Men’s Basketball Suffers Overtime Loss To Mt. Vernon Nazarene In AMC Tourney
 
     The Malone College men’s basketball team concluded its 2005-2006 season last Tuesday evening in the opening round of the AMC/NAIA Qualifying Tournament as the Pioneers fell to NAIA Div. II #15 Mt. Vernon Nazarene University (away) in overtime by the final score of 88-82.  Malone posted a final overall record of 14-17 this season and held a 9-9 mark in the AMC South Division.
     Last Tuesday’s game was close throughout as Mt. Vernon Nazarene held a slim 39-38 lead at halftime.  The two teams battled back and forth during the second half before Malone was able to take a three-point advantage when Ben Carver nailed a three-pointer with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.  Mt. Vernon Nazarene was able to answer, though, with a clutch three of its own in the final minute, tying the score at 77.  Malone had the last possession of the game but was unable to convert as time expired, sending the contest to overtime.  The Pioneers then struggled to get anything going in the extra period and were outscored 11-5 en route to the 88-82 overtime defeat. 
     Tyler Renner (So., Garaway H.S.) paced the Malone offense with a double-double (his eighth of the season) by posting 22 points (8-18 FG, 0-1 3PT FG, 6-7 FT) and twelve rebounds.  Jesse Schlabach (Jr., Lake H.S.) followed with 19 points, Ben Carver (So., Shelby H.S.) added 15 points, and Chris Miller (Jr., Hiland H.S.) tallied 11.  James Hannum (Jr., Massillon Washington H.S.) pulled down 11 rebounds but the Cougars held a slim 48-44 advantage on the boards.  In addition, Renner dished out four assists, Carver posted four assists and two steals, and Schlabach tallied two assists and two steals.
     Final Malone notes:  Tyler Renner led the team in scoring at 16.2 points per game followed closely by Jesse Schlabach at 15.8 and Chris Miller at 15.5…Renner averaged 8.5 rebounds per game (4th in AMC) followed by Shane Humphrey at 5.9…Schlabach led the team in assists at 2.5 per game…Schlabach also paced the squad in three-pointers made with 99 and in three-point percentage at 43.0% followed by Miller at 39.5%…Renner led the team in free throw percentage at 82.7% (4th in the AMC).
     All-AMC South Division Team:  Tyler Renner represented Malone on the Second-Team while Jesse Schlabach and Chris Miller were voted to the Third Team.       
  

Women’s Basketball Falls To Shawnee State In Opening Round Of AMC Tournament
 
     The Malone College women’s basketball team completed its 2005-2006 season last Tuesday in the first round of the AMC/NAIA Qualifying Tournament as the Pioneers fell to NAIA Div. II #8 Shawnee State University (away) by the final score of 71-51.  Malone posted a final overall record of 11-17 and held an 8-10 mark in the AMC South Division.
     In last Tuesday’s game, Shawnee State jumped out to a 22-5 lead to start the game and led 28-18 at the half as Malone shot just 29.2% (7-24) from the field in the opening period.  The Pioneers cut the lead to six points early in the second half but were unable to overcome 14 turnovers in the final period, falling by a 71-51 final. 
     Erica Mishler (Jr., Hiland H.S.) paced the Malone offense with 14 points followed by Nikki Parson (Jr., Garaway H.S.) with 13 points and eight rebounds.  Cara Shiplett (So., Northwest H.S.) posted her ninth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds as the Pioneers held a 42-38 advantage on the boards.  In addition, Mishler and Kellyn Murphy (So., St. Vincent/St. Mary H.S.) each dished out three assists and Shiplett grabbed two steals.
     Final Malone notes:  Nikki Parson led the team in scoring at 16.8 points per game followed by Cara Shiplett at 13.8…Parson also paced the squad in rebounding with 9.1 boards per game (5th in the AMC) followed by Shiplett at 8.3…Parson led the team in field goal percentage at 51.8% and free throw percentage at 88.3% (1st in the AMC)...Kellyn Murphy paced the squad in assists with 3.1 per game followed by Erica Mishler with 2.7.
     All-AMC South Division Team:  The All-AMC Teams are expected to be announced later this week.

Men’s And Women’s Indoor Track & Field Teams Compete At Mt. Union Open

     The Malone College men’s and women’s indoor track & field teams competed at the Mt. Union College Open last Saturday as Pioneer athletes posted several NAIA national automatic and provisional qualifying marks.
     For the Malone men, Chad Armstrong (Jr., Edgewood H.S.) finished first in the weight throw, earning an NAIA national provisional qualifying mark at 15.11 meters.  Four Malone race walkers earned NAIA national automatic marks in the one mile race walk including Brad Sinick (Jr., Field H.S.), who finished first at 7:43.5, Nate Hughes (Jr., Worthington Christian H.S.), who finished second at 7:53.0, Bryan Lopes (So., Dublin Coffman H.S.), who placed third at 8:40.4, and Jeremiah Stauffer (So., Youngstown, OH), who finished fifth at 8:50.6.  Also earning provisional qualifying marks for the men were Jeb Ford (Fr., Minerva H.S.) in the 55-meter dash (3rd, 6.54), Tyler Davis (So., Teays Valley H.S.) in the high jump (3rd, 6'6"), Matt Orwick (So., East Canton H.S.) in the 3000 meters (6th, 8:52.95).
     Others who finished in the top three in their events for the men included Brady West (Jr., West Muskingum H.S.) in the long jump (1st, 20' 10.5") and high jump (3rd, 5'10"), Aaron Maglott (Fr., Galion H.S.) in the one mile (1st, 4:28.39), Cody Ford (Sr., Minerva H.S.) in the 400 meters (3rd, 51.50), Jay Brueckner (So., Crestview H.S.) in the 500 meters (3rd, 1:10.08), Josh Gortney (So., Sandy Valley H.S.).  In addition, the men's 4x400-meter relay team of Tim Walter (Sr., West Muskingum H.S.), Jeb Ford, Cody Ford and Chris Cruise (So., Field H.S.) won their event in 3:25.72 while the 4x160-meter relay unit, composed of the same four athletes, finished second in 1:13.63.
     For the women’s team, Missy Walker (Jr., Piqua H.S.) earned an NAIA national automatic qualifying mark in the one mile race walk at 8:33.7.  Three Malone distance runners also earned NAIA automatic marks in the 5000 meters including Katie Bagley (Fr., Crestview H.S.), who finished first at 17:56.3, Caity Schneider (Jr., Sandy Valley H.S.), who placed second at 18:09.4, and Rebekah Genter (Fr., Crestview H.S.), who finished third at 18:15.1.  Vallie Scott (Fr., West Branch H.S.) earned an NAIA national provisional qualifying mark in the 400 meters by finishing first at 60.36 while Megan Patton (Fr., Perry H.S.) posted a provisional qualifying mark in the 55-meter hurdles by placing first in 8.92 seconds.
     Others who finished in the top three in their events for the women included Aubree Horning (So., Salem H.S.) in the shot put (1st, 39' 6"), Megan Gasparin (Sr., Renfrew, PA) in the weight throw (1st, 48' 4"), Scott in the 300-meter dash (1st, 43.48), Loren Reineke (Jr., Anna H.S.) in the 800 meters (2nd, 2:25.38), Brittany Davies (Jr., Cedarville H.S.) in the 300-meter dash (2nd, 43.68) and 400-meter dash (3rd, 1:01.55), Kim Winton (Fr., Medina H.S.) in the 500-meter dash (3rd, 1:23.74) and Ashley Currence (Jr., East Canton H.S.) in the triple jump (3rd, 35' 8.5").  In addition, the women's 4x400-meter relay team of Scott, Winton, Davies and Kristina Barrett (Sr., Licking Valley H.S.) won their event in 4:15.55 while the women's 4x160-meter relay unit, composed of the same four athletes, placed second in 1:26.62.
     This week, the Malone teams are idle and will next send athletes to the NAIA Indoor National Championships in Johnson City, Tennessee March 9-11.

Baseball Opens Season With Impressive 4-2 Trip To Kentucky

     The Malone College baseball team, under the direction of third-year head coach Tom Crank, began its 2006 season by traveling to Kentucky last week to play six games over a busy three day span.  Malone started off the trip last Thursday by splitting a doubleheader with Lindsey Wilson College (KY), winning the opener 11-7 (8 innings) but falling 8-4 in game two.  On Friday, Malone overwhelmed Siena Heights University (MI) 12-2 (6 innings) in the morning (game played at Lindsey Wilson College) and then traveled to NAIA #7 Spalding University (KY) for an evening game in which the Pioneers lost 8-2.  Malone concluded the trip on Saturday by defeating Hastings College (NE) 6-2 and then outlasting Siena Heights 8-7.  Both of the Saturday games were played at Campbellsville University (KY).  After the successful road trip, the Pioneers currently hold a 4-2 record and are 0-0 in the AMC North Division.
     In game one against Lindsey Wilson, Malone trailed 7-2 after four innings, but rallied back, scoring twice in the seventh inning to tie the game at 7-7.  The Pioneers then scored four times in the top of the eighth for the 11-7, extra-inning win.  Kory Heppeard (Sr., Van Wert H.S.) started on the mound for Malone while Anthony Barson (Sr., Canton South H.S.) claimed the victory after entering the game with one out in the sixth and shutting out the Blue Raiders over the final three innings.  Malone posted 11 hits in the game as Scott McIlvain (Fr., Marlington H.S.) went 3-5 with one double and three RBI.  In addition, Josh Spencer (Jr., Canton Central Catholic H.S.) scored four runs and went 3-3 with one RBI.
     In game two at Lindsey Wilson, the Pioneers gave up eight runs on six hits leading to the 8-4 defeat.  Josh McKeivier (So., Strasburg Franklin H.S.) started and took the loss for Malone, giving up eight earned runs in 4.2 innings pitched.  Offensively, Bob Dubovec (Jr., Kenston H.S.) smacked a solo home run and Ryan Hartong (Fr., Dalton H.S.) recorded a two-run single. 
     In Friday’s game against Siena Heights, Malone scored five runs in the second inning to take the lead and then scored five more in the sixth to seal the 12-2 victory.  Dan Walker (Sr., Ellet H.S.) recorded the win by giving up just two earned runs on five hits over six innings.  Offensively, the Pioneers recorded 11 hits including a two-run homer by McIlvain and a two-run double by Jarrod Stahl (Sr., Kenmore H.S.).
     At Spalding, the Pioneers committed four errors and gave up eight runs on six hits in the 8-2 defeat.  Dubovec took the loss for Malone surrendering six runs (four of which were unearned) over six innings pitched.  The Pioneers recorded eight hits on the evening as McIlvain posted two singles and Zac Barson (Fr., Canton South H.S.) smacked a double.
     Against Hastings, Malone scored four times in the seventh inning to break a 2-2 tie and earn the 6-2 victory.  Anthony Barson recorded his second victory of the young season by holding the Broncos scoreless over the final 2.2 innings.  The Pioneers had four stolen bases in the contest, all of which occurred in the seventh inning, and recorded five hits, all singles.
     In Saturday’s game against Siena Heights, Malone led 8-1 after four innings but had to withstand a late rally by the Saints to escape with the 8-7 victory.  Hartong started for the Pioneers and earned the victory despite giving up five runs over 4.2 innings.  Jake Booth (Fr., Toronto H.S.) got his first save of the season by recording the final two outs of the game.  Stahl had quite a performance as he went 3-3, scored three runs and tallied four steals.  In addition, McIlvain added three hits and four RBI.
     This week, Malone will head to Phoenix, Arizona for their annual spring break trip.  The Pioneers will face Monmouth College (IL) in a doubleheader starting at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.  Malone will play a total of 15 games in Arizona.

 

 

     The Malone College women's tennis team picked up its first win of the season (in its second contest overall) in an 8-1 victory at home over Wilmington College last Saturday.  All eight Pioneer wins came in straight sets.  With the win, Malone is now 1-1 on the season. 
     Scores for the match were as follows:
     #1 Camelia Urdea (So.,. Brasov, Romania)                                             L 7-6, 7-5
     #2 Emily Farls (Jr., Beaver, PA)                                                                   W 6-0, 6-3
     #3 Ann Marie Burton (Fr., Wadsworth H.S.)                                               W 6-3, 6-2
     #4 Jack Quilter (So., GlenOak H.S.)                                                            W 6-2, 6-2
     #5 Chelsie Helbeck (Sr., East Palestine H.S.)                                         W 6-2, 6-3
     #6 Gina Bayzie (Sr., Brecksville H.S.)                                                         W 6-2, 6-0
     #1 Urdea/Burton                                                                                             W 9-8
     #2 Farls/Quilter                                                                                               W 8-3
     #3 Laura Wenger (Sr., Louisville H.S.)/Erin Martin (So., Beaver, PA)   W 8-1

     This week, Malone (1-1) will travel to Mt. Union College on Wednesday for a 6:30 p.m. match.  The team will then travel to Hilton Head, South Carolina over spring break for five scheduled matches, the first of which is on Saturday against Olivet (MI) College at 4:00 p.m.

 

Men's Tennis Team Loses To Baldwin-Wallace 5-2