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Columl By CHAD BRAY Sports Editor With the support of Columbia dignitaries Mayor Bob Coble and Chief of Police Charles Austin, the Columbia Mets announced plans to make a night at the ballpark fun for the whole family. The Mets, who kick off their season against the Asheville Tourists Thursday night, are trying to attract families to Capital City Stadium with the help of the City of Columbia. "We are behind the Columbia Mets at City Hall 100 percent," Coble said. "With the improvements at the stadium, you can come out for old-fashioned family entertainment." During the winter break, the management has added new, larger box seats, closed circuit televisions at the concession stands, the Hard Ball Cafe, "diamond girls," a stateof-the-art sound system and a playland for the children. "We are the first ever to put a playland of this magnitude in a ballpark," General Manager Bill Shanahan said. The Mets have adopted a new Columbia M< By SEAN RYAN Assistant Sports Editor After winning the South Atlantic League title, you would think that the Columbia Mets would be satisfied, right? First-year general manager Bill Shanahan wasn't. Shanahan's newlook Mets begin their season tomorrow when the Ashville Tourists visit Capital City Stadium at 7:05 p.m. The Mets will battle the Tourists again Friday night with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. Manager Tim Blackwell leads the Mets into their defense of their South Atlantic Title. Blackwell is joined in the dugout by pitching coach Jerry Koosman and assistant coach Marlin McPhail. After playing 10 years in the major leagues with the Red Sox, Phillies, Cubs and Expos, Blackwell began a coaching career in 1984. From 1984 to 1988, Blackwell coached and managed in the San Francisco Giants' farm system. Blackwell then coached PittsWinthrop Ui more than 5,000 studer r\rr\rrr'i?-nc tl, mi l fill tKo ( pivygiamo unwu^ii v Business, Education, ar recognized by U.S. Neu universities in the Soutl nation in safety and nal beautiful 422 acre camj just 20 minutes south o This summer, Wii 400 undergraduate and SI Mc Junt Jut, July For a complete cc conta (800 01 )ia Mets logo and a new mascot, Boomer the Mouse. Flynn Bowie, assistant general manager in charge of marketing and promotions, said Boomer is a Disney-type character that children, who are not old enough to understand baseball, can identify with. The Mets, in conjunction with WNOK-FM, WOIC-AM and the Columbia Police Department, are sponsoring "Teen Appreciation Night" every Tuesday at the stadium. Austin and Shanahan got the idea after they read an article about teenage crime in The State newspaper. "When I was approached with i the idea, 1 said 'We need to move ; on this before someone else steals i the idea,'" Austin said. Columbia police officers and the radio stations will give away free < tickets to teenagers for Mets' games throughout the season. "We feel this program provides positive alternatives for young people and allows them to avoid I the pitfalls of peer pressure and I idle time," Austin said. sts hope to re APRIL [ | SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT | 1 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 TT ASH ASH SAV 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 SAV SAV SAV MB MB FAY FAY 19 20 21 22~ 23 24 25 FAY FAY ALB ALB ALB ALB MAC 26 27 28 29 30 MAC MAC MAC GBO GBO field (A) and St. Lucie (A) to identical 76-58 records in 1989 and 1990. Last year, Blackwell was the manager for the Southern Division All-Stars as wfell as the leader for the champion Mets. Koosman posted a 222-209 record in a 19-year major league career. Koosman led the Mets to the 1969 World Series with a 17-9 record with a 2.28 earned run average. He picked up two wins against the Orioles in the '69 Series. Koosman also posted a 21-10 record with a 2.70 ERA for the Mets in 1976. nversity, founded in li its in 56 undergraduate and College of Arts and Science: id Visual and Performing A 'is and World Report as one a, Winthrop also ranks amc aonally accredited degree f aus is located in the histork f Charlotte, N.C. ithrop will be offering four graduate courses in 51 aca LJMMER SESSION Session A ly 18, - June 5, n ? session 15 ? 8, - August Session C te 15, -July 15, li Session D 16, - August 14, mrse listing and admissi ict the Office of Admissic )763-0230, in South Caro *(803)323-2191 elsewher * % i offer f fiwi Shanahan said he believes Capital City Stadium with its improvements will provide a enjoyable atmosphere for teenaeers who need something to do on Tuesday night. "The Mets are very concerned about the problems facing the young people of Columbia," Shanahan said. "As a part of this community, we would like to take an active role and be a source of entertainment for area teenagers." Manager Tim Black well said the Mets will be an entertaining ball club to watch this season. "We're going to be an exciting, aggressive team this year," Blackwell said. "It won't be boring. We're going to try to bring the South Atlantic championship back to Columbia." The Mets have tried to court peat title wi McPhail played 10 seasons of ninor league baseball after graluating from Cornell University in [982. He spent four years in AAA >aseball in Vancouver and ndianapolis. Only seven players from last /ear's championship squad remain or the 1992 Mets. Infielders Omar jarcia and Danilo Mompres return 0 Blackwell's team. Garcia hit 251 and added four home runs md 50 RBI in 108 games for the vlets. Mompres spent only ten ;ames with the team in 1991. Another player that spent time vith Columbia was outfielder Ed ^rozo. Perozo had three homers ind 18 RBI in 95 games. Right handed pitcher Steve Thonas returns for another season afer posting impressive numbers in lis first year of professional base>all. Thomas was 9-4 with a 4.01 iRA. He also struck out 116 baters in 110 innings. Rob Guzik, Todd Fiegel, and rom Engle also return to wear pin386, currently enrolls 1 44 graduate degree s, and the Schools of rts. Recently of the top 15 >ng the best in the )rograms. The : setting of Rock Hill, sessions with nearly demic areas. )92 1992 992 1992 Ions information, >ns at lina, e. 'un for a local media to help with nightly promotions at the games. "We're very excited about the interest the local media has expressed in the Mets this year," Bowie said. "Every night this season has a major media sponsor. Every Sunday, WACH-TV will sponsor Fox Kids' Night. On Mondays, WLTX-TV is sponsoring 19-cent Hot Dog Night. Wednesday is FOX 102 Discount Beverage Night. Every Thursday is KISS $10,000 Giveaway Night. On Fridays, WVOC and Star 93 are sponsoring Viastar Talent Night in which participants can win a brand , new Saturn. Mnany, Saturday nigni is Columbia Mets Giveway Night. n this year stripes at Capital City Stadium. Guzik was 0-4 with a respectable ERA of 3.02. Fiegel struck out 90 batters in 66.1 innings at Pittsfield, before arriving in Columbia. Engle posted a 3-2 record with a 3.23 ERA. "It will be an aggressive brand of baseball," Blackwell said. "The season won't be boring, and it will definitely be entertaining." Lady Gameco< By NANCY SALOMONSKY Staff Writer South Carolina ended a threematch losing streak by upsetting the lOth-ranked Tennessee Lady Volunteers 5-4. Senior Nathalie Rodriguez, who is ranked 32th in the nation, defeated Lady Volunteer Debbie Moringiello 7-6, 7-5. "We played pretty well, we were rested. We had nothing to lose by playing hard, they were a good team," Rodriguez said. Senior Michelle Duda fell ACADI OFFERING 0 Accounting Administration and Supc Anthropology Art Art Education Biology Chemistry Classics Computer Science Counseling and Develop Dance Economics Education Educational Media Elementary Education English Food and Nutrition T** _ _ rmance French German Geology Health Health Administration History Interior Design dults, c Diamond girls Columbia Mets By SEAN RYAN Assistant Sports Editor When Bill Shanahan took over as general manager of the Columbia Mets, he promised there would be some changes at Capital City Stadium. One of these changes is the addition of Diamond Girls, promoters of professional baseball in Columbia. "Their primary responsibility is to make the fans feel at home by providing stadium information and answering questions," Flynn Bowie, assistant general manager in charge of marketing and promotions, said. Of the 56 women that tried out I Sunday WACH-57 Kid's Night \A/I TY 1Q<fc | Monday Hotdog" Night * WNOK/WOIC I Tuesday Teenage Appreciation Night | I Wednesday Fox 102 Discount 1 Beverage Night I ThlircHaw KISS $10,000 I Thursday Giveaway Night 1 Frjdav WVOC/Star 93 | rnoay Viastar Talent Night I 1 Saturdav Columbia Mets Giveaway Night Source: Cofam&a Mats Ryan Sims/ The Gamecock :ks upset Tenn short of a win in singles action when she was beaten by Tennessee's Michele McMillen 6-3, 6-3. L/uua v^aiii^ ua^ 111 uuuuiw av^tion to give South Carolina the win. The match was tied at 4-4 with the No. 2 doubles contest left to decide the match. Duda and Nina Castille, who improved their record to 10-1, captured a third set tiebreaker 8-6 to clinch the match. The South Carolina team beat the team of Wendy Anderson and Shannon Kagawa 2-6, MC AREAS OURSES INCLUDE: Management irvision Marketing Mass Communi Mathematics Music Philosophy Physical Educal Physical Scienc Physics ment Political Scienc Psychology Quantitative Mc Reading Religion ^ripnrp CVAV1AVV Secondary Educ Sociology Social Work Spanish Special Educatk Speech Theatre Vocational Educ Writing hildren help promote ; in community for a position on the Diamond Girl squad, 22 were chosen. Of these 22, 15 are South Carolina students. Seniors Erika Palsho and Missy Toht, junior Karen Peru, and sophomores Lisa Wessman and Jennifer Goertz are five of the USC students who will work as Diamond Girls this season. "We want the fans to feel as if the stadium is an extension of their homes and enjoy coming back again and again," Bowie said. "Diamond Girls are just a way of doing this." "We are the liason between the team and the public," Peru said. "We're trying to promote a more family type atmosphere in a highly visible and highly respectable way." "I was excited and flattered," Goertz said about getting the job. "I wanted the job because I love baseball." "I was asked to come out and wear the uniform, but when I got the job, I was shocked," Wessman said. The Diamond Girls will work 71 home games for the Mets this summer. "It will be utter chaos opening night," Palsho and Toht said. Grab your hat and glove and drive down to Capital City Stadium, where you just might find that Diamond Girls are forever. essee in tennis 7-5, 7-6, 8-6. In other doubles action Nathalie Acacio and Robin Deitch defeated Lady Volunteer's team of Emily Fisher and Paula Jules 6-3, 6-3. Before the match head coach Arlo Elkins said before the "\i/~ .. ... inaivii, TYf ait a wtaij team right now after playing two matches in the west (Utah and Brigham Young University) last weekend and then to come back against a top 25 team was a tough assignment." x ? .cation ^ j ; ion e I HHC55m e ithods ration jSS^H 1P| s| i? MUHHHUjHHHHHHHHRMMHHUHi