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By MEGAN RESSER
Staff Reporter
MKRIS7@PSU.EDU
The arrival of Spring on Penn State
Harrisburg’s campus signals the
beginning of the PSH softball season
and the second half of the baseball
season. The Lady Lions softball
team enters their second season of
PSUAC competition following a
remarkable 2006 season in which
they went 13-1 in the regular season,
winning the Western Division
and ultimately bowing out in the
postseason tournament. The baseball
team finished the Fall portion of their
season with an 8-1 PSUAC record
(9-5 overall) and heads into the
spring season sitting in first place in
the South division, two games ahead
of 2-time defending champion Penn
State Delaware.
When asked about her goals for
this season, head softball coach
Tonya Dengler said, “I take the
approach of ‘one-game-at-a-time’
but ultimately our goal is to qualify
for the PSUAC Final Four and
win the Championship series.”
Dengler outlined the key returning
players, to whom she will look for
experience and leadership, as: senior
Amanda Pearson - Ist Team PSUAC
All-Star, senior Nicole Adams,
graduate student Amanda Mentzer,
sophomore Krystal Miranda -
Honorable Mention PSUAC All-Star,
sophomore Melissa Yingling, and
junior Janessa Byard. Dengler is also
looking forward to the addition of
these talented newcomers: graduate
students Michelle Baugh and
Amanda Dowhower, senior Julie
Vanßuskirk, and freshmen Desiree
Hippie, Abby Benedict, Amanda
Sullivan, Michelle Herb, Marilyn
Brink, and Candace Binkley. Dengler
and her assistant coaches, Nicole
Petrovich and Adam Welker, are
excited about the versatility of this
year’s team.
Head Coach Bob Maschmeyer
provided a good deal of information
about the men’s baseball team. He
said, “Last fall, we added 8 new
faces to the team. Of the 17 on the
roster during the fall, 13 return.
The returning starters include: Kris
Aumiller (catcher), Sean Fraiiey
(Ist base), Kevin Bowman/Drew
McGuire (2nd base), Garrett
Piper (Shortstop), Adam Wright
(3rd base/Pitcher), Kevin Kreider
(Left field), Austin Kulp (Center
field). Designated hitter Matt
Carroll returns and 3 of our 4
starting pitchers return —Wright,
Matt Berfield and Wes Erdman.”
Maschmeyer continues by saying,
“we picked up three players between
the fall/spring semesters. Brandon
Bennett, an infielder/outfielder from
Middletown, transferred from
Millersville University. Ryan
Smith, a right-handed pitcher from
Boiling Springs, transferred from
HACC. Corey Daniel, an infielder/
outfielder/rhp from Fanett-Metal,
has rejoined the team after playing
soccer/basketball for PSH. All three
will have an immediate impact
on the team and provide much
needed depth. Bennett, Ryan Dinger
and Daniel are battling for the
opportunity to play right field. Either
Andrew Haden and Smith will be the
4th starter. Daniel, Kulp and Piper
will close out the PSH hardballer
games when called upon.”
When asked about his goals for the
team’s Spring season, Maschmeyer
said “We head into the spring season
with very high team aspirations. The
team set three goals during the
off-season: win the south division,
win our non-conference games and
win the PSUAC conference. My
expectations are for me to position
the kids to allow them as a team to
focus on what they set their goals
on. If we focus on winning each
inning and play mentally smart —we
will accomplish our goals.”
Full schedules for both teams
can be found by clicking on the
Intercollegiate Athletics link on the
Penn State Harrisburg home page.
orts
e
By KRISTY FASANO and
KYNECftASft
Sports Reporters
KIF2OOOPSU.EDU, RECI6IOPSU.EDU
The crack of the bat.
The warmth of summer as
it mingles with the scent of freshly
cut grass. Cold beer as it blends
with the aroma of stadium hot
dogs. It can only mean one thing:
baseball season is here again!
Nobody in the NL will wins and Billy Wagner still
JuMfiftk Three to gaa compete with their offense, has fire in his arm to close Bottom Line: The
■H David Wright especially with the addition out games. David Wright will Amazins look good
Billy Wagner of the ageless Moises Alou. be right in the thick of the on PfPor, but are 1
Tom Glavine Although their pitching staff MVP race, and Jose Reyes starting pitcher from
97-55 is long in the tooth, Tom will steal 60 bags. Pedro being a sure thing.
Glavine is seeking for 300 comes back in August.
85-77
This team starts with John Jones be traded? And to
jjjgjaajjjjjtoa Smoltz and ends with quote Abbott and Costello, Bottom Line: The
John Smoltz question marks: Can Mike "Who's on 1 st ?" This could Braves start a new
p Andruw Jones Hampton stay healthy? Can be another ugly year for streak: two years in a
_ Mike Hampton Tim Hudson pitch like the Bobby Cox and row without a division
79-83 20 game winner he once the once mighty Atlanta t,^e
was? Will Andruw Braves
Last year, a bunch of rookies hitter last year and could
■Sh Three to stayed in the playoff hunt be poised to take over as Bottom Line: Will
. Anibal Sanchez until the summer heat the ace, Cabrera is a top kids experience a
Miguel Cabrera fried the Fish's chances. In 3B every year, and Ramirez sophomore slump or
„ Hanlev Ramirez response, they fired the NL was the Rookie of the Year. turn their potential into
78-84 Manager of the Year. Go Florida's youth will make playoffs?
figure. Sanchez threw a no- them competitive.
71-91
97-65
87-75
86-76
70-92
61-101
No question about it, the
pre-season of America’s pastime is
an unparalleled mixture of optimism,
excitement, and magical moments.
Watching unproven but eager twenty
somethings playing along side the
milestone-chasing heroes they grew
up idolizing never gets old. There is
no other sport that means so much
before the first regular season game
is played. Spring Training is a time
Ryan Howard
Chase Utley
Cole Hamels
Threeto Sag
Ryan Zimmerman
Brian Schneider
Chad Cordero
Andy Pettite
Jason Giambi
Doug Mientkiewicz
Frank Thomas
Roy Halladay
BJ. Ryan
Daisuke Matsuzaka
Jonathon Papelbon
Manny Ramirez
Miguel Tejada
Nick Markakis
Jaret Wright
ihcae to See
Rocco Baldelli
Carl Crawford
Pelmon Young
MLB 2007 Preview
where anything can happen; every
player has a chance to make the
team, and every team has a chance
for this to be “their year.”
Come April 1 all the
questions will begin to be answered:
Which chemistry experiments will
create a new division winner, and
which ones will doom a team’s
success? Is it possible for A-Rod
to go the whole season and make
Shortshop Jimmy Rollins
boldly predicted a division
title for the Fightin' Phils this
season. With MVP Howard
and Utley leading a potent
offense, and new staff ace
Freddy Garcia heading up the
It will not be pretty in our
nation's capitol this season,
The Nats top three starting
pitchers had a combined
1 win last year; and the
rest of the pitching staff
is undecided. They still
It will not be pretty in our
nation's capitol this season,
The Nats top three starting
pitchers had a combined
1 win last year; and the
rest of the pitching staff
is undecided. They still
The only remaining Canadian
team left in the MLB
has made some marked
improvements towards being
a contender in arguably the
hardest division in the major
leagues. The aging Big Hurt
The BoSox gambled over
$lOO million on Dice-K. Will
he turn out to be Beantown's
heralded new hero, or
just another Hideki Irabu?
Papelbon has made the move
to the starting rotation,
Welcome again to the Miguel
Tejada show. The dead birds
don't have a lot going for
them this season. Tejada is
the only reason people visit
Camden Yards when the
Yankees or the Sox aren't in
Year 11 of the rebuilding
plan for Tampa Bay is finally
showing some promise.
Crawford could steal 50
bags and win the batting
title, Baldelli needs to stay
healthy, but has All-Star
NL East
AL East
fewer errors than the number he
dons on the back of his jersey? Will
Dice-K be worth $103.1 million?
What about Alfonso Soriano?
Barry Zito? Vernon Wells?
Before these answers unfold
during the dog days of August and
the excitement of September, we’re
going to give it our best to predict
what will happen. Below are the
opinions of our expert panel (of two)
rotation, the only thing from
making a Nostradamus out of
Rollins is their questionable
bullpen. Hamels is poised
to make a difference
after getting some great
experience his rookie year.
don't know who the other
pitchers will be. Ryan
Zimmerman is a stud at
38, but IB Nick Johnson is
hurt, Chad Cordero is likely
to be traded, and the rest
resemble a AAA squad.
don't know who the other
pitchers will be. Ryan
Zimmerman is a stud at
38, but IB Nick Johnson is
hurt, Chad Cordero is likely
to be traded, and the rest
resemble a AAA squad.
will add a strong bat to a
talented lineup featuring
Venon Wells. B.J. Ryan is
tough against lefties, and
can close the deal. Halladay
is one heck of an ace. A
serious darkhorse team.
leaving a gaping hole at
closer. Will the backbone of
team, Captain Jason Varitek,
and powerhouse Big Papi
remain healthy? And can
anyone figure out Manny
being Manny?
town. Benson is out for the
season, and leaves big shoes
for Wright to fill. Markakis,
who batted .311 the second
half of the season, will
provide a strong 1-2 punch
with Tejada.
Talent. Young is the most
talented rookie in the bigs.
Ace Scott Kazmir has looked
incredible in the spring;
unfortunately, the Rays are
still in the best division in
baseball, the AL East.
for each team and some players \
are worth the price of admissi
Only one thing is for sure, this j
more than most in recent history -
are in for a heck of a ride.
Listed below are previi
for each team in the National Lea
and American League East. Te*
are listed in order of their finish fi
last season, with their records fi
2006 under the team logo.
Bottom Line: The only
weakness on this team
is depth, barring injury,
they should be fun to
watch.
Bottom Line: Unless
some diamonds emerge
from the rough, the
Nats will define futility
in 2007.
Bottom Line: Unless
some diamonds emerge
from the rough, the
Nats wifi define futility
in 2007.
Bottom Line: Canada
has something to root
for other than hockey
in October, finally.
Bottom Line: After
injuries ruined 2006,
can this talented club
stay healthy and win
the division?
Bottom Line:
Baltimore fans face a
long summer, waiting
for the Ravens season
to start.
Bottom Line: The
franchise record for
wins is 70, so the bar
isn't set that high, but
go Rays!