The Malone College men's track & field team captured its first NCCAA national title since 1991 at the NCCAA National Championships in Upland, Indiana last Thursday through Saturday among a 14-team field. The Pioneer women finished as national runners-up among their 13-team field.
The Malone men posted a dramatic one-point victory as they tallied 127 points to edge runner-up Cedarville University, which had 126 points. Greenville (IL) College took third at 118, Indiana Wesleyan University was fourth at 114.5 and Bethel (IN) College rounded out the top five at 103.
The Malone women posted 163.5 points for its second-place finish as Cedarville won the women's national title with 177 points. Indiana Wesleyan placed third at 106, Greenville came in fourth at 102 and Olivet Nazarene (IL) University rounded out the top five at 69.5 points.
Both the men's and women's teams had numerous athletes earn NCCAA All-America honors (by virtue of a top three finish in an event). In addition, three Malone women's athletes earned NCCAA national crowns first-place finishes while the men's team had two individuals and a relay team take national titles.
For the women, Vallie Scott (So., West Branch H.S.) won the 400 meters in 57.71 seconds (NAIA automatic qualifying time) while Faith Nicholson (Sr., McMurray, PA) captured the high jump at 5' 4". In addition, Brooke Gasser (Sr., Norwayne H.S.) won the heptathlon with 4269 points (NAIA auto).
Other NCCAA All-Americans for the women were Sarah Hines (Fr., Northmor H.S.) in the 3000-meter steeplechase (2nd; 11.36.98; NAIA auto), Gasser in the javelin (2nd; 132' 2"; NAIA auto), Laura McElrath (Jr., Tallmadge H.S.) in the heptathlon (2nd; 4018 points, NAIA auto) and high jump (3rd; 5' 2"), Ashley Currence (Sr., East Canton H.S.) in the triple jump in a school-record tying mark of 38' 4.75" (2nd; NAIA auto), Emily Alderfer (Fr., Urbana H.S.) in the shot put (3rd; 40' 4.25") and the women's 4x400-meter relay team of Kim Winton (So., Medina H.S.), Megan Patton (So., Perry H.S.), Brittany Davies (Sr., Cedarville H.S.) and Scott in 4:00.74 (3rd; NAIA provisional).
For the men, Ryan Kienzle (Jr., GlenOak H.S.) won the national title in the 5000 meters in a time of 14:48.59 (NAIA auto) while Chris Hare (Sr., Coopersville H.S.) also captured a national title, in the decathlon, with 6134 points (NAIA auto). In addition, the men's 4x800-meter relay unit of Kienzle, Mike Coates (Jr., Sandy Valley H.S.), Nik Schweikert (So., Beavercreek H.S.) and Chris Sinick (Fr., Field H.S.) won the title with a time of 7:47.62 (NAIA auto).
Other NCCAA All-Americans for the men included Chris Sinick in the 800 meters (2nd; 1:53.14), Coates in the 1500 meters (2nd; 3:59.04; NAIA provisional), Tyler Davis (Jr., Teays Valley H.S.) in the high jump (2nd; 6' 8", NAIA auto), Chad Armstrong (Sr., Ashtabula H.S.) in the hammer throw (2nd; 167' 6"; NAIA auto) and Brady West (Sr., West Muskingum H.S.) in the decathlon (2nd; 5748 points). In addition, Justin Jump (So., Wellington H.S.) finished in sixth place in the hammer throw with a toss of 158' 8", which was an NAIA provisional qualifying mark.
In advance of the NAIA National Championships, which are held May 24-26, the Malone teams will compete in one final meet before the national event by traveling to the Allegheny (PA) College Last Chance Meet on Thursday (1:00 p.m.).
Men's Golf Captures AMC/NAIA Region IX Title, Advances To NAIA Nationals; Pioneer Freshman Ben Smith Earns Medalist Honors
The Malone College men's golf team, led by veteran head coach Ken Hyland, won the AMC/NAIA Region IX Tournament at the Apple Valley Golf Course in Howard, Ohio last Thursday and Friday and earned an automatic berth to the NAIA National Championships May 22-25 at the Indiana National Golf Club in Plymouth, Indiana.
At the 54-hole region event, Malone, which is currently ranked 11th in the NAIA national rating, tallied a score of 898 (301-298-299) to edge Tiffin University, which had a 905 (301-303-301), by seven strokes among a 12-team field. Cedarville University took third at 907 (301-298-308), Ohio Dominican University was fourth at 915 (306-301-308) and Walsh University rounded out the top five at 917 (304-311-302).
Malone freshman Ben Smith (Fr., Carrollton H.S.) won the first "A" tournament of his young career with a total of 214 (74-69-71) to earn the Al Turner trophy as the tournament medalist.
Grant Gates (Sr., River Valley H.S.) followed with a nine-place finish at 225 (74-76-75). Jordan Grubb (Sr., Lake H.S.) tallied a 231 (75-80-76) while Darren Phipps (Jr., Lake H.S.) also had a 231 (78-76-77). Scotty Jones (Sr., East Palestine H.S.) finished with a 236 (79-77-80).
In addition, three Malone athletes were named AMC Scholar Athletes at the event as Jones, Gates and Matt Strayer (Jr., Riverside H.S.) earned the honor.
This week, Malone is off and will next compete in the NAIA National Championships May 22-25 in Plymouth, Indiana.
Baseball Takes Four Games From Walsh
The Malone College baseball team cemented a second-place finish in the five-team American Mideast Conference North Division last week after wrapping up its regular-season schedule with a four-game series sweep of local rival Walsh University. The Pioneers opened play on Thursday afternoon at Walsh with victories of 5-1 and 7-1. Then on Saturday, in front of a large home crowd, Malone celebrated Coach Bob Starcher Memorial Day and Senior Recognition Day by tallying two more wins over the Cavaliers by final scores of 4-0 in game one and 10-7 in game two. With the 4-0 week, the Pioneers concluded their regular-season schedule with a 23-24 overall record and an 11-5 mark in the AMC North, just one game behind North Division Champion Geneva (PA) College. After posting victories in all four of this year’s contests with Walsh, Malone has won nine out of the last ten meetings with its local rival.
In Thursday’s opener at Walsh, the Pioneers scored four times in the top of the fifth inning to break a scoreless tie. The Cavaliers answered with one run in the bottom of the sixth but were unable to get any closer as Malone added an insurance run in the top of the seventh for a 5-1 victory. Sophomore Sam Campitella (Jackson H.S.) started on the mound for the Pioneers and picked up his fifth win of the season (5-1) after tossing seven strong innings, giving up just one unearned run on six hits. Sophomore Scott McIlvain (Marlington H.S.) went 3-for-4 at the plate with a run-scoring single while senior Bob Dubovec (Kenston H.S.) clubbed a three-run homer.
The score in game two with the Cavaliers on Thursday remained knotted at 1-1 until the final two innings as Malone plated four runs in the sixth and two more runs in the seventh to pull away for the 7-1 win. Sophomore Ryan Hartong (Dalton H.S.) went the distance on the mound to tally his team-high sixth win of the season (6-3) after surrendering just one run on four hits. Sophomore Jon Lutton (Louisville H.S.) drove in the go-ahead run in the sixth with a one-out single. Then in the seventh inning, Lutton ripped a two-run double to put the game out of reach. Junior Chris Mandeville (Tuslaw H.S.) also posted two hits in the contest, including a two-run double.
In game one on Saturday, the Pioneers took command early on with three runs in the second inning and one run in the third. These four runs would turn out to be more than enough for junior starting pitcher Jimmy Dowling (Jr., Tuslaw H.S.) as he tallied his fourth victory of the year (4-4) after throwing a complete game, six-hit shutout. Malone tallied 11 hits in the 4-0 victory as sophomore Zac Barson (Canton South H.S.) went 3-for-3 with an RBI single and senior Josh Spencer (Canton Central Catholic H.S.) drove in a pair of runs with a two-out double.
In Saturday’s finale, the Pioneers scored five times in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a commanding 10-4 lead. Walsh made things interesting in the top of the seventh by loading the bases with no one out but the Cavaliers were unable to rally all the way back as junior Josh McKeivier (Strasburg Franklin H.S.) came on to record the final three outs of the game and preserve the 10-7 victory. Sophomore Adam Boudler (Louisville H.S.) started the game and picked up his fourth win of the season (4-6) after giving up four runs (three earned) on eight hits over five innings pitched. Dubovec went 4-for-4 at the plate with an RBI double and Lutton drove in a pair of runs with a first-inning single.
This week, Malone (23-24, 11-5 AMC N) will participate in the six-team, double-elimination AMC/NAIA Region IX Tournament hosted by Mount Vernon Nazarene University. The tournament will begin on Tuesday (May 8) with seedings, pairings and game times yet to be announced.
