Thoroughbred athletes eye tournament titles in golf, baseball, and crew

The season has been extended for Skidmore’s golf and baseball teams and boats from men's and women’s crew.

The golf team will play in the program's 21st straight National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III tournament, scheduled May 15-18 at the Hawthorns Golf and Country Club and Prairie View Golf Club in Fishers and Carmel, Ind.

Skidmore, ranked 11th in the latest NCAA III poll, won five tournaments this year, including two in the weather-shortened spring season. First-year Coach David Bakyta's team compiled a 240-12 record.

Senior Stuart Drahota (Ft. Collins, Colo.) leads Skidmore into the tournament. The team captain has a 75.94 average. Sophomore Toby Spector (Waterville, Maine) has the lowest average at 74.52. Rounding out the top five are senior Nick Caldwell (Acton, Mass.) at 76.57, freshman Chris DeJohn (Rocky Hill, Conn.) at 75.6, and freshman Sam DaSilva (Wyckoff, N.J.) at 76.42.

The baseball team won its final four games of the regular season to claim the final spot in the Liberty League tournament. The Thoroughbreds (17-18, 11-9 Liberty) will play host RPI at 1 p.m. Friday, May 11. The winner of that game plays again at 4:30 p.m., while the loser plays at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 12. St. Lawrence and Rochester are the two other contenders in the double-elimination tournament.

The women's varsity eight boat and the men's lightweight four will compete in the ECAC Championships Saturday and Sunday, May 12-13, at Whitney Point, in Broome County. The women took third in the recent New York State championships, while the men won took first.

The varsity eight boat of coxswain Meg Riley, Angie Polletta, Kacey Light, Amanda Wirene, Erin Newell, Cate Kelley, Meg Weagley, Leila Wendler, and Carol Simonson received votes in last week's NCAA Division III poll and could be ranked in this week's poll.

The lightweight four boat consists of coxswain Ron Sanchez, Jeremy Wilmot, Artemas Richardson, Jake Odentz, and Kevin McCreary.