Spring Break spreads Pirates across country

The nationwide countdown 'til Spring Break has been initiated for every college and university, thanks in part by the looming spring weather. Some schools' breaks have already begun, but AASU's will take place the week of March 15-19, awarding its students the St. Patrick's Day celebration with a day off.

Pirate athletics can't afford to take time off from the competitions, despite the break from classes. There are championships to be won, after all.

Men's golf will travel across the state to Valdosta, Ga., to do battle on the manicured greens of the Kinderlou Forrest Country Club in the Valdosta State University (VSU) Blazer Invitational on March 14-16. The depth of the competition at VSU's home tournament is stifling; it features an array of the top-25 ranked men's golf teams, according to the Golf World/Nike coaches' poll.

The Pirate baseball program looks to compete in six games against two different teams in eight days. March 13-14 will feature the Pirate squad against one of its Peach Belt Conference (PBC) foes, Francis Marion. The three-game series will begin at 2 p.m. on March 13, and continue into a doubleheader on March 14, with games at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The second leg of Pirate baseball's Spring Break will take on another PBC rival, Lander University. That series also features three games in two days, beginning with a 4 p.m. first pitch on March 19. March 20 will close out the away series for the Pirates with games at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

The Lady Pirates' softball team won't enjoy much of a break from anything, as they look to compete in nine games in six days. The Lady Pirates start out with a doubleheader against Tusculum on March 10, with games at 2 and 4 p.m.

Up next for the softballers, a road trip to Florence, S.C., in order to challenge themselves at the Francis Marion University Patriot Invitational on March 13-14. The Pirates' opponents include Lenior-Rhyne, St. Andrews, Queens (N.C.), St. Leo and Alderson-Broaddus.

Finally, the Lady Pirates return home to face PBC enemy, North Georgia on March 16. The doubleheader begins at 2 p.m. and will wrap up with a second game at 4 p.m.

Pirate tennis aims to illustrate domination of Division II men's and women's tennis by traveling to Las Vegas. Both squads will compete against a collection of West Coast teams as they look to defend their consecutive championships.

Both teams will compete against their counterparts from Barry, Hawaii Pacific, St. Edwards and Fresno Pacific in the five-day affair. If you are in Sin City, be sure to show your Pirate fandom.

Spring Break is just another week of competition for the Pirates' spring athletic programs, so show your support and cheer on the AASU student athletes.