bowler tied for the team lead in points as they each tallied 37 points (Snyder had 26 goals and 11 assists while Bowler had 25 goals and 12 assists). The hot-and-cold nature of the team was their M.O. and unfortunately they couldn’t end hot as they fell to Salisbury in the semifinals of the CAC tournament by a score of 18-7.
While the men’s lacrosse team was middle of the pack, the women’s lacrosse team surged to a second place finish in the CAC regular season with an 11-4 overall record and a 6-1 conference mark. The Lady Eagles only trailed rival Salisbury in the standings and a mid-April loss to the Sea Gulls was the only blemish on UMW’s CAC record. The Eagles drastically outshot their opponent on the year (541-374) and outscored them as well (236-171). Catherine Kennedy was an offensive force as she led the team in goals (66) and points (82). Allie Kimmelman was second on the team in points (70) and led the team with an astonishing 43 assists while still recording a solid 27 goals as well. Leigh Ann Redefer was the team’s primary goalie and recorded 94 saves on the season while tallying a save percentage just under 41 percent. UMW will get a shot to avenge their earlier loss against Salisbury earlier this year tomorrow, as the Eagles will square off against the Sea Gulls in the in the CAC championship game.
The UMW baseball squad was 18-10 overall and 10-8 in conference play before the CAC Tournament started last week. Then the Eagles went on an impressive run through the CAC Tournament in which they won four games, including victories over the three teams that finished ahead of them in the conference regular season standings (Salisbury, York, and Wesley) on their way to their first CAC title since 2005. Senior Will Wright led the team offensively, as he currently is tops on the team in batting average (.460), home runs (6), and RBI (47). Junior Eric Rehbein was a good supporting actor to Wright’s lead role, as Rehbein was second on the team in most of the hitting categories. Rehbein wasn’t just one of the team’s best hitters, but he was their best pitcher as well. Rehbein started eight games and pitched 55.2 innings, finishing with a 4-1 record and a 3.23 ERA. The baseball team’s record now stands at 23-10 and they still have at least five games remaining in their season. Regardless of what happens from here on out, a CAC championship is enough to make this season a smashing success.
The softball team had a rebuilding year in 2010, as they finished 9-26-1 with a 6-6 conference record to finish fourth in the CAC. After beginning the season 0-8, the Lady Eagles responded to go 4-0 in their next four games, but then went on to drop 11 of their next 12. Elizabeth Crowe was the team’s biggest threat at the plate, as she led the team in batting average (.412), runs (24), home runs (8), and RBI (33). While Crowe led the team batting, Annie Blaine led the pitching staff. Blaine had a team best 3.86 ERA, four wins and 10 complete games. Despite a less than stellar season, the softball team did win a game in the CAC tournament and they return all but two players to next year’s team.
The men’s tennis team has a 12-11 record and currently leads the Capital Athletic Conference with a 6-0 mark against CAC opponents. Their overall record is a bit deceiving, as the Eagles took on very difficult out of conference competition to help prepare themselves for conference play. The tennis team recovered from a slow start out of the gate, as they began the season 0-3 and went on to have another strong season. Will Apperson was the team’s No. 1 for much of the season and his record currently sits at a very impressive 21-7 to lead the men’s team. Senior Evan Goff (14-8) and freshman Brian Hope (12-9) both currently stand with a record over the .500 mark. Despite their struggles outside of CAC play, they continued to display their dominance within a conference they have ruled for years now. The men’s tennis team will look to capture yet another CAC title and will square off against Salisbury tomorrow at home at 3:30 p.m.
The women’s tennis team has had just as impressive a season as the men’s team has had. The women have gone 14-7 on the year and once again have an impeccable record in conference play at 6-0. The women’s tennis team has been consistent all season long, but they did have a lull in the middle of the year as they lost four out of five games during a week long stretch in March. But the team was not deterred and went on to have another great season. Freshman Cassie Bowman (15-12), junior Courtney Goimarac (17-11), sophomore Michelle Meadow’s (19-10), sophomore Katie Schafer (18-9) and junior Danielle Velardi (16-11) all finished over .500 for the year. Also like the men’s squad, the women’s team will square off against Salisbury University in the CAC Tournament to determine conference supremacy, with their match taking place today at 4:30 p.m.
The men’s and women’s track and field teams were both extremely successful once again. Both teams finished second in the CAC Championships as both ended up behind Salisbury University in the championship meet. The second place finish was disappointing to both, who each thought they had a chance to capture the CAC crown, but it was especially hard on the women’s team as their failure to claim the top spot in the conference was the first time in the last 17 years that they did not finish the season as the conference’s best team. Junior Lynette Humphries was a staple on the women’s team throughout the year and senior Matt Cash was one of the lead runners for the men’s side. Even though injuries riddled the team late in the year and they were unable to accomplish their goal of winning the CAC, both teams were once again strong and had very impressive seasons with their second place finishes in the conference.
With spring sports all but wrapped up, another year is in the books for Mary Washington athletics. All the sports teams look to improve upon their 2009-2010 campaigns and to come back stronger when their next seasons begin.
UMW Baseball Thumps Catholic 13-3
April 21, 2010
Courtesy of Michael Drayer
By MORGAN THOMPSON
This past Tuesday the UMW men’s baseball team, who was recently crowned Capial Athletic Conference champions over the weekend, continued their winning streak at Dickinson Stadium against Landmark conference stand-out Catholic University.
The Eagles triumphed 13-3 over the visiting Cardinals and won the game in the regulatory nine innings. Going into the game, the Eagles’ Assistant Coach Kevin Foeman wanted all of his players to approach the game eager to win and to be prepared to play to the best of their abilities.
“I just wanted to make sure we took the game inning by inning. I didn’t want the guys to be complacent with the weekend’s results. We took Catholic seriously and were able to play well,” Foeman said.
In just his second start of the season, junior pitcher Parker Talbert pitched all nine innings of the contest for the Eagles and captured his first win of the season. Talbert gave up only four hits, walked no one, struck out three, and surrendered only one earned run (two unearned) in his complete game outing.
The Eagles had a slow start, falling behind Catholic early 3-0 going into the bottom of the second inning. However, UMW responded in the home half of second, as the Eagles took the lead by scoring four runs, all runs coming on RBI singles from three separate Eagles’ players. Five runs followed in the third inning for UMW, securing their upper-hand in the game and giving them a commanding 9-3 lead.
The home team was led by a balanced offensive attack, as seven of the nine starters for the Eagles recorded at least one hit, seven different players tallied an RBI, every player reached base safely and each player scored at least one run.
After playing the entire championship game this past Sunday, junior Eric Rehbein continued to press on. Rehbein went 3-5 at the plate, scoring one run and adding an RBI triple in the victory. Freshman Seth Jordan had an impressive game as well, as he too went 3-5 on the day, added two runs and an RBI single to boot. Junior Jackson Clement was not to be outdone by his teammates, as the right fielder went 3-4 while scoring two runs along with an RBI double.
The Eagles continued to deny the Cardinals for the remainder of the game and refused to allow them cut into the UMW lead. The four final runs were scored in the sixth inning by the Eagles to cap off the notable victory with the final score resting at 13-3.
“It came down to everyone gelling at right time and believing they could do it,” Foeman said. “We’ve had a lot of tough losses that could’ve ended our season. The team as a whole wanted it more than they have in the past. We weren’t happy with ending it before the tournament. The seniors really took it upon themselves to make sure we got there.”
The Eagles now stand 23-10 overall. Mary Washington’s next game will be today, as they will visit Catholic University at 4:00 p.m.
Men’s Tennis Splits
April 21, 2010
By MADALYN CROWELL
The Mary Washington’s men’s tennis team fell to Johns Hopkins 8-1 Sunday after defeating Hampden-Sydney 7-2 on Saturday. Both matches this weekend took place on the Eagles’ indoor home courts. The men worked hard and felt prepared for the pair of matches so close together.
“We have been training extremely hard all season, so to have back to back matches was nothing out of the ordinary,” senior Evan Goff said. “For NCAAs we often have to play 3 matches back to back to back, and we are in such good tennis shape that we weren’t affected.”
Sophomore Andrew Frisk said that the 22nd ranked Eagles expected to win against 29th ranked Hampden Sydney, but knew that the match against No. 10 Johns Hopkins would be a much greater challenge for the team.
“Hopkins played better than we did on Sunday and that was the difference between winning and losing,” Frisk said. “But we are definitely improving.”
Eagles Head Coach Todd Helbling was happy with the victory that the Eagles earned on Saturday.
“The match with Hampden Sydney went well. We got a very nice win at No. 1 doubles from senior Evan Goff and junior Kaz Murata. They are currently ranked No. 4 in the Atlantic South Region and in line to qualify for the NCAA Doubles Championships,” Helbling said.
Despite the later loss to Johns Hopkins, Helbling was proud of his team’s performance, particularly in the win taken by the No. 1 doubles team, Evan Goff and Brian Hope, which Helbling called a “big match.”
“We played some close sets, but we weren’t good enough,” Helbling said. “They are a very strong team, but we still need to be tougher and better. Overall, our guys have definitely been improving throughout the season, so that is a great positive.”
The Eagles have had a tough season, playing some great teams, including 11 top 25 teams in the nation and even a few division one teams. They have not been completely satisfied with their season, especially with a few upsetting, tough 4-5 losses. The players hope to take the CAC final win over Salisbury University, Friday and think that it will help to salvage the season. Goff is confident that the team’s upward slope will continue.
“A moderately successful season can change into a successful season with us capturing the CAC finals again over Salisbury on Friday and having a chance to continue on into NCAAs as a team,” Goff said.
Baseball Drops Pair to Stevenson
April 15, 2010
This past Saturday, April 10th, the University of Mary Washington baseball team hosted Stevenson University for a double-header at the battleground athletic stadium.
Mary Washington lost both games of the double-header, each defeat by a single run. The Eagles fell 5-4 in nine innings in the opening game and dropped a tough extra innings battle in the second game, losing 6-5 in 10 innings. The Eagle men were not expecting the losses and were caught off guard.
“Last weekend’s games were a big dent in our season. These games were supposed to be victories, because Stevenson can’t hang with us. We should have dominated them,” senior Aaron Byrd said.
In both games, UMW was in the hunt for the win, but Stevenson edged them out in the late innings in each game.
The visiting Mustangs took an early 2-0 lead in the first game on an RBI double by junior Brandon Krochune in the top of the first inning. Stevenson scored two more runs in the top of the third to push their lead over the Eagles to 4-0.
But UMW responded in the bottom of the third, as senior shortstop Seamus Bergen drove in a run on an RBI single and later scored on a sacrifice fly by fellow senior Will Wright.
After a couple of quiet offensive innings for both teams, the Eagles got things going again with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game up at 4-4. A double by Wright brought the first run home and he later scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore third baseman Santino Rosanova.
However Stevenson had the last laugh, as a leadoff ninth inning walk came back to haunt UMW relief pitcher Nick Corbin, as the runner ended up scoring what turned out to be the deciding run inthe game.
Junior pitcher John Miscioscia had a solid performance for the Eagles, as he pitched seven innings giving up seven hits, one walk, and four runs (only two earned runs). He got a no decision while Corbin picked up the loss.
UMW fell behind early once again in the second game of the double-header, as the Mustangs got three runs in the first inning. The Eagles did not stay down too long as they scored four runs in the home half of the fourth inning to take a 4-3 lead. The big inning was highlighted by a two-run homerun by Wright.
The two teams each scored a run in the fifth and Stevenson tied the game in the top of the seventh on sophomore Justin Anderson’s RBI single. Neither team could break the 5-5 deadlock in nine innings, so the game went to extra innings.
In the top of the tenth a costly one-out error allowed the Mustangs Anderson to reach, and the mistake cost the Eagles as Anderson came around to score on a two-out RBI single by freshman outfielder Heath Johnson. UMW could not tie the game in the bottom half of the tenth and fell 6-5.
“The team must remember to remain focused on the games at hand,” Byrd said. “We can’t look to upcoming games when we have games now that we must play and win. Every player must remember that the present is now, and that the future is sometime after that.”
The UMW men have been working hard since the fall semester with strenuous workout routines. The team has devoted a lot of time to weight training, including baseball-specific lifting programs by the direction of Yankees’ strength and conditioning coach Dana Cavalea. The baseball team hopes that all the hard work in the offseason will pay off now.
Since last weekend, the team is not letting the defeats sidetrack their mission. Like every year, the men have the CAC championship in their crosshairs. They are confident they will succeed in the conference tournament and advance to NCAA regionals.
“The entire season has been a standout performance for the UMW baseball team,” Byrd said. “We’ve had players get CAC player of the week multiple times. We’ve had younger guys step up and make big plays and big hits. Our pitchers have thrown stellar performances, our hitters have been performing in key situations, and we’ve received a lot of support from every player on the team.”
Salisbury Spoils Softball’s Senior Day
April 14, 2010
The University of Mary Washington’s softball team’s Senior Day ended on a sore note as the Eagles dropped a pair to 15th ranked Salisbury University. UMW lost the first game to the visiting Sea Gulls 3-0 and fell 3-2 in the second game.
“I think our team performed our best of the season against Salisbury,” graduating senior Kim Olinger said. “We knew Salisbury was going to be our toughest competition in the CAC and we were ready to play our best. Everyone was putting everything we had into this game and leaving everything on the field that day.”
UMW would hold the Salisbury offense at bay early in the opener, as sophomore pitcher Danielle Cunetta surrendered just one hit in the first three innings of play. However, the Sea Gulls offense would not be held down much longer, as Salisbury started the scoring in the fourth inning with junior catcher Taylor Webb crossing the plate on a sacrifice by fellow junior Kristin Lord.
Salisbury would tack on two more runs in the sixth inning on a RBI single by freshman Michelle Gravdahl that brought both runs home. The single pushed the Salisbury advantage to 3-0 and caused a pitching change for UMW, as Cunetta was pulled in favor of freshman pitcher Annie Blaine. Cunetta had a solid performance but eventually took the loss. She allowed three runs on five hits and three walks in 5.1 innings of work. Blaine would close out the inning by inducing a big ground ball double play to keep the game within reach. Blaine pitched the rest of the game and was very effective in relief: she allowed no runs and didn’t allow a base runner in her 1.2 innings on the mound.
Both teams struggled at the plate in the opener. Mary Washington was just 4 for 25 and Salisbury wasn’t much better at 5 for 22. The key difference was that the Sea Gulls were able to take advantage of their opportunities with runners on base and thus were able to scrape across three runs despite only having five hits. Salisbury pitcher Kelly Leary was masterful in her 7 innings, giving up just four hits and no runs while striking out nine Eagle batters. UMW’s four hits were all singles and came from four different players: freshman Brandee Adams, sophomores Elizabeth Crowe and Katie Sterling, and senior Kaitlin Petrella.
The second game was another close battle, but the Eagles fell once again as Salisbury narrowly edged UMW in the nightcap 3-2.
Blaine continued to pitch in the second game after appearing in relief in game one. She pitched all seven innings in game two, but took the loss as she allowed thee runs on 10 hits with a pair of strikeouts. The Eagles picked it up offensively late in the second game, as they mounted a rally to score two late runs in the bottom of the seventh and had the bases loaded with nobody out. But in the end, UMW came up a little short as they couldn’t get the tying run across the plate. The Eagles finished with two runs on seven hits in the game while Salisbury had three runs on 10 hits.
Before the game UMW honored two seniors, Kaitlin Petrella and Kim Olinger. Each were contributors as both had two hits in the games.
“Senior day was both a happy and sad day for me,” Olinger said. “But these past four years playing softball at UMW I have made some of the best friends and they have been the best years of my life.”
“Our two seniors will be missed,” Head Coach Dee Conway said. “Both have contributed so much to the program—their leadership, on field work and simply by being good people.”
With the two losses, the Eagles fall to 8-24-1 overall and 6-6 in CAC play. Mary Washington played Hood College in the first round of the CAC tournament last night, and the Lady Eagles knocked off the Blazers 6-2.
NBA Playoff Contenders & Pretenders
April 14, 2010
The NBA regular season ended yesterday and the playoffs are set to begin this Sunday. All of the matchups had yet to be confirmed before this issue went to print, but that won’t stop us from taking a look at the contenders and pretenders in each conference.
Eastern Conference:
Contenders
• Cleveland Cavaliers- Though star forward LeBron James has been resting recently, rest assured that he will be on the court come playoff time. James should win his second consecutive MVP award, and he is the most dominating player in the NBA today. However, as shown in previous seasons, as great as James is, he can’t win the NBA Finals by himself. However, the mid-season addition of forward Antawn Jamison bolsters Cleveland even more and makes them the favorites to win the title this year.
• Orlando Magic- The Magic went to the NBA Finals last year, and they have a real shot to return there once again this season. Center Dwight Howard is the best center in the league today, and his dominating defense changes games. Guard Vince Carter will help lead Howard and a balanced scoring attack that also includes forward Rashard Lewis and guard Jameer Nelson. Orlando may not be the favorites to win the 2010 title, but they will be a force in the postseason and could easily claim NBA superiority when all is said and done.
Pretenders
• Atlanta Hawks- Some may be surprised to see Atlanta resting under the “pretender” category, but the Hawks have serious issues that make me question their ability to win a championship. They do have a star in guard Joe Johnson and a very strong cast of players surrounding him (forward Josh Smith, center Al Horford, guard Jamal Crawford). However, Atlanta went just 1-6 against the top two teams in the Eastern Conference (Cleveland and Orlando), and they will likely have to go through both of them just to get to the finals.
• Boston Celtics- As early as Christmas the Celtics were considered an elite team and a title contender. However, since the winter holiday Boston has been incredibly average with a record of 27-26. Forward Kevin Garnett is a shell of himself, forward Paul Pierce has had a down season, and the bench is lacking the depth they had in the past. All of this means the Celtics are far from a contender and a first round exit could be in their future.
• Miami Heat- Miami has one of the five best players in the NBA in Dwayne Wade, but unfortunately for Heat fans their isn’t much in Miami besides Wade. Forward Michael Beasley didn’t improve upon his lackluster rookie season and center Jermaine O’Neal hasn’t been a high-caliber player in nearly four years. It’s possible that Wade could lead the Heat to a first round series win, but after that there is only so far he can carry his sub-par team.
• Milwaukee Bucks- The Bucks transformed into a very strong team after they acquired forward John Salmons in a mid-season trade with the Chicago Bulls. Salmons joined impressive rookie guard Brandon Jennings and emerging center Andrew Bogut to form a formidable trio. But after Bogut’s nasty fall earlier in the month tore ligaments in his elbow and ended his season, Milwaukee’s chances of a playoff run went out the door. Without the Bogut being a force in the middle, the Bucks chances of a playoff run seem slim.
• Charlotte Bobcats- Charlotte was one of the NBA’s enigmas this season, looking great at times and dreadful at others. Forward Gerald Wallace had the best season was a first time All-Star and forward Stephen Jackson was a scoring machine once he came over from Golden State. However, such an inconsistent team cannot be trusted in the playoffs, and the fact that they will likely play the Magic in the first round does not help their chances of advancing in postseason play.
• Chicago Bulls/Toronto Raptors- Whichever team makes it into the playoffs will have to face LeBron James and the juggernaut Cavaliers in the first round. That means that a first round exit is inevitable and that their title dreams are about as likely as my chances of marrying Megan Fox.
Western Conference:
Contenders
• Los Angeles Lakers- Los Angeles has stumbled down the stretch and they are certainly not entering the playoffs playing their best basketball. Having said that, they are the defending champs, they still tout the most talented lineup in the league, and they are still have Kobe Bryant. Forward Pau Gasol has been phenomenal once again this season and forward Ron Artest proved to be a solid addition to the core that was already in place. The big question mark remains center Andrew Bynum’s health, who has been out with an Achilles injury since late March. If Bynum is his old self in the playoffs, the Lakers should make a return trip to the Finals. If not, the Western Conference is up for grabs.
• Utah Jazz- Utah is 21-9 since the All-Star break and they’re surging into the playoffs. Guard Deron Williams finally got the All-Star recognition he deserves and he and forward Carlos Boozer form a noteworthy duo. That pair and a solid bench, a legendary coach, and a great home court advantage make Utah a very scary team in the playoffs and title contenders.
• Dallas Mavericks- Dallas evolved from a solid team in the middle of the season to a championship caliber one when they added forward Caron Butler and center Brendan Haywood from the Washington Wizards. The trade made the Mavericks one of the deepest teams in the league, as that pair was added to star forward Dirk Nowitzki, guard Jason Kidd, forward Shawn Marion, and super-sixth man Jason Terry. The Mavs can play big or small and their talent can compete is as good as anyone’s.
• San Antonio Spurs- It may be a shock to see a seven-seed in the contenders list, but if we’ve learned anything in recent years it’s that you can never count the Spurs out. Guard Manu Ginobli exploded over the past month and a half and his return to an All-Star caliber player makes San Antonio a completely different team. Guard Tony Parker’s return to health is also a big factor, as now each of the Spurs Big-3 are healthy. Forward Tim Duncan had his minutes limited to keep him fresh for the postseason and he might have another great run in those legs.
Pretenders
• Denver Nuggets- The Nuggets could have easily made a Finals run, but like many teams they were bit by some bad luck. With Denver it wasn’t really a key injury to a star player, but the declining healthy of their leader and coach. Head Coach George Karl is dealing with cancer treatments and will miss the first round of the playoffs. Without him this season, the Nuggets have been a completely different team and despite the tremendous talent of forward Carmelo Anthony and guard Chauncey Billups, without their coach the Nuggets will have trouble getting out of the first round.
• Phoenix Suns- If there is one thing that NBA history has shown us, it is that the run-and-gun teams can stack up wins in the regular season but when playoff times roll around they are not the ones who hoist the trophy. Despite two-time MVP Steve Nash and powerful forward Amare Stoudemire, the Suns lack of defense will cost them in the postseason and prevent them from making a run to the NBA Finals.
• Portland Trailblazers- Portland weren’t going to be a championship caliber team, but they had an opportunity to make a run in the playoffs before the injury bug bit them once again. A team riddled with injuries throughout the season got more bad news just a few days ago as they learned that star guard Brandon Roy has a torn meniscus in his right knee. His status is unknown, but without him at 100 percent the Trailblazers won’t be able to make any noise in the postseason.
• Oklahoma City Thunder- The Thunder are an incredibly exciting team filled with young talent. Guard Kevin Durant is one of the top players in the league and guard Russell Westbrook had a breakout campaign this year as well. However, Oklahoma City struggled to win close games and they will have to face the defending champs in the first round, which means that a playoff run is more likely next season.
Polls
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