Athletic department planning
Mike Givler
Capital Times Staff
The Penn State Harrisburg athletic
department was kept busy during the 1991
fall semester by offering a variety of
intramural events as well as doing some
renovations on the playing surfaces and
personnel.
The main change, as far as coaches go,
will be seen between the foul lines of the
baseball team.
Last June, Coach Gary Pritchard
resigned to start his own business and felt
that he wouldn't have the time to put his
whole heart into the team. Since then,
Athletic Director Duane Crider has been
actively searching for a replacement.
"I am looking for the right person and
the right match for students and the
institution,” Crider said.
Crider has not yet found a replacement,
Penn State Harrisburg's Tony Calo (33) drives for a lay-up as teammate Henry
Polee awaits the possible rebound. The Lions defeated Wilmington College
in the game by a score of 104-98 in overtime. Athletic Director Duane Crider
said this was the most exciting game he's seen at the college.
but is extending his search for the right
person to head the 21-game slate scheduled
for the spring.
The department is also adding a new
look to the racquelball courts. The courts
will be resurfaced during the semester
break so students can still take out their
finals frustrations on the courts, Crider
said. The courts will also be relined and
safety lines will also be added.
Another change planned involves
racquctball court 3, which will be relined
to meet the standards of a squash court.
The college recently held a women's
recreational volleyball tournament, where
teams representing McKeesport, Berks,
Central Penn Business School and Penn
State Harrisburg competed.
Central Penn and Penn State
Harrisburg advanced to the final match,
which saw Central Penn take the first
game 15-8. The Lions fought back and
Photo by Mike Starkey
won game 2 by a score of 15-13, but
Central Penn claimed the championship in
the final standings, followed by Penn
State Harrisburg and Berks.
The women's club basketball team will
start their season on Dec. 8 with a game
in the York Women's Basketball League.
There are currently nine players on the
team, and their goal is to go varsity
around the fall of 1993.
The college also crowned five
intramural champions in the fall. The Hag
football title was given to the Rockers (5-
1) after their 19-0 domination over the
Chili Peppers (3-2).
Other intramural champions were the
Ooh Ooh Baby's ("Sixes" Beach
Volleyball), Lost Boys (One-Pitch
Softball), and Just Do It (Wallyball). Rick
Zendt won the men's singles racquelball
tournament.
The Schick 3-on-3 tournament will be
Ex-PSH pitcher ends
successful season
Mike Givler
Capital Times
PKcher Rob Mitchell, the only Penn
State Harrisburg athlete to ever sign a
professional contract, recently completed
his first pro year in the Philadelphia
Phillies organization, a year that ended on
a very high note.
Mitchell was awarded most improved
and hardest worker at Clearwater in the
Florida Instructional League by ex-Phillie
Del Unser, a promotion Mitchell received
after posting average numbers at single-A
Martinsville, Va.
The 6' 4”, 165-pound Mitchell had 19
strike outs in 17 1/3 innings and had a
2.60 ERA in Clearwater while facing
many different levels of batters. However,
his wildness did follow him to the sunny
state, but he didn't allow a walk in his last
3 innings of work after he had averaged a
walk an inning in his previous outings.
Mitchell was glad just to be there.
"It was a great boost to be invited to
the FIL," the Kimberton, Pa. native said.
The opportunity showed him the Phillies
believed in him, he said.
Mitchell, who needs 15 credits to
graduate from Penn State Harrisburg with
an accounting degree, also picked up some
new pitches during his stay in Florida. He
had been relying on a 4-seam fastball,
curve and a change-up, but the coaches at
the camp taught him a 2-seam fastball and
a slider.
The 2-seamer moves sharply to the
right, which made it hard to control at
times. He added that the coaches
recommended that he move to the left side
of the rubber so the pitch will tail into the
right-handed batter. Mitchell said this lack
of control often hurt him during the
season.
CAPITAL TIMES CpADTC/l 1
November 25, 1991 15 1 UIV I |j/ 11
changes
completed on Dec. 3 at 9:30 p.m. After
the game, a foul shot and hot shot event
will be held. The hot shot competition
will consist of players shooting from
different point spots on the floor in a
restricted time period.
The deadline for entering this event is
Dec. 2.
Recreation S|»ccialist Denise Keary will
also be running a wide variety of men's,
women's and coed intramural sports during
the 1992 spring semester.
Activities will include 5-on-5
basketball, men's doubles racquelball,
women’s singles racquctball, coed and
men's volleyball, table tennis and triples
beach volleyball.
Bowling, as well as additional
activities, may be added later in the
semester. Anyone interested in competing
in any of the events can slop at the
Capital Union Building to register.
"Most of the runs I gave up were from
walks," Mitchell said. "The runs should
have never happened."
Mitchell, who was signed as a free
agent after he was clocked at almost 90
mph in a Phillie tryout camp, still has the
blazing fastball. Mitchell said he was
timed once throwing 92 mph on the RAY
gun, which is a gun that is said to be
close to 6 mph slower that the JUGS gun
that the majors use. However, he added
that this was not his normal speed.
"I averaged around 87-88 mph on the
RAY gun for a full outing," Mitchell said.
The 22-year-old Mitchell spent the first
part of his season at extended spring
training in Clearwater. In June he was
sent to Martinsville, Va., the Phillies
single-A rookie team in the Appalachian
League. There he posted a 5.54 ERA and
had 44 K's and 24 walks in 52 innings.
He also participated in the Young-Timers
Game at Veterans Stadium where he got to
pitch in front of 30,000 fans.
Although the outing wasn't his best,
he did learn a lot.
"It was all I could do to be there,"
Mitchell said. "I am more relaxed now
when I pitch, thanks to that opportunity."
After the conclusion of the
Appalachian League where Martinsville
finished third and slightly under .500,
Mitchell came home for 10 days and then
went to Clearwater.
Mitchell's goal for next season is to
spend some time in Spartanburg, S.C.
where the Phillies have their long-season
A-ball team. Mitchell said he may start
out in Batavia, N.Y., which is a league for
older rookies, but it all depends on his
spring.
"I have to show the consistency to
move up," Mitchell said. "This is
something I haven't been able to do."