page 8- The Behrend College Collegian. Thursdd‘. March 5, IQ 98 BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL SPRIN Men's baseball team sets sights on AMCC crown in '9B by Nathan Mitchell tavola editor This year's edition of the Penn State - Behrend baseball team is very much looking forward to the upcom ing spring season. The blue, white and red are coming off of a very suc cessful fall season, and arc excited to contend for the first ever Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) championship. Leading the eleven returning play- ers is senior captain Marc Burchanowski. Burchanowski is career .321 hitter, and hit a career best .371 and a team - high 24 RBl's in '97. His strong arm and leadership ability will he a valuable asset to the young squad behind the plate and at first base. Sophomore Dylan Stewart will also he seeing action from behind the plate Women's softball team return talented upperclassmen to compete for AMCC title by Dylan Stewart sports editor The Behrend softball team has been working hard and is excited to start up a great '9B season early next week in Florida, where for the first time ever they will have a chance to compete for an AMCC title . Senior co-captain Beth Calhoun returns to the mound this year after finishing the '97 season with one of the team leading ERA's on the mound, while also sporting one of the team's highest batting average's in '97. Senior Steph Roberts will take over the catching duties in the '9B season. Junior Lisa Fox will once again roam the outfield in center field. MARCH 19, IT'S EASY TO SAVE LIVES! BLOOD DONORS MUST BE AT LEAST 17 YEARS OLD, WEIGH AT LEAST 110 LBS. AND BE IN GENERAL GOOD HEALTH. PLEASE EAT WELL BEFORE YOU SIGN IN AT THE BLOOD DRIVE. DID YOU KNOW? • MAY 24 HOURS, ERR'S HOSPITALS UBl4O TO 100 UNITS OF BLOOD. IN THE U.S.- 'EVERT 3 SECONDS SOMEONE NEEDS BLOOD! '40,000 UNITS ARE USED EACH DAY! 'lO,OOO PEOPLE RECEIVE A TRANSFUSION EVERY DAY! and in the 1)1-1 role. Stewart hit .380 in '97, while also hitting 15 doubles, which set a new school record for two-baggers in a season. These two players should anchor the middle of the line-up for '97 Be hrend I.lons. "01 fensively we made numerous positive things happen on the base ball I said head coach Paul Benin). "Our teal n set records for bat ting average, hits, RBl's and stolen bases. With a solid core of returning players, scoring runs should he a strong point ref this year's club." added Benim. In the infield. the team will he able to play several quality players. Sophomore David Williams will he a key defensive player at shortstop. Williams turned in many outstanding plays in '97, while also batting a Sophomore co-captain Stacy Blass will start at second base and share in some of the catching duties. Sophomore Tanya Deats will play at first base, while junior Jennie Duchnowski and newcomer Becky Rishel and will round out the infield. Other newcomers include: sopho more third baseman Mandy Bodnor, who will share some of the mound duties: freshman Meghan Trumbull second base/ short stop); senior Shawn Morelli (outfield); and fresh man Alicyn Haney (outfield). The Lions leave for Fort Pierce, Florida on Friday for their spring training trip where they will engage in an eight game schedule. THURSDAY, NEEDI3D: DONORS!! 10:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. REED COMMONS '5,000 PEOPLE WOULD DIE IMMEDIATELY IF BLOOD WAS NOT AVAILABLE! Please Give Blood! Questions? Call Community Blood Bank at 456-4206. BLOOD AI'IHE 1998 SEA I N PREVIEWS strong .337, with 16 RBl's in 38 games played. Fellow shortstop Curt Rough will also see action at short and second base, where he will compete with two promising freshmen, Matt Slavonic and Dan Ore'ski. At third base are a pair of newcom ers in junior transfer Ryan Smith and freshman Joe Thompson. These two both hit above .300 in the fall and combined for 15 RBl's . They will both hold third base and contribute to the pitching staff. Shaun Headley will also compete for playing time at first base after hit ting .300 last year. The outfield will return three play ers who earned considerable playing time last season. Jeremy Brubaker will take over in center, while Corey Track and field an 1998 Sports Walters and Mike Thompson will play beside him. Brubaker hit .302 with 12 SB's in '97, while Thomp son hit.3B6 and added 11 RBl's, and Walters was steady playing three dif ferent positions last season and hit ting .261. Bryan Connolly who returns from an injury, freshmen Kristoffer Bower, and David Oldach wilt each push them for playing time. The outfield has excellent speed, and should cover some solid ground for the Lion defense. Pitching should be the most im proved area of the 1998 team. In the fall, the squad posed a respectable 3.85 ERA and had 63 strikeouts in sixty innings pitched. "The pitching staff will be a very important part of our team," said men's tend . ' previews aft . . ~.. , .;•::::::- ~,.°..iitr,:., : : ":,'... ''.. :: ' ' " 4f‘' ' ' . :• • .tl' ..7 4,5 , d Ft*`:-, ; . ..--. :•• • • . . g Brea If you currently receive financial aid, the 1998-99 Renewal Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has been mailed to your home address. It should be completedand mailed' by Apra 1.19'8. You should make every effort to use s2olo4l99lialllikithatioiV,4lo,Selitiial FAIFSA. If you do not receive any financial aid this year, but want to apply for nut year, pick up the 1998-99 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at the Financial Aid Office. It should be completed and mailed by Anril 1. 1998. The 1998-99 Penn State - Behrend Academic Scholarship Application is available in the Financial Aid Office. The deadline for applying is February 27. 1998. The 1995-99 Penn State - Behrend Leadership Scholarship Application is available in the Financial Aid Office and Student Activities Office. The deadline for applying is February 27. 1998. Benim. "They are a very capable group, and have high expectations for themselves," added Benim. Sophomores Ryan Frederick and Rob Green return to guide the '97 pitching staff. Fredrick won five games last year, and Green had a good campaign lead ing the team with a 4.12 ERA. Frederick and Green will provide the team with a solid 1-2 punch on the mound, and are expected to each rack up another fifty plus innings apiece. Aiding in the pitching attack will be a core of experienced returners and talented freshmen. Along with their time in the field, Hcadly and Walters will get time on the mound along with Justin Kline. These three all pitched around twenty innings in '97. Other first year pitchers include ssssssssssssssss Don't miss out on money for school!! freshmen James Calpin, sophomore Morgan Saeler, and freshmen Oldach. With AMCC championship possi bilities on the horizon, the Behrend Lions look forward to competing for the AMCC title in '9B. They open with a seven game schedule in Fort Pierce, Florida. They then head south once again, to compete in a tough tournament in Maryville, Tennessee. The squad opens their AMCC con ference slate in April against Pitt - Greensburg. "This year our major goal is to compete for the AMCC champion ship," said Benim. "We have some very skilled players, and if they step up and perform, I'm sure we will be pleased with the results of the '9B sea son."