03/28/08
As the snow drifts further into memory and the sun starts to shine daily, it can only mean one thing for the athletes of the Baker University track and field teams: The outdoor season has begun.Photos of the event<a href="http://www.bakeru.edu/orangeline/0708slideshows/bakerrelay/" target="_blank">Photos of the event</a> Photos of the event
After spending two months competing indoors, the teams opened their season on familiar ground as the Wildcats hosted the Baker Relays Saturday at Liston Stadium.
Neither team would disappoint the home crowd as the women won the event by a whopping 119 points while the men topped the competition by 57.
Assistant coach Brent Randle said both teams came out and competed well in the first outdoor meet of the year.
“The women’s team as a whole did extremely well,” he said. “They came out and competed hard. The men’s team came out and performed well too. Of course, there are plenty of things we can improve on, but it was a great start to the outdoor season for both teams.”
The Baker women’s team claimed 252 total points to grab the win.
Sophomore Ashlee Miller won the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.37 seconds and edged out teammates Regan Boyer and Christina Delladio in the high jump clearing 1.57 meters.
In the pole vault, the women’s team took the four top spots as junior Kayla Irwin narrowly beat junior Chelsey Ornburn to win the event.
Distance runners Amber Keith and Katie James added to the team’s point total when they finished second and third, respectively, in the 5,000-meter run.
Sophomore Mikayla Medlock outran the competition in the 3,000-meter steeplechase finishing 20 seconds ahead of teammate Ariel Penner who placed second.
Medlock said competing on the same track the team practices on helped.
“It was nice to not have to travel,” she said. “Plus, we know this track really well, and that adds to your confidence.”
First-year thrower Carrie Lister heaved the shot put 11.14 meters and gave her team first-place points. Three women collected points for the ‘Cats in the discus throw: sophomore Jackie Koch, freshman Ashley Brown and Lister.
On the men’s side, the ‘Cats amassed 161 points while Park grabbed 104 to edge out Missouri Valley College for second place.
Junior Richie Bryant got the men started with a win in the 100-meter dash as he finished in a time of 11.10 seconds. Bryant also went on to win the long jump with a leap of 6.95 meters. Sophomore Aaron Hannon took second in the event and junior Trevor Gleason finished fourth.
In the 110-meter hurdles, the ‘Cats finished 1-2 as Hannon edged sophomore Zach Atzeni by half of a second. However, in the high jump the order reversed and Atzeni defeated Hannon.
Freshman Nick Wagoner gave the team eight very valuable points with a second place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Senior Gary Van Horn said the team performed very well in its first outdoor meet.
“Overall, it was a good team performance,” he said. “Everyone came out and gave it their all. It was a good team win for us.”
The Wildcats season will continue in Tiger Country today and Saturday when the teams compete in the Missouri Relays at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo.
