WAGE NOTCHES 300TH CAREER WIN; COUGARS IN NEWMAC TOURNEY
Clark University softball head coach Linda Wage added another notch to her belt of accomplishments this season – 300 career-wins. Entering the spring with 287 overall victories, the 19th year veteran reached the 300 mark plateau with a 7-4 win over Coast Guard Academy on April 11.
“This makes me think of all the great teams and players I have had the opportunity to coach,” said Wage. “The softball program at Clark has a great tradition and I am happy to have been along for the ride.”
Currently, Wage has a career-mark of 306-194 at the school. Not one to rest on her laurels, however, the coach led the Cougars to an 11-8 victory over Smith College in the first-round of the double-elimination New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) tournament held at Springfield College on Wednesday. The fourth-seeded Clark (19-15) fell to top-seed Springfield College, 9-1, in the second game.
A squad that consists of just four returning players and ten rookies, the Cougars held their own in the highly competitive NEWMAC. Junior Heather Warren, who set a new mark for homeruns in a season (12) and tied the record for RBI (59), leads Clark at the plate with a .483 batting average. First-year Lauren Blake (.472 BA, 2 HR, 23 RBI) and senior Lauren Ackein (.288, 2 HR, 27 RBI) are the Cougars other top hitters. First-year Melissa Traft (3.82 ERA, 11-5) is the team’s top ace.
Clark will face third-seed Babson College in a must-win game in Springfield, Mass. on Saturday (Noon).
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BASEBALL AND MEN’S TENNIS PREP FOR NEWMAC TOURNAMENTS
The second seasons will get underway for two more Clark University spring teams this week. Ironically, both the Cougar baseball squad and the men’s tennis team are seeded fifth and will face fourth seed Babson College in their respective New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournaments on Thursday (3:30 p.m.). Both games will be played in Babson Park, Mass.
According to the team’s skipper Jason Falcon, the 13-18 (5-7 NEWMAC) squad is ready. “We are mentally and physically prepared for the tournament,” he said. “Our play this past week has given us that extra spark. I’m excited about turning them loose.”
Clark, which split a doubleheader (1-15 & 16-12) with Babson earlier this season, beat the Beavers (3-0) in the 2005 conference tournament. So how will the Cougars prime for the 2007 Babson squad? “Their team is built around pitching,” said Falcon. “We have to be aggressive with the bats and smart with men on the bases.”
The Cougars are led at the plate by senior Joe Pasciucco (.408 BA, 12 RBI), Joe Silva (.396 BA, 28 RBI) and a pair of 100 career-hitters Kyle Breidenstine (.380 BA, 19 RBI) and Nick Tapper (.339 BA, 30 RBI).
Blanked by Babson (9-0) earlier this season, the men’s tennis squad (3-6, 1-4 NEWMAC) hopes to recover on Thursday.
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COUGAR CLEAN UP RECAP
 Last Wednesday, roughly 40 Clark student-athletes and members of the Athletic Department took matters into their own hands. While a weekend full of activity loomed, including admitted students day and the Cougar Crawl, the group brushed up the area surrounding campus with the focus on Downing, Maywood, Florence and Beaver Streets.
 “We are proud of our campus and want visitors to recognize our willingness to work hard in maintaining Clark’s appearance,” said Assistant Athletic Director and head men’s soccer coach David Kulik, who also participated in the event. According to Kulik, the student-athletes saw the importance of working collectively to help themselves and realized that they could have fun in the process. 
An estimated 40 trash bags were filled and dumped that day.
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The highlights for this newsletter are provided by
Dalya Qualls, Sports Information Director, 508-793-7164
Email: dqualls@clarku.edu
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WAGE NOTCHES 300TH CAREER WIN; COUGARS IN NEWMAC TOURNEY
