Eat Their Dust! - Robert Morris University

TICKERMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD > RMUfinished fourth at the 2008 NortheastConference Outdoor Championships,L SEASONThe softball team had a once-in-alifetimeopportunity in May, takingon Team USA in an exhibition gameat Consol Energy Park in Washington,Pa., as part of the Bound 4 Beijing Tour.Team USA defeated the Colonials, 16-0,in the six-inning contest in front of astanding-room-only crowd of 4,132.But the final score isn’t what themembers of the RMU softball teamwill remember.“To have an opportunity like this issomething that our players are going toremember forever,” said Coleman. “Ourplayers couldn’t have been happier totake part in something like this. Itproves how much the sport of softballhas grown in Western Pennsylvania.”The Colonials mustered three hitsagainst Team USA, as LaurenNisivoccia, Panepinto and Duboveceach singled. Moates retired TeamUSA in order in the bottom ofthe fourth inning.Many of the Colonials had family inattendance, including Panepinto, whoserelatives drove in from Kentucky. Onething Panepinto can always say is thatshe got a hit off a gold medalist. “I’musually pretty modest,” Panepinto said.“But when I got to first base, I was like‘Yes! I just got a hit off the Olympicsoftball team!’ This was a big deal tome and my teammates.”> FOR THE LATEST SCORES VISIT WWW.RMUCOLONIALS.COMwhich was hosted by the Colonials at theRMU Island Sports Center. Led by headcoach Michael Smith, RMU finishedthe two-day event with 102 points.Jeff Witmyer ‘08 won the high jumpthanks to a leap of 6’7”, while sophomoreNasim Siddeeq claimed gold in thetriple jump with a leap of 51’0.75”,breaking a 13-year-old NEC outdoormeet record of 49’7”. In the 3,000-metersteeplechase, Phillips Thompson ‘08posted a time of 9:20.71, winning theevent by almost nine seconds. Takinghome silver medals were sophomoresAnthony Trunzo and Duri Greene.Trunzo finished second in the polevault with a leap of 14’9”, while Greenefinished second in the javelin thanks to athrow of 195’9”. Witmyer was crownedan IC4A champion in the high jump,posting a mark of 6’8.25” in his firstattempt. WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK &FIELD > Also led by head coach MichaelSmith, RMU finished seventh at the2008 Northeast Conference OutdoorChampionships, recording 77.50points. Jordhanna White ‘08 won the100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.22seconds, and sophomore Melitta Brownclaimed gold in the long jump by postinga leap of 18’10.25”. Sophomore AshleyTurici finished second in the javelin witha throw of 140’10”. Each advanced to theNCAA East Regional, with Turici earninga 15th-place finish in the javelin with atoss of 1391’1”.7-3 playing at the No. 5 and No. 6 singles flights.Layman also served as head coach of the RMUwomen’s team, guiding the Colonials to anoverall record of 3-11, 2-1 in the NortheastConference. RMU finished ninth at the 2008NEC Championships and was led by juniorKali Delorie, who finished with a record of3-11. GOLF > Jerry Stone, head coach of theRMU men’s and women’s golf teams, led theColonials to a sixth place finish at the 2008Northeast Conference Men’s Championships atHershey Links in Hershey, Pa., while the womenfinished seventh at Lake JovitaGolf and Country Club in DadeCity, Fla. At Hershey, freshman C.G.Mercatoris finished 14th individuallywith a three-day score of 224. JimmyTomaseski ‘08 was one stroke back ofMercatoris, tying for 17th individuallywith a 225. Mercatoris averaged 75.81strokes in 2007–08, tops on the club.He also won the Tri-State AmateurChampionship at Cranberry HighlandGolf Club in June, with a score of 136.Pacing the women wassophomore LaurenLancia, who finished 25thindividually with a three-dayscore of 261. Sophomore AshleighFrieday finished two strokesbehind Lancia with a final tallyof 263. Lancia, had the bestaverage round score in 2007–08for the Colonials, posting anaverage score of 72.75 strokes.> C.G. MERCATORISR O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 9