The Houstonian

Vol 115— Issue 27

Huntsville, Texas

SPORTS

Sliding down in the ranks

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

FEATURE PRESENTATION

INDEX

Nation & World...page 4

Entertainment editor Kevin Jukkola reviews the Joneses.

Viewpoints................page 2

Entertainment........page 5

One step at a time SEE page 5

SEE page 6

Campus................page 3

Sports....................page 6

Community tightens its laces in an effort to cure cancer at relay for life

By Kristin Meyer Senior Reporter

Cancer is a word, not a sentence. -John Diamond Last Friday, as many as 500 students walked the track of Bower’s Stadium to honor those who have been taken by, conquered, and continue to fight the battle that is cancer at the 5th annual Relay for Life.

Since 1986, Relay for Life has been held each year in thousands of cities around the world to raise awareness and money for cancer research. The registered teams fundraised at the event and for several months before to reach the goal of $30,000 the Relay committee set for this year.

Prior to the event the teams raised $20,000, and at the conclusion the amount totaled to $29,436. With extra money being submitted after the event for teams who were not able to make it, the university surpassed its

goal. Colleges across the country have raised over $7,000,000 to go towards cancer research.

“This is one of the best turn outs that Sam Houston Relay has ever seen,” said Tiffany Hotchkiss, Relay Ceremonies chair. “So to see this many people out here participating on the track and walking for the greater cause is amazing.”

People from throughout the Huntsville community and Walker County attended the event to show their support and to find a cure for cancer.

Due to inclement weather, the event ended at 1:30 a.m. instead of the scheduled 6 a.m.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S., and, according to the American Cancer Society, is responsible for 562,340 deaths in 2009. By participating in Relay for Life, the SHSU community proved that we can fight back and give hope to those who need it most.

Kristin Meyer | The Houstonian

HOPE. As many as 500 students participated in the 5th annual Relay for life held on Friday at Bowers Stadium. The event raised a total of $29,436 to aid in the search for a cure for cancer, which is responsible for as many as 562,340 deaths in 2009. The event has been held since 1986.

Reagan’s Angels

TKE raises $1,600 in aid for the Alzheimer’s Association.

By Kristin Meyer Senior Reporter

On Saturday, April 24, Tau Kappa Epsilon hosted its 2nd annual Reagan Walk to raise awareness and funds for the Alzheimer’s Association.

“This is our national philanthropy and every chapter is supposed to donate money to the Ronald Reagan Alzheimer’s Association every year,” said Phillip Stark, TKE Philanthropy Chair. “In the past we have been neglecting that because of insufficient funds, and we held it last year, but it was smaller and we didn’t promote it much.”

Participants in the walk had to pay $10 each and they received a t-shirt and food after the event.

From just the walk, there were a total of 60 participants and TKE raised around $600. They planned on hosting an alumni poker tournament and their famous Bamboo Bash to raise additional money for their philanthropy.

— See TKE, page

The Kats Meow Mingling with the media

Houston TV and Radio Personalities David Strickland of Channel 13 and Lana Hughes of KTRH News Radio will be mingling with the media this Tuesday, April 27 from 6-8 p.m. in room 125 of the Dan Rather Communications building.

Strickland and Hughes will discuss the current state of the media and answering

questions from SHSU Warner Chair and Former White House Press Secretary, Peter Roussel.

During the event audience members are invited to contribute questions on provided materials for Roussel to ask.

A reception with food and drinks will be held from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

SHSU seeks students’ opinions on Sam Shuttle

By Jake Pickard

Contributing Writer

Kristin Meyer | The Houstonian

RAISING AWARENESS. Tau Kappa Epsilon held its 2nd annual Reagan Walk in effort to let people know about the Alzheimer’s Association’s mission to find a cure for the fatal disease.

Last Thursday, the SHSU Department of Parking and Transportation sent out an email to all currently enrolled students, asking them to fill out a survey regarding the possibility of bringing back the Sam Shuttle service.

The purpose of the service is to transport students to and from SHSU in Huntsville

and Lone Star College in the Woodlands, with many stops in between the two.

The Sam Shuttle was originally implemented in August 2008 to combat rising gas prices, which at the time were approaching $4 per gallon. As gas prices fell, so did the number of riders of the shuttle, causing the service to be ended in May 2009.

— See SHUTTLE, page 3

Rebuilding the program All-girls spirit team makes progress as nationals, tryouts this week for prospective members

By Meagan Ellsworth Editor-in-Chief

Last year at the National Cheerleading Association’s national competition in Daytona, Fla., the all-girls’ team of Sam Houston State University’s Spirit program placed 7th.

One year later, the team found itself fighting to do better in the same competition To qualify for the annual held each April, the team must compete at camp each August. This year it was held at SMU against 87 cheer teams.

They competed and placed in the top ten, so they got a paid bid to go to NCA nationals.

Of the 236 teams total participating in Daytona, 15 were in the girls’ division.

The team placed 11th in the preliminaries following some tough deductions, but the team made the fixes and earned 4th place in the finals.

“That is quite an accomplishment to move

up three places in the cheerleading world like that,” Assistant Director for the Department of Student Activities, Brandon Cooper, said.

Cooper has proudly watched the team’s progress as they’ve grown in numbers and gained strength over the last several years.

“They continue to make a presence in both the cheerleading world and here at Sam Houston State,” Cooper said. “We’re just really proud of their overall accomplishments and their growth.”

In the past, the all-girls’ team is said to have won three national championships in 1997, 1998, and 1999, but then the all-girls’ spirit program was discontinued.

The change was made before the current coach of team, Brian McColpin, who is also the Spirit Programs Coordinator, began his term.

But McColpin said he thinks the change was related to funding.

In the spring of 2006 the team returned cheering in t-shirts and shorts.

“It was a big accomplishment for them,” McColpin said. “They have to fund raise for everything they get.”

Throughout the year to go to nationals in uniforms and to attend the games the team has to fundraise as much as $26,000 a year.

“They cheered in 2007 in uniforms,” McColpin said. “They started building the program back and went to Nationals in 20082009 where they placed 7th. This was a really big accomplishment for their first time back.”

As soon as football season begins, the girls will start working the Texans games to raise funds. They are looking for boosters in the summer, but their first official fundraiser will be selling Sam Houston Calendars on June 1.

Each member of the team must acquire $250 in donations as well.

“We’re just extremely proud of what they’ve accomplished throughout the year they’ve had a lot going against them,” McColpin said.

Anyone interested in becoming a booster

may contact McColpin. Boosters receive gifts such as signed photos and Polos from the team for their services. Donations may be made out to SHSU All-girls spirit programs.

“Our boosters are open up to anyone that is willing to donate money,” McColpin said.

Also, those interested in joining the team may contact McColpin 936-294-1937 or email him at bsm012@shsu.edu.

At the beginning of the year there were 30 girls, but by the end the team finished with 19 members.

Tryouts start this week starting Friday at 6p.m. It is a three day tryout which continues through the weekend. Requirements for all girls team include a standing back hand spring, round off back handspring, two all-girl stunts, cheer, and Sam Houston State fight song.

“We have enough uniforms to take 36,” McColpin said. “They’ve really got to love it.”

Page 2 The Houstonian

Letter to the Student Body Dear Sam Houston Students, Staff and Faculty and Alumni: The Houstonian would not survive were it not for the continued involvement and dedication of the SHSU student body. We welcome all column submissions and letters to the editor. If at any time you feel the need to express an opinion, please do not hesitate to e-mail your thoughts or drop by our office in the Dan Rather, room 210 in the communications building. We look forward to hearing from you and thank you as always for your continued support of the Houstonian.

Heath Wierck Viewpoints Editor haw002@shsu.edu

Paws Up, Paws Down With the Thanksgiving break approaching,

we at The Houstonian decided to lighten the mood take a of look at the not-so-serious In thisand section the opinions page, side of Turkey Day. After all, we all need we take a look at some various news something funny to get us through the days stories around campus and give the with crazy families.

parties involved either a “paws up” for a good job, or a “paws down” for a not so good job.

“Paws UP” to there being only two weeks left of classes. Hoorah for sweet, sweet summer time.

VIEWPOINTS

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

The abortion abomination Meagan Ducic gives her opinion about the current situation in America with abortion.

A little more than a month ago, President Obama signed an executive order affirming a prohibition on federal funding of abortions, except in cases of rape, incest or danger to the mother. While this is not bad, it isn’t good enough.

What I propose, is that all abortions be made illegal, and carry the same punishment as first degree murder. However, two provisions must be made.

In situations where both mother and child will die unless an abortion is performed, the option to terminate the pregnancy must be available. This is a situation in which the baby’s death is a certainty even without the procedure, and therefore should not be considered murder.

Additionally, if the mother’s life alone will cease should the procedure not be performed, I believe abortion must be an available option. In this case, the justification is similar to that of selfdefense. True, this raises religious concerns, but though I am sure of very little when it comes to my faith, I do believe that God must understand in situations where people act to save their own lives. It just

doesn’t make sense that he would teach us to respect the gift that is our life and punish suicide with eternal hellfire—only to treat an act of self-preservation the same way.

Pregnancy by rape, while undeniably unfair, should not grant permission to abort a child. Life is designed to be unfair, and the awful truth is that it hits some harder than others. We must deal the hand we are given and fervidly

dren, don’t have sex.

The act of sex has been devalued so much it’s easy to forget its purpose. It’s not something to do for fun and it’s not just a milestone in your relationship.

As unsexy as it is, the only reason sex was designed to be enjoyable is to help ensure the survival of the human race.

The argument has been made that in a high number of cases, abortion is more humane than what children

“The act of sex has been devalued

so much it’s easy to forget its purpose.” reject murder as a solution to unwanted pregnancy.

While a number are attributed to rape and medical reasons, many abortions occur only because the baby would inconvenience the mother. Perhaps she doesn’t want to be forever tied to the father, she feels she is too young or she doesn’t have much money, she doesn’t want to go through parenting alone, a baby would jeopardize her career, etc.

Well, too bad.

If you don’t want chil-

endure when adopted or placed in foster care.

While the horror of these instances is unforgivable, an important piece of the puzzle has been ignored.

You don’t kill babies because life is hard. It is something that we as mere human beings do not have the right to decide, simply because we have the ability to. People do not, and could not, run the universe.

All we can do is make responsible choices in our own lives and do everything we can to help others

do the same.

If the institutions of foster care and adoption have problems, which are clearly the case, then aggressive changes need to be made at that point of the process. It is indefensible logic that murdering infants should be allowed because we haven’t perfected the placement of unwanted children. No system is perfect and one does not exist that could protect everyone. Some children will suffer. It breaks my heart to know of this reality, but, come what may, we do not have the right to end the lives of the innocent.

Why women have abortions is largely irrelevant.

Ladies, you can justify your abortions any way you want to feel like you’re not just killing your baby so your life will be less complicated—but your rationalizations can’t disguise the truth that abortion is the pre-meditated murder of a defenseless child. No defense is possible. Stop murdering your children.

Meagan Ducic is a reccuring columnist for The Houstonian. She is a Senior Print Journalism major, English minor.

Comics for thought

“Paws INBETWEEN,” depending on how you feel, to the new immigration law recently passed in Arizona.

“Paws UP” to the SHSU Trap and Skeet team earning seventh place in the nation this past weekend.

Comic courtesy of comics.com

Letter to the Editor

Addison Reed writes in to voice his response to the recent column “Retiring the confederacy.”

“Paws DOWN” to The Houstonian running out of ideas for the Paws UP, Paws DOWN section.

The individual opinions on the Viewpoints page are not necessarily affiliated with the view of The Houstonian or SHSU. The Houstonian is published semi-weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is a news publication of Sam Houston State University, a member of the Texas State University system, and is produced by students. It is self-supporting and welcomes all advertisers. Those interested in placing ads or classifieds should call (936) 294-4864. The Houstonian is a member of the Associated Press.

The Houstonian Editorial EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Meagan Ellsworth...............................................................936-294-1505 FACULTY ADVISOR Patsy Ziegler.....................................................................936-294-1499 SECTION EDITORS Lotis Butchko....................................................................Senior Joe Buvid.............................................................................Photo Jessica Priest..................................................................Associate Heath Wierck..............................................................Viewpoints Mike Silva...........................................................................Sports Kevin Jukkola........................................................Entertainment Thomas Merka...................................................................Web

Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor

STAFF Kristin Meyer.................................................................Senior Reporter Brandon Scott.................................................................Sports Reporter John Rudolph.......................................................................Photographer

Advertising BUSINESS MANAGER Tammie Nokes.................................................................936-294-1500 STAFF Brad Basker.........................................................Advertising Relations Brittany Hampton...............................................Advertising Manager Brittany Pires.......................................................Production Manager Kyle Thomas.............................................................Account Executive Gupreet Singh...........................................................Account Executive Andrea Warda...........................................................Account Executive

Advertising Deadlines

Tuesday’s Issue............... Friday at 2:00 p.m.

Thursday’s Issue........... Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.

Since I’ve graduated, the job market has not been kind to me at all. As a result, I continue to find myself living in Huntsville, blissfully unemployed, with plenty of time to keep up with events and goings on around campus by reading The Houstonian, on which I used to work.

As the former Opinions/ Viewpoints/whatever-thehell-it’s-called-now editor, I can’t help but pay special attention to the various columns that appear on my former page.

However, it was not until last Thursday’s issue that I read a column that riled me up just a little bit. Well, a lot. My friend Kevin Jukkola wrote a scathing attack on Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell’s proclamation that April would be Confederate History Month. To say the least, I disagreed almost entirely with the article and several various factual oversights that I feel were made, instead replaced with revisionist historical theories that have little to no bearing in the actual cause and outcome of our nation’s civil war.

First, let me just say that I agree with Mr. Jukkola’s first two arguments. To begin, yes, slavery indeed played a significant role in the cause of the Civil War and McDonnell was wrong for failing to mention that.

Second, I agree that not mentioning slavery was indeed similar to talking about the 2009 baseball season and not talking about the New York Yankees.

After all, the Yankees, like slavery, are an evil and shameful institution that should be abolished.

My degree is in history, but that by no means qualifies me to make

any kind of revisionist statements on what the role of slavery in the cause of the American Civil War was, especially considering that the only thing academic historians can say about the matter is that slavery played a significant role without really being able to quantify “significant.”

As a result, I have no desire to talk about slavery, especially considering that I’m sure you all already have your minds made up.

Instead, I’d prefer to talk about what Confederate History Month really means.

Rather than remembering why the war started, we

the entire population of the South. However, in my mind, those who fought are the group that deserves to be remembered and celebrated.

After all, if only 10% of them were slave owners, then clearly the vast majority were fighting for things other than slavery.

The truth is that the Confederate Army, unlike the Union, was a volunteer force that was fighting on its own soil for almost the entire war. These were men and women who fought for their homes and their families. Everything that mattered to them, especially those who did

“Rather

than remember why the war started, we should instead remember the men and women who fought in it...” should instead remember the men and women who fought in it, and what they believed they were fighting for. In short, we should let them tell us what the war was about, people who were actually there, rather than listen to apologists with consciences so blinded by either guilt or self-righteousness that they forget or simply chose to ignore the wealth of primary information that can tell us far more than a Hollywood director ever could.

For me, one of the most interesting facts I have ever come to know about the Civil War is that among those who actually fought in the Confederate Army, approximately only 10% owned slaves. Mind you this is representative of those who fought, not necessarily

not own slaves, was on the line in this war. Many of them lost everything during Union campaigns in the South. We know this from the letters written to families and loved ones by these soldiers.

My personal approach to history has always been that when we look back into the past we must give historical actors the same credit that we give ourselves when it comes to explaining our actions in any given situation.

With that in mind, if you were to put yourself in the context of the Civil War you would realize that it simply makes no rational sense that anyone would honestly go out and be willing to die so that the plantation owner down the road doesn’t lose his labor supply.

If you were to put yourself

in that context you would realize that when you’re lying prone on the ground, surrounded by the bodies of your friends and fellow soldiers, with musket balls whizzing over your head, and with artillery shells exploding in the ground beside you, slavery would seem a little insignificant when weighed against the desire to see your family again.

If you were to put yourself in that context, you would also realize that in matters of life and death, the only things that truly matter are the things that would mean the most to you. Things like your wife, your husband, your children, and your home.

These are the things that truly mattered to these soldiers. These are the things that they fought so honorably for. These are the things that make them worth remembering and honoring today.

So in closing, think what you will about the causes of the American Civil War. If historians still can’t agree, then I doubt the rest of us will any time soon. But please don’t let what you think of the causes of the war define what you think about those who fought in it. These men were not terrorists, they were not Nazi precursors, they were not evil, and they were not “losers.” These soldiers ultimately fought for the same things in the same way that any good and honorable soldier would, and for that they are worthy of our remembrance.

Addison Reed is a guest columnist for The Houstonian. He is a recent graduate of SHSU.

CAMPUS

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Finals relief, free of charge

By Alyssa Dupree Contributing Writer

Jack of all trades

English department fondly remembers former colleague

By Erin Peterson

The Student Advising and Mentoring Center, or SAM Center, will provide those students with children free childcare beginning on Wednesday, May 5. SAM Center officials hope that this service will allow students the opportunity to study for finals, responsibility free. Best of all, there is no cost for the service.

“SHSU students who volunteer [and chosen for the service] will be background checked,” student assistant Chelsea Maxwell said. “There will also be a full-time faculty member who has child experience that will be there the entire time.”

Students will be able to drop off children between the ages of 6 months and 12 years, who will be taken care of from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the SAM Center.

In past semesters, there were anywhere from seven to 12 children enrolled in the program, but Maxwell says the service is steadily growing each semester.

“Because this is a new and small service, it is very beneficial to participants,” said Maxwell.

The service was established two semesters ago by staff associate Candi Harris, who knew from experience how important childcare was, especially during a highstress time such as finals week.

Children enrolled in the service will have activities ready for them, including coloring, play-time and watching a movie.

“The State of Texas Childcare Licensing [Office] has evaluated our program and have approved it to run without state regulation,” said Maxwell.

Parents with more than one child need not shy away from the program, as the Finals Relief program does not currently have a per family limit.

All interested students must fill out a registration form

by Monday, May 3, when registration ends. Forms can be found at the SAM Center, Office 190.

Anyone who seeks additional information can contact Candi Harris at 936-294-4628.

“This program is a popular service and we hope that it helps parents on this campus.”

P

The Houstonian, Page 3

Contributing Writer Monday, April 19, was a sad day for Sam Houston State University’s English department, as many lost a beloved former colleague. According to English Professor Ralph Pease, Ph.D., former professor Jack Kerr, Ph.D., passed away “suddenly, but not unexpectedly.”

Born Jack Walter Kerr on January 14, 1930, to Walter and Doris Kerr in Nuevo Laredo, he later received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Windsor, and his Ph.D. from Texas A&M University. It was said that Kerr was very proud of his alma mater, and often returned to College Station for football games.

Though he wrote his dissertation on “The Merchant in Venice,” Kerr was not only a Shakespeare scholar, but an 18th century British literature expert as well. He taught at Sam Houston from 1966 to 1994, where his favorite course to teach was the sophomore class “Readings in Literature of the Western World.”

“During his years in the Department of English, Dr. Kerr taught thousands of students to appreciate literature,”

Photo courtesy of the SHSU English Department

LOOKING BACK. From the time he first arrived at SHSU in 1966 to the day he retired in the mid

1990’s, Jack Kerr, Ph.D., is said to have had always felt a connection to his fellow faculty members in the English Department and visited them often. This photo was taken in 1978.

wrote Helena Halmari, Ph.D., of the English department. “[He] was a popular professor. The students especially liked his informal and downto-Earth teaching style.”

In 1982, Kerr, along with his wife and other concerned citizens, cofounded the Rita B. Huff Humane Society of Walker County with Rita B. Huff, professor and chairman of the Accounting Department at Sam Houston State University. According to the website, they had decided “it was time to organize a formal humane society with the goal of opening a regular animal shelter.” Days before the so-

ciety’s first meeting, Huff suffered a serious stroke and passed away, and the society was named in her memory.

When contacted, Robert Adams, Ph.D., of the English Department stated that Kerr’s serious advocacy for animal welfare was something that he remembered the most.

After he retired from Sam Houston State University in 1994, Kerr began to write mystery novels, published under the name ‘J.W. Kerr’.

In 1998, he published The Devil and Lieutenant Hilderbrand, which was so popular that it was republished in paperback form in 2001, the

same year he also published Graves, Worms and Epitaphs, the sequel to the first story.

He is survived by his wife, Yvonne Durocher Kerr, his brother, his sister-in-law, 12 nieces and nephews, as well as the countless friends and former colleagues.

A testament to his character and accomplishments, his family has requested that donations be made to either the Rita B. Huff Humane Society, at 530 Bearkat Boulevard, or the Little Woman Home for Animals, at 66 Evelyn Lane, in lieu of flowers.

ainting a different picture SHSU paintball team defends sport and fights for funding

By Brandon Scott Sports Reporter To the average mind, competitive paintballing may seem irrelevant and hap-hazard. As it turns out, the Sam Houston State University club paintball team would object to both of those assumptions, as being far from the truth.

“You have to pay dues and practice on a regular regimen,” Club President and original team member, Abel Farias, said. “We do compete at a collegiate level and it’s just like any other sport.”

These particular Bearkats practice every week to compete against the most powerful teams in the National Collegiate Paintball Association.

In tournaments, the Bearkats typically face 10 teams with multiple rotations of five players.

After defeating the University of Texas and Texas State University on Feb. 27 in College Station, SHSU fell just short to Texas A&M. The Aggies, which are currently ranked 2nd, have one of the best offensive teams. SHSU is currently ranked 47th by the NCPA, which is an enormous

Bearkat democrats SHSU Republicans

Graphic courtesy of the Kendall Scudder

vs

Two political organizations will engage in a night of controversial topics and great conversation on Thursday, April 29 at 7 p.m. in the LSC Theatre. For more information, please contact at info@ BearkatDemocrats.com.

improvement from ranking 78th in 2008.

The Bearkats enter the repugnant five-on-five matchups with a defensive minded approach, just as when they defend the sport in general.

As an established competitive sport, the team fends for itself financially with fundraisers and dues.

The team began small and went public as a Facebook group in 2006, Farias explained. Anyone who wanted to play paintball was welcome to join.

The team then went through its trial period in 2007 to ini-

tiate the official squad. The Bearkats were required to have at least 10 members.

Their membership grew to 26 at one point, but they are now back down to 10. They were also required to write a constitution with amendments before the provisionary period began. SHSU issued the team $500, which does not cover a whole setup with the hopper and tank.

The Bearkats are creative though. One of their fundraisers occurs during the Homecoming tailgate. During this time, the team invites SHSU students and Bearkat fans

to pay money to shoot at the players. They consider it to be ‘taking one for the team’.

“As a club sport, this is all coming out of our expense,” co-captain Josh Anagnostopoulos said. “We live for this.

People who don’t understand are people who don’t watch the sport. Kind of like people who say that most Olympic sports aren’t sports. It’s because they haven’t watched it.”

Sam Houston qualified for nationals this month, but there wasn’t enough financial support to get them there.

Team members believe that

Did you know?

From TKE

Sammy the Bearkat wasn’t always the mascot. In fact, SHSU’s athletic teams used to be nicknamed “The Normals”, as the university’s name was originally the Sam Houston Normal Institute.

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For more information please call The Houstonian at 936-294-4864

John Rudolph | The Houstonian

From SHUTTLE page 1

Live where u live

COOL

LHuntsville O FDowntown TS

936-291-1466 Smithercompany. com

A new building, intended to be used only by Sam Houston State University, is being built at Lone Star College, prompting Parking and Transportation to revisit the Sam Shuttle service. Now they are asking students what they think of bringing back the service.

“The survey is designed to gauge students’ interest in the need for a shuttle service,”

said David Kapalko, assistant director of Parking and Transportation.

“We hope to determine if students believe they need a shuttle service,” he said.

“We’re asking how much they would be willing to pay for it, by what method they would like to pay, and where the shuttle should go.”

So far, Kapalko hasn’t gotten the response he would have liked.

“As of Monday morning, 647 people had taken the survey,” he said. “That’s not as many responses as I had

part of the problem is the fact that many students have never heard of a paintball team oncampus and if so, they have no idea how devoted the players are.

Last week, the Bearkats had a carwash on Sam Houston Ave., just before the rain came down. They plan to continue fundraising through this year and next year as well, with the hope that they will soon be able to put their defensive talent on national display.

For more information on college paintball, visit college-paintball.com.

hoped for, but we’re sending a reminder e-mail tomorrow.”

Parking and Transportation is holding off on checking the survey results until after it closes, but Kapalko has received a few e-mails from students inspired by the survey.

“Four students e-mailed me directly with suggestions, ranging from building more parking lots to implementing a shuttle service from Huntsville to College Station,” he said.

The survey closes at 5 p.m.

page 1

“Every year we have a concert, rent out a venue like Shenanigan’s and charge for tickets, and all the money from ticket purchases that night is donated to the Alzheimer’s Association,” said Stark.

This year it was at Lizard’s who donated $400 in their name to the Alzheimer’s Association.TKE’s goal for these events was to raise $1,000.

“We scraped an event together in the fall and ended up raising $700 for St. Jude’s, so this event is more planned out and we have better promotion, so we are planning to raise a lot more,” said Stark. After all the events concluded Saturday, around $1,600 was raised for the Alzheimer’s Association.

The 40th President Ronald Reagan, who was a member of TKE, battled Alzheimers for 10 years. He lost this battle on June 5, 2004, at the age of 93.

“It’s a devastating disease,” said Chaston Pruitt, chaplan of TKE. “It took the life out of my grandmother, and she went from knowing everyone to not even knowing her name or what she was doing.”

Alzheimers is a progressive and fatal disease that affects thinking and slowly deteriorates memory. By hosting events like the Reagan Walk, TKE is aiding the search for a cure for this presently incurable disease.

this Friday, giving students a few more days to give their input. Students will also be given the opportunity to address the issue publicly.

“I will be attending a CHSS Town Hall Meeting this Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in Olson Auditorium,” Kapalko said. “Parking and Transportation will be one of the topics discussed.”

Any suggestions can be sent to parktrans@shsu.edu.

The survey can be found online at http://surveys. shsu.edu/limesurvey/index. php?sid=65661&lang=en.

Page 4 The Houstonian

NATION & WORLD

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Furor grows over Arizona’s illegal immigration law “Real Talk with CJ” continues with two local attorneys PHOENIX (AP) — The furor over Arizona’s new law cracking down on illegal immigrants grew Monday as opponents used refried beans to smear swastikas on the state Capitol, civil rights leaders demanded a boycott of the state, and the Obama administration weighed a possible legal challenge.

Activists are planning a challenge of their own, hoping to block the law from taking effect by arguing that it encroaches on the federal government’s authority to regulate immigration and violates people’s constitutional rights by giving police too much power.

The measure — set to take effect in late July or early August — would make it a crime under state law to be in the U.S. illegally. It directs state and local police to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are illegal.

“If you look or sound foreign, you are going to be subjected to never-ending requests for police to confirm your identity and to confirm your citizenship,” said Alessandra Soler Meetze, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, which is exploring legal action.

Employees at the Capitol came to work Monday to find that vandals had smeared swastikas on the windows.

And protesters gathered for an eighth straight day to speak out against a law they say will lead to rampant racial profiling of anyone who looks Hispanic.

The White House would not rule out the possibility that the administration would take legal action against Arizona. President Barack Obama, who warned last week that the measure could lead to police abuses, asked the Justice Department to complete a review of the law’s implications before deciding how to proceed.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon said the law is discriminatory and warned that trade and political ties with Arizona will be seriously strained by the crackdown.

Currently, many U.S. police departments do not ask about people’s immigration status unless they have run afoul of the law in some other way. Many departments say stopping and questioning people will only discourage immigrants from cooperating to solve crimes.

Under the new Arizona law, immigrants unable to

for people slipping into the country.

Republican Gov. Jan Brewer, who signed the bill on Friday, said Arizona must act because Washington has failed to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs from Mexico. Brewer has ordered state officials to develop a training course for officers to learn what constitutes reasonable suspicion that someone is in the U.S. illegally.

The crux of opponents’ arguments is that only the federal government has the

Photo courtesy of Associated Press People hold the U.S. flag as they protest against Senate Bill 1070 outside the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix, Arizona April 25, 2010. produce documents showing they are allowed to be in the U.S. could be arrested, jailed for up to six months and fined $2,500. That is a significant escalation of the typical federal punishment for being here illegally — deportation.

People arrested by Arizona police would be turned over to federal immigration officers. Opponents said the federal government could thwart the law by refusing to accept them.

Supporters of the law said it is necessary to protect Arizonans from crimes committed by illegal immigrants. Arizona is home to an estimated 460,000 illegal immigrants and is the nation’s busiest gateway

authority to regulate immigration.

“If every state had its own laws, we wouldn’t be one country; we’d be 50 different countries,” said Thomas Saenz, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

Kevin Johnson, dean of the law school at the University of California-Davis and an immigration law professor, said such a lawsuit would have a very good chance of success. He said the state law gets into legal trouble by giving local law enforcement officers the authority to enforce immigration laws.

“States can’t give them that power,” Johnson said.

“The federal government could if it wanted to, but it hasn’t.”

However, Gerald Neuman, a Harvard Law School professor, said Arizona could make a compelling legal argument that it has overlapping authority to protect its residents.

Johnson said opponents could also argue that the law could violate their Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable search and seizure because it gives police officers broad authority to determine who should be questioned.

Kris Kobach, a University of Missouri-Kansas City law professor who helped write the Arizona legislation, said he anticipated legal challenges and carefully drafted the language. He said the state law is only prohibiting conduct already illegal under federal law.

In a statement Friday, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the state’s new law would probably hinder law enforcement in dealing with more serious crimes. Napolitano vetoed similar proposals when she was Arizona governor.

“They would have diverted critical law enforcement resources from the most serious threats to public safety and undermined the vital trust between local jurisdictions and the communities they serve,” she said.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera urged policymakers in the city to stop dealing with Arizona and Arizona businesses.

Leaders in Mexico and California also demanded a boycott, as did civil rights leader Al Sharpton.

The law has strong public support in Arizona, where passions have been running high since a rancher was killed close to the Mexican border last month, apparently by drug smugglers from across the border.

By Shawn Ramsey Contributing Writer

The College of Criminal Justice’s “Real Talk with CJ” continues today at 2 p.m. in CJava, located in the Criminal Justice Center. This week will feature two prominent Huntsville lawyers, Bryan Cantrell and Lanny Ray. “This is the first year of Real Talk in CJ. It began last fall, and has continued this spring,” College of Criminal Justice undergraduate advisor Candice Williams said. “Twice a month, professionals come speak to undergraduates about the career options in the criminal justice field and what is expected of future employees, if they chose to be in that particular field.”

The bi-monthly event gathers students of many different studies together in the CJava lounge to hear the stories of what people can achieve with hard work and determination. Past speakers have provided students with valuable information about what it takes to obtain a professional position in criminal justice.

“We get professionals to come to SHSU to speak about how they got where they are so students can know what they need to do in order to obtain similar goals in the future,” Williams said. “Often times, the guest speakers will also give students advice on how to interview and

look for work in the particular fields of interest.”

Today’s guest speakers, Cantrell and Ray, both practice law together in their Huntsville law firm, Cantrell, Ray, Maltsberger and Barcus, LLP. Cantrell, a Texas A&M University alumni, and Baylor University Law School graduate, was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1995. He has been admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, and all United States District Courts for the State of Texas.

Cantrell found his way to Huntsville in 2001, and opened the firm that he works with today.

Ray is a Northeast Louisiana University alumni, and served 10 years of active duty in the United States Army as an infantry officer.

He resigned from active duty in 1993, at the rank of captain, in order to obtain his Jurist Doctorate from Baylor University. He was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1996, and was also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court as well as several Federal district courts and the Federal courts of appeal.

“They [Cantrell and Ray] will be talking about their experience in undergraduate and law school, helping students understand what is expected of them if they want to pursue a career in law,” Williams said.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

ENTERTAINMENT

The Houstonian, Page 5

At the Movies with Kevin: The Joneses brilliantly analyzes consumerism through a family Kevin Jukkola Entertainment Editor

With the economy in dire straights and people tightening their belts, it may seem like an odd moment to release a consumer driven film like “The Joneses” but, in reality, it couldn’t come at a better time. Although Wall Street tycoons and bankers have taken the majority of the fall for the latest financial meltdown, the heart of the problem was the overall attitude of an American society that refused to live within their means. After all, this is what they were promised when they signed up to live in America, right?

The Joneses are all excess, living beyond what they have because what they have is the products they are selling. They are a marketing tool, a family meant to look like the Drapers and act like the Brady bunch.

Essentially, they are actors, but their human dimension that includes emotional and

physical desires sometimes threatens the Norman Rockwell painting that they are ordered to portray.

David Duchovny plays a newcomer to the family, a man whose decency might be his downfall in this cutthroat business. He is seduced by the lure of the unknown, ignorant of the worst possible consequences his actions could bring.

Duchovny is an everyman, a person that is relatable mostly because, unlike the rest of the family, he feels constantly uncomfortable in his role.

Demi Moore is the “Head of Household”, the person who controls the cash flow of the family and is ultimately held responsible for the overall sales of the “Unit”. Amber Heard and Ben Hollingsworth play their “children”, both of whom are experiencing different crises in their adolescence that make them uncertain of where to turn for guidance.

These three are professionals, understanding that business

always comes before pleasure, unless both can be accommodated without sacrificing any sales.

All of the characters are forced to continuously balance the happiness and self worth of their true selves with the one they sell to the customers. It is a fascinating struggle in which there are no winners, other than the

companies who are having their products sold at record rates. These people must sell themselves before they can unleash their amazing marketing ability on the unsuspecting public. Their job is made more difficult when they become nostalgic for who they truly are, quietly wishing that this paradise of merchandise will disintegrate

THE JONESES. The family even greets you at the door with a smile.

in favor of a less complicated reality.

“The Joneses” is a film of ideas. So many movies sleepwalk through conventional story structures or cardboard characters without anything meaningful to say, but not this one. The film is alive and vibrant, fresh and new. Anticipation quickly swells up when the audience realizes the characters have the ability to surprise, even when it seems like the inconvenient choice for their aspiring careers.

I love this movie. It is both tender and ambitious, never deviating from its innovative tone for a second. The film resists the temptation to be savage in favor of telling a story that closely analyzes the tough decisions made by flawed, decent people who are yearning to do right by themselves and the world in a universe that compels them to act against this human instinct.

Alright, so “The Joneses” is not as cynical as some might wish. If you want a

film that vividly illustrates the evils of the corporate world and believes that its corrosive nature infects anyone who enters, watch “Wall Street”. “The Joneses” raises its hand and makes a hopeful plea for humanity, believing that people can still retain compassion in a world that seems devoid of it.

The Joneses

Stars: * * * 1/2 Grade: ARunning Time: 96 min.

MPAA: Rated R for language, some sexual content, teen drinking and drug use.

Cast: David Duchovny (Steve Jones), Demi Moore (Kate Jones), Amber Heard (Jennifer Jones), Ben Hollingsworth (Mick Jones), Lauren Hutton (Supervisor), Gary Cole (Larry), Glenne Headly (Summer).

Directed by Derrick Borte.

Written by Derrick Borte and Randy T. Dinzler.

Mainstage named in memory of Theater’s ‘Starr’ In April 1999, the Sam Houston State University theatre production of “Brigadoon” was dedicated in memory of Erica Starr Czerwinski, a theatre major who was killed by a drunk driver the previous month.

“She had been chosen to run the light board in the control booth and was so excited and looking forward to her next accomplishment,” said her parents Mike and Nancy Czerwinski. “This was never fulfilled as she was called home to dance in God’s light.”

A little more than 11 years later, the same theatre in which “Brigadoon” was performed—the University Theatre Center’s Mainstage Theatre—has been named in honor of Erica Starr.

The Czerwinskis, who have been supporting theatre students for years through an endowment and scholarship in their daughter’s name, established the Erica Starr Live Your Dream Memorial Theatre Endowment in October through a pledged contribution to the Share the Vision capital campaign.

For their generosity, the SHSU Department of Theatre and Dance has renamed its Mainstage Theatre as the Erica Starr Theatre.

“At first, we settled for naming prominent rooms after Erica Starr (her stage name),” the Czerwinskis said. “After working with friends and family to finance three smaller namings, we knew we would not be satisfied until her name was on the theatre.

“Naming the theatre after Erica Starr is not just for our family but for Jim, Tom, Maureen, Penny, Kristina, Larry and the entire

theatre group who became part of Erica Starr’s family and provided friendship as well as education,” Mike said.

Erica Czerwinski was a “creative and talented young woman,” according to theatre department chair Penny Hasekoester, whose interests evolved from being “the star” to the more technical aspects of theatre.

“The theatre program fit her so well because they had all the workshops after class, and she liked being hands-on,” Nancy said.

“She wasn’t afraid to crawl under a set and screw it together when everyone else thought they were too big of a star to do any of that.

“Erica was just engrossed in it,” she said. “She loved it.”

The naming of the theatre and the endowments have been “a dream come true” for the Czerwinskis, they said.

“Nancy has bought a ticket for the lottery for the past 10 years in hopes of a winner. Her plans were always to turn it over, the big winner, to SHSU and name the Theatre Center after Erica,” Mike said. “Any money left over would go to building a free parking garage for students to park.

“There is an old proverb that says if your name is repeated and never forgotten, you will live forever,” he said. “We felt that by having her name on the theatre would mean that Erica would live forever as her name would be repeated forever.”

The Czerwinskis said that supporting students through endowments was an easy decision to make due to Erica’s giving nature

and her love for SHSU. “Our world is not perfect and not everyone goes to school fourto-five years. In this program, even after the first or second year, a student will learn what life and teamwork is about and how to use their hands and minds to physically create and challenge new opportunities,” the Czerwinskis said. “They learn the hardships of looing when you don’t make the audition, but the professors continue to work with them personally and give them the courage to try again and to learn how to become better and to be successful. They learn how to stand alone on stage and communicate to a large audience, a talent required for any business professional.

“Until you are involved with it, you don’t know how good it is,” Mike said.

During the Saturday evening performance of “Rent,” the first production that was held in the official Erica Starr Theatre on April 24, there was an announcement to commemorate the name change.

“Erica’s untimely passing was a terrible loss, and she is remembered with great fondness by her fellow students and the SHSU faculty and staff,” Hasekoester said. “Thanks to the generosity of her parents, her family and her friends, two scholarships have been created in her name that will allow her memory to continue.

“The SHSU Department of Theatre and Dance is honored to be the recipient of such a gift,” she said. “We thank the Czerwinskis and all who have contributed to make this come about.”

Page 6 The Houstonian

Kats Stats SHSU BASEBALL RESULTS

FRIDAY, April 23 SHSU 11 Nicholls 5

SATURDAY, April 24 SHSU 12 Nicholls 15

SUNDAY, April 25 SHSU 3 Nicholls 13

UPCOMING GAMES TUESDAY, April 27 Houston at SHSU

STANDINGS Texas State Stephen F. Austin Northwestern State Southeastern La. UT Arlington Lamar McNeese State Nicholls

15-6 (24-14) 13-7 (26-12) 13-7 (26-14) 13-8 (30-12) 13-8 (20-21) 11-10 (26-16) 11-10 (21-18) 10-11 (20-19)

Texas A&M-CC UTSA Central Arkansas

8-12 (16-24) 5-16 (14-23) 4-17 (12-27)

Sam Houston State

9-12 (16-25)

SHSU SOFTBALL

SPORTS Defense dominates Orange-White game Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Mike Silva

Sports Editor

Smothering defense and a shaky offense highlighted this year’s Orange-White Spring Game.

The final score of the offense-defense showdown was 42-27, but the contest was nowhere near as close as the score may have indicated.

The offense began by scoring a touchdown off of a Vincent Dotson run in the second drive of the day, but from there on, the defense did not budge.

“The guys are all a year older and a year older in the system,” Defensive Coordinator Scott Stoker said. “Now the guys are knowing what they’re doing in the system and they have a better understanding of terminology and what we’re trying to get accomplished.”

The first team offense featured sophomore Kevin Matthews at running back, transfer players Grant Merritt and

Seth Patterson at wide-out, and Senior Bryan Randolph at quarterback.

Greg Sprowls shared snaps with Randolph under center, but neither one could avoid the intense pass rush and penetration of the SHSU defense.

The offense moved down the field and inside the redzone on several occasions, but were unable to produce more than one touchdown and one field goal in the attempts. The unit missed two field goals and were unable to punch the ball in many times from less than five yards out. SHSU’s defense also forced seven three-and-outs on the day.

“It was rough for the offense,” Randolph said. “We had too many pre-snap penalties and turning the ball over late was tough to swallow.

We saw some bright spots but overall it was a bit disappointing. We’ll come back in the fall and fix those mistakes.”

After a day of competing and running different schemes with different players, the coaches all have a better idea

of who will stand out this season and fill in as starters.

Head Coach Willie Fritz and Coach Stoker both spoke highly of defensive back Kenneth Jenkins and linebacker Will Henry as leaders on the defensive side of the ball.

Overall, many questions have been answered as to which players will get the most playing time in this coming season.

“I looked a lot into game management today and focused on the basics. You’ve got to learn the ABC’s before you can do the XYZ’s,” Coach Fritz said. “We’re going to come in, grade the tape, and evaluate the game. We’ll go through the depth chart and figure out which guys will come in as first team, second team, and so on.”

The football team will have all spring and summer to prepare for the upcoming season that kicks off on Sep. 4, when the Bearkats visit Baylor.

SHSU will host GardnerWebb on Sep. 25 for the Kats’ Joe Buvid | The Houstonian home opener.

BOOM! The SHSU defense blanketed the offense the entire game.

Sam Houston loses momentum in vital series

RESULTS SATURDAY, April 24

SHSU 6 Southeastern La. 2 SHSU 12 Southeastern La. 2

SUNDAY, April 25

SHSU 7 Southeastern La. 0

UPCOMING GAMES SATURDAY, May 1 (DH) Central Arkansas at SHSU

STANDINGS Texas State Stephen F. Austin UT Arlington Nicholls McNeese State UTSA Texas A&M-CC Central Arkansas

17-7 16-8 15-10 14-10 13-11 14-13 11-13 10-13

Northwestern State Southeastern La.

10-14 (24-22) 2-20 (10-31)

Sam Houston State

(22-21) (24-16) (25-20) (23-16) (28-23) (22-27) (30-19) (22-27)

10-13 (18-25)

MEN’S GOLF SLC CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS - DAY 1

Sam Houston State Sports Information

Springfield, La. - When the Sam Houston men’s golf team steps up to the tee Monday morning at the 48th annual Southland Conference men’s golf championship at Carter Plantation Golf Club, the Bearkats and the rest of the league will be trying to do something that hasn’t been accomplished in four years.

That is, the Kats will be attempting to unseat Lamar as Southland men’s golf champions.

The Cardinals have won the last four men’s titles and stand as the most decorated team in Southland men’s golf history, Lamar has won the tournament 23 times, including seven of the last nine. They won the first 10 conference tournaments in from 1964-73. No other team has won the event more than three times.

Sam Houston’s 2010 men’s golf tournament squad will consist of Scott Kelly, Fergal Rafferty, Justin McKay, Beau Willis and Garrett Driver. Rafferty and Willis both are seniors and Kelly is a junior.

Kelly and Rafferty lead the Bearkats with stroke averages of 72.8 and 73.5, respectively.

Kelly has placed among the top 10 individual medalists in seven of Sam Houston’s 10 tournaments this season. He has one tournament victory to his credit this season. Rafferty has been a top 10 finisher four times including a fourth place performance at the Texas Wesleyan Shootout.

McKay sports a 75.1 scoring average after at runner-up finish in Sam Houston’s last outing in the Texas State tournament in Victoria. Driver owns a 75.3 average and Willis has produced a 77.0 scoring mean in five tournaments this year.

The Sam Houston men have finished among the top five teams in six of the 11 tournaments in which they have played. The Bearkats were team runners-up at Texas State’s event in Victoria two weeks ago.

The Cardinals are led by Pierre-Alexis Rolland, who has a scoring average of 73.24 strokes in 11 tournaments this year.

Southeastern Louisiana, which enters the event as the Southland’s top-ranked team according to the NCAA’s national rankings. The Lions, who finished third in last year’s conference tournament, are ranked 45th and will be playing on their home course.

Ten Southland universities field a men’s golf team: Central Arkansas, Lamar, McNeese State, Nicholls, Sam Houston State, Southeastern Louisiana, Stephen F. Austin, UT Arlington, UTSA and Texas State.

Kristin Meyer | The Houstonian

SLIDING DOWN THE RANKINGS. After losing seven of their last eight games, the SHSU baseball team is currently out of the playoff race, behind Nicholls via tiebreakers.

Eric Schrader

Contributing Writer

Runs were at a premium this weekend out at Don Sanders Stadium as Sam Houston State hosted Southland Conference foe Nicholls in the three-game series.

Friday night the Bearkats looked like one of the frontrunners in the conference.

SHSU got a brilliant pitching perfor-

mance by team ace Dallas Gallant, who went eight strong innings while recording 10 strikeouts in the process. Gallant allowed two earned runs on seven hits and notched his second win of the season.

SHSU won the game 11-5 collecting 15 hits as a team.

Leading the way in the Bearkats hit parade was Chris Andreas, who was 3-3 with five RBI including a three-run homer. Braeden Riley also had three hits and scored two runs. Jessie Plumlee, Taylor

Davis, and Doug Oney all had two hits apiece. Things were definitely looking good to start the weekend.

On Saturday afternoon, the Kats scored two runs in the first inning to take the lead. Nicholls then bounced right back scoring 11 unanswered runs through seven innings. SHSU seemed to be all but done after falling behind 11-2.

However, the Bearkat bats exploded in the seventh, as the first seven hitters in the inning reached base safely before an out was recorded. When the damage was done, the Kats had batted around and had sent a total of 12 men to the plate. After a scoreless eighth thrown by SHSU’s Paul Spinn, the Bearkats got two more runs and had taken the lead 12-11.

The Colonels came right back though, as they touched up Kats reliever Matt Shelton for a three-run homer capping off a four run ninth inning. The Kats were unable to score in the home half of the ninth and ended the day with a hardfought 15-12 loss.

Leading hitters for the Kats were Payton Wisener, who had a 4-4 day with an RBI and two runs scored, and Braeden Riley who had three hits as well as two runs scored. Taylor Davis, Doug Oney and Tyler Fiebrich all had multiple RBI games.

The rubber match was then set for 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. It was a close game up until the fourth inning when the Colonels

sparked for eight runs, thanks to a grand slam hit by catcher Kevin Schlegel. Before the Kats could record an out, the Colonels had already scored seven runs and were winning 9-0. Chris Andreas did his part in the lineup, going 3-4 with a home run and two runs scored, yet the Kats were run-ruled 13-3 after just seven innings. The Kats ended the day using four pitchers in the blowout.

“We just didn’t have a good weekend,” Johnson said. “We came up short.

It wasn’t that the kids weren’t trying. We just didn’t get it done today.”

After losing two out of three against Nicholls, SHSU now stands at 16-25 overall, and 9-12 in the Southland Conference, which puts them at ninth place in the standings. The Kats still have four Conference series match-ups remaining so these next few weeks will be very important if the team wants to make a run into the Southland Conference Tournament.

“I told them on Thursday it’s time for people to step up,” Johnson said. “We are well aware of what our standing is and what we need to do. Every weekend, now, is important.. Eventually, it’s going to be where there is no tomorrow, so we really need to put everything together.”

The next action for Bearkat baseball will be Tuesday, April 27, at 6:30 p.m. when the team hosts the Houston Cougars.

SHSU makes early exit in Southland Championship Sam Houston State Sports Information

Corpus Christi - Lamar won the number one, two, five and six singles to roll up a 4-1 dual match victory over Sam Houston State and eliminate the Bearkats in the first round of the Southland Conference women’s tennis post-season tournament at the H. E. Butt Tennis Center.

Sam Houston, seeded No. 5 in the tournament after rolling up a 7-4 league regular season mark, earned its only point of the day by taking the doubles point. Tatyana Postnikova and Nadia Dubyanskaya won the

No. 2 doubles pro set of Kaltrina Harbuzi and Natalia Mayagoitia 9-7 and Sheridan Currie and Cally Woerner paired to win at No. 3 over Manami Kuroda and Alessandra Pennesi 8-6.

Due to an injury, the Bearkats had to default at number six singles to give the Cardinals their first point. Mariaryeni Gutierrez, Harbuzi and Manijee Ashrafi earned the other points with victories at No. 1, 2 and 5.

The Cardinals were the No. 4 seeded team in the Southland tournament.

Sam Houston completed the season with an 8-12 record while Lamar stands 14-8 for the year.

Sweep gets Kats back in mix

SHSU STUDENT HOUSING Student Housing on the edge of campus at 2106 Ave J. Next door to: The Virginian Apartments.

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Joe Buvid | The Houstonian

BACK IN THE HUNT. After sweeping Southeastern Louisiana this weekend, the Sam Houston State softball team is back in the playoff picture.

Sam Houston State Sports Information

Hammond, La. -- Senior Morgan Mikulin doubled and hit a solo home run and threw her third complete game of the weekend as Sam Houston defeated Southeastern Louuisiana 7-0 to complete a Southland Conference softball series sweep of the Lions Sunday.

The sweep was the Bearkats’ third in league action this year.

The victories up the softball team to 18-25 for the season and 10-13 in Southland play.

Mikulin picked up the shutout by spreading seven hits over seven innings. The righthander threw in all 19 innings during the series.

The Bearkats jumped out to a

4-0 lead in the top of the second inning as Mikulin doubled and scored on an error, Shelbi Tucker brought in another run on a single and Amy Brown posted a two-run single.

Mikulin’s solo home run came in the second inning. Callie Wood, Mandy Gegen and Tiffani Woodrum all singled to load the bases in the fourth inning. Hailey Wiginton picked up an RBI when she was hit by a pitch.

A bases loaded walk by Erin Burford in the seventh inning brought in the final run.

Sam Houston will wrap up regular season play with a pair of home series against Central Arkansas and Nicholls the next two weekends. The Central Arkansas series begins with a 12 noon doubleheader Saturday.

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