Simmons vaults into starting role for Virginia
CAM SIMMONS (SPRING-FORD) >> The 18th-ranked Virginia baseball team is getting a big contribution from sophomore Cameron Simmons this season.
Simmons, a Spring-Ford graduate, is hitting .327 as the Cavaliers’ starting right fielder. He had 32 hits in 98 at-bats with six doubles, a triple, two home runs, 21 runs scored and 23 RBI entering last weekend. He’s also 6-for-7 in stolen bases and has made two errors on 56 chances (.964) in the field.
“Cameron has made a big jump this season and he continues to improve,” coach Brian O’Connor said. “His plate discipline is much improved, which has made him more of a threat at the plate and has allowed him to reach base more frequently. That gives us another speed threat on the base paths.”
Simmons played in 50 games with 44 starts last season, seeing the most action among the freshmen on the squad. The 6-foot3, 195-pounder got off to a slow start at the plate but hit .319 in the final 19 games and finished with a .261 average (43-for-165) with four home runs and 21 RBIs.
The Cavaliers are 23-8 overall and 5-7 in the tough Atlantic Coast Conference after an 11-1 non-league victory over George Washington last Wednesday in Charlottesville, Va. Simmons had an RBI single in the game. BEKAH SLATTERY (DANIEL BOONE) >> The sophomore left-hander tossed backto-back shutouts for the Lock Haven softball team on April 1-2 in Lock Haven. She tossed a one-hitter in a seven inning complete game 4-0 victory over Pitt-Johnstown on April 1. She walked two and struck out five and gave up just a fourth inning single. The next day, Slattery pitched another complete game 1-0 triumph over Indiana, giving up five hits, walking one and striking out five. Both were PSAC games. The Bald Eagles won the second game against Indiana to push their record to 12-12 overall and 3-1 in league play.
“Bekah struggled to find her rhythm early this season, but she’s the kind of kid that won’t rest until she’s at the top of her game so at some point, we knew she would break out,” coach Kelly Shannon said.
Slattery has a 6-7 record with a 3.16 earned run average in 14 games and 12 starts. In 79.2 innings, she’s given up 92 hits and 54 runs, 36 earned, with 32 walks and 68 strikeouts. CHELSEA RAINERI (BOYERTOWN) >> The George Washington senior is headed to the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships this weekend (April 14-15) in St. Louis, Mo., after a sparkling performance in the Regionals on April 1-2 in Morgantown, W. Va. She made team history by being the Colonials first-ever Regional champion when she tied for first on vault with a score of 9.875 which clinched her spot in the Nationals. She also finished tied for third place in floor exercise with a score of 9.90. DANIELLE FREED (SPRINGFORD) >> The senior continues to have a solid season with the Millersville women’s golf team. Freed shot an 82 to finish fourth out of 38 golfers at the Millersville Invitational on April 2 in Quarryville. Prior to that, she finished tied for 8th out of 64 golfers (8282—164) at the Battle at the Bay March 26-27 in Rising Sun, Md. And she kicked off the spring season by finishing tied for second out of 68 golfers (80-80—160) at the Brown Invitational March 17-18 at Whispering Pines, N.C. Freed finished tied for ninth at the PSAC Championships on Oct. 15-16. NICK SIMEONE (METHACTON) >> The freshman is having a solid season playing with the Arcadia men’s tennis team. He’s 7-1 in singles – 4-1 at No. 1, 2-0 at No. 3 and 1-0 at No. 5. And, he’s 7-2 at No. 1 doubles with three different partners. The Knights are 7-4 overall and 1-1 in MAC Commonwealth play after a 5-4 loss to Lebanon Valley last Wednesday in Glenside. Simeone won his No. 1 singles match 6-0, 6-1 and teamed with senior Wesley Wei to take No. 1 doubles 8-4. LEANNE SHAW (SPRINGFORD) >> The senior attack had two goals and two assists to help the Lycoming women’s lacrosse team turn back Susquehanna 1610 last Wednesday. On April 1, Shaw had two goals in a 17-5 triumph over Hood. She has nine goals and two assists along with 16 ground balls for the 5-4 Warriors. Sophomore Kim Rutherford (Phoenixville) starts on defense and has seven ground balls, four draw controls and two caused turnovers. Junior Catherine Burger (Spring-Ford) has played on seven games off the bench. KATELYN CRESSMAN (POPE JOHN PAUL II) >> The sophomore midfielder had
three goals to help the Seton Hill women’s lacrosse team nip Indiana 12-11 in a key PSAC game last Tuesday in Greensburg. She had two goals and an assist in a 12-11 triumph over Lock Haven on March 25. Cressman has 19 goals and two assists and also has 12 ground balls, 14 draw controls and five caused turnovers. Sophomore Hailey Jacobs (Pottsgrove) and freshman Payton Hughes (Boyertown) are seeing limited action for the Griffins who are 6-4 overall and 4-2 in PSAC play and have won four straight.
BRANDON VANCE (METHACTON) >> The McDaniel junior finished tied for 32nd out of 87 golfers at the Hershey Cup on April 2-3 in Hershey. He had rounds of 76 and 81 for a 157 total. Vance, who is averaging 76.23 for 13 rounds, has played two other tourneys this spring. He finished tied for 20th out of 70 golfers at the Barton (N.C.) Intercollegiate on March 1314 with rounds of 85, 71 and 78 for a 234 total and finished tied for 13th out of 92 players with an 81-75—156 at the McDaniel Spring Invitational on March 25-26 in Westminster, Md.
SASHA WOZNIAK (SPRINGFORD) >> The junior attack had six goals to lead the Cabrini women’s lacrosse team to an 18-6 victory over Immaculata in a Colonial States Athletic Conference game last Wednesday in Radnor. She had five goals in a 16-7 triumph over Widener on March 16, also in Radnor. Wozniak has 19 goals and eight assists with 23 ground balls. Freshman Lauren Hughes (Methacton) has 10 goals and four assists for the Cavaliers who are 9-2 overall and lead the CSAC with a 5-0 record. PAIGE BREHM (OWEN J. ROBERTS) >> The 5-foot-7 sophomore attack is second on the team in goals with 21 and has five assists for the Wesley women’s lacrosse team. She also leads the Wolverines in ground balls (27), draw controls (25) and caused turnovers (16). Brehm had four goals in a 16-15 victory over Notre Dame (Md.) on March 4 and four goals and an assist in a 19-5 triumph over Centenary (N.J.). Wesley is 5-7 overall and 0-5 in Capital Athletic Conference play after an 18-1 loss to No. 7 York last Wednesday in Dover, Del.