Despite Limited Showing, Track Showcases Individual Talent in Run-up to NCAAs
Both track squads were in Boston over the weekend for their respective championship tournaments: the men attended the IC4As at Boston University while the women attended the ECACs at the Reggie Lewis Track.
With the NCAAs coming up, just a few athletes on either squad competed, although more than 60 qualified.
The men finished 19th in a field of 48 schools.
Upperclassmen excelled — senior sprinters Nate Crabtree and Marcel VanEeden placed ninth and sixth in the 200 m and 400 m. Junior Dale Taylor finished 13th in the 5000 m. The 4×400 relay team of VanEeden, Crabtree, and juniors Michael Kippins and Rick Zamora clocked in for fourth.
In jumps, junior Jason Inzana was 10th in pole vault and freshman Vince Formica was 16th in long jump. In the triple jump, junior Gary Jones came in eighth, sophomore Julian Remouns came in 27th, and senior Aaron Gadson came in 30th.
Senior thrower Erik Roneker was fifth in weight throw.
In the Heptatahlon, sophomore Alex Holcombe had a strong showing and placed eighth.
Seniors Garrett Huyler and Jim Smith and sophomore Enbani Moore did not compete in the high jump.
On the women’s side, sophomore Kim Lienhoop measured in for 12th in long jump and 15th in triple jump. The 4×400 relay team placed second and then placed eighth in the 4×800 and distance medley, respectively. Junior Natalie Geng placed eighth in the pole vault. At the end of the day, the Red placed 29th in a field of 50 schools.
Although the performance for neither squad was their finest, the upcoming NCAAs will be a better indication of the Red’s talent. Next weekend, seniors Jimmy Wyner, Garrett Huyler, and Erik Roneker, plus the 4×400 relay team will be competing for the men. On the women’s side, senior Jeomi Maduka will be competing in multiple events.
—Christina Kam
Softball Remains Undefeated After Classic
With five wins on the weekend, the women’s softball team extended its record to 7-0. The Red competed in the George Mason Patriotic Classic and defeated Niagara and Central Connecticut State twice. The Red also delivered host George Mason a 5-0 loss.
Ashley Garvey’s two-run home run Friday provided enough runs for freshman Lauren Marx to pick up the win against Central Connecticut State, 2-1. Marx’s seven strikeouts helped her win her first collegiate start, even without much offensive help. Cornell’s offense picked up as the weekend progressed.
Junior Elise Menaker began a productive weekend by knocking in three runs in both games of the doubleheader Saturday. On Sunday, Menaker went 2-for-4 with a double, home run and four RBIs against Niagara to finish with 10 RBIs on the weekend. Menaker currently leads the team in batting average and RBIs.
“She was outstanding,” said head coach Dick Blood. “She had come up in several clutch situations. Just focused on the fundamentals, as opposed to thinking about winning or losing or success and failure she focused on the fundamentals of her swing and she came up big for us.”
The Red defeated George Mason in the morning game and Niagara later Saturday afternoon. Sophomore pitchers Elizabeth Dairymple and Ali Tomlinson improved to 2-0 and each had 11 strikeouts in their victories. The Red will look to this one-two punch to be the core of its pitching staff for the rest of the season.
“They had good years last year,” said Blood “We were expecting for big things this year. They both threw very very well. Although [Tomlinson] had a little trouble with her control in one game, she was throwing exceptionally hard and struck out eleven in there. Big game. We’re very excited about their performances and their future.”
Tomlinson and Dairymple picked up another two wins on Sunday as the Red handed Niagara a 12-0 beating and finished the weekend with a 9-0 win over Central Connecticut State. Niagara had only one hit, while the Red had three players go 2-for-3, including home runs by Menaker and senior Meg Risica. Senior Jessy Berkey went 2-for-2 with a homerun and four RBIs against Central Connecticut State.
—Compiled by Brandon Cohen