Switch to NCAA not impossible, just improbable Mike Givler Capital Times Sports Athletic Director Duane Crider has recently proposed that Penn State Harrisburg move from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to the ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 111. "The change will give the school national recognition," Crider said. "People understand what NCAA means - and are unfamiliar with the NAIA." Crider added that a four-year program for the school is almost a necessity for this goal to be achieved. The reason for this is because the college would lack the student numbers to fill the NCAA requirement of sports teams. A minimum of eight varsity sports consisting of four each for the men and the women must be met in order for a school to become a member of the NCAA. "We need the kids to be able to go Baseball season opens Monday Jon Fleck Capital Times Sports As the major league baseball teams break camp and head north for the start of the season this Monday, it's time to pick the contenders and pretenders. Rather than thinking about what scandal may rock America's pasttime this summer, this is the time of year when everybody starts fresh and visions of championships run through the minds of even the lowliest of teams. Starting off in the National League East with the Pirates and Phillies, the Pirates will be hard pressed to repeat as division champs and the Phils can look forward to another season in the lower half of the divsion. On paper the Chicago Cubs look stacked with the additions of power hitter George Bell, pitcher Danny Jackson, and reliever Dave Smith. Add these players to All-star infielders \e Sandh and through the system," Crider said. "We [currently] lack the student numbers." Crider added that a good ahtletic school needs to have the athletes in the system for four years so the school can build up its athletics. He said that the underclassmen are needed to maintain a solid athletic base so recruiting will be easier. According to Crider, the main problem with meeting the requirements of the NCAA is fulfilling the four-sport women's requirements. At the present time the college only has one women's varsity sport and that is volleyball. Crider said softball has plans to go to a varsity schedule in the near future and tennis and basketball could be offered for women if enough interest is shown. He said the main problem with achieving this goal would not be the participation, but the money. "We need roughly $lO,OOO to start a women's program," Crider said, "and we are already $5,000 to $B,OOO short." Crider said that the move to the NCAA would also save the college Mark Grace along with outfielder Andre Dawson, and the Cubbies could bring the division title back to Chicago. In the National League West, the Cincinnati Reds will also have a tough road to not only repeat as world champs but to merely win their division again. The Los Angeles Dodgers added power and speed in outfielders Darryl Strawberry and Brett Butler, respectively. If pitcher Orel Hershiser returns to anywhere near 1988 form, Dodger Blue could be seen well into October. . The San Francisco Giants have the power with a murderers' row of Will Clark, Kevin Mitchell, and Matt Williams. They added speed in outfielder Willie McGee and pitching with the acquisitions of former-Yankee closer Dave Righetti and starter Bud Black. Turning to the American League, the AL East could very well be the worst See Baseball, page 12 SPORTS money because the NCAA only charges in the hundreds of dollars for yearly dues, whereas the NAIA requests $2400 a year. Crider also said that with the recent budget crunch the only way the college survived this year was due to a program called salary savings. According to Crider, it's this program that takes money away from coaches and staff who are unable to continue their duties at the college due to an illness or injury. Crider added that a strong intramural program and the teaching of physical education at the college would be a great start in achieving this goal. "Varsity sports are a reflection of the intramural sports," Crider said. "Intramural sports represent what the student body wants to do and these students in turn support the varsity athletics." "Physical education teaches people how to play sports and this feeds people into the intramural ranks," he said. "Then when people learn how to play at the intramural level, they try out for the Weather hinders sluggers Mike Givler Capital Time Sports "March showers bring April make-up games." At least that's what the Penn State Harrisburg baseball team is saying. In the last three weeks the team has had 11 games cancelled or post-poned due to bad weather. Here’s what happened in the two that were played: March 20: PSH 6 (8 innings), 5 Lincoln Univ. 5,3 Keith Lapinas pitched 8 1/3 innings in the double header and picked up a win and a save while striking out 12 batters. In the opener, a clutch base hit by John White with two outs in the seventh tied the game and a two run outburst in the eighth provided the nail in the coffin as the Lions won their first game of the year. Scott Werkheiser belted out two hits, got walked twice and had a clutch RBI in the eighth. Mike Givler went 3 for 5 April 5, 1991, CAPITAL TIMES varsity sports which strengthens the whole program." Crider believes that our intramural system is already fairly strong and that within a couple of years the college would be very competitive in the NCAA ranks with its varsity program. He added that the real missing link in athletics here is the teaching of physical education. Crider also proposed that the college teach physical education, a concern brought up by a student four years ago. Though the college does not have a physical education requirement for graduation, he believes that these electives could help strengthen the program. He said that University Park has already agreed to the proposal and now it is up to the administration if they want it. Crider said a three-year trial period would have to take place for the college if it plans to go to the NCAA. During which the school would "beef-up" team schedules to include more Division 111 opponents. with 3 RBl's to help the Lion cause. A four-run first inning by the Lions opened the second game up early, but the defense held off a late Lincoln comeback. Buddy Dodson went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Givler also pitched 6 2/3 innings in the second game, but had to get bailed out of a bases loaded jam by Lapinas in the seventh April 3: Wilmington College B,ll' (6 innings) PSH 1,1 In the conference opener for the Lions, a close game was broken open in the late innings by some clutch Wilmington hitting and some Lion miscues. Buddy Dodson headed the offense with 2 hits in 4 at-bats while Tim Gallagher went 1 for 2 and Werkheiser had a double in three at-bats. In the second game, 6 costly Lion errors lead to 6 unearned runs in a game shortened by the ten-run rule. Gallagher (1 for 2) and Werkheiser (1 for 3) had the only hits in the game for the Lions.
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