The Auburn Plainsman A Spirit That Is Not Afraid
Thursday, May 21, 2015 • Vol. 123, Issue 1, 5 Pages
construction
Auburn Scores Big Dakota sumpter / photo editor
College’s largest video board coming fall 2015 The structure that will hold the LED screen towers over the stadium.
Ben Wallace Reporter
Jordan-Hare Stadium will soon be home to the largest video board ever displayed for college football fans and for Auburn students. The video board’s construction began Feb. 27, and is scheduled to be completed Aug. 28. According to Auburn Facilities Management’s April construction update, the video board will be a 10,830-square foot display. The video board will include a new sound cabinet above the display. The video board was reported to be 15 percent complete at the time of the construction update’s release and included that the demolition of the old scoreboard and structural steel was finished. The new structural steel for the display is currently under construction on the south side of the stadium. Gregory Forthofer is a licensed professional engineer and the design project manager within Facilities Management. He said safety is a priority. “Really the biggest challenge is the high voltage power line right in the middle of the site and
safety,” Forthofer said. “I would say those are have cranes for the construction. We’re using the two biggest challenges. Not that it’s an un- structural steel and high-strength concrete. Obvisafe project. We have a full-time safety manag- ously the LED boards will go on once we get the er. You know, Brasfield & Gorrie has a full-time structure in place.” The screen is approximatesafety person.” ly 57 feet by 190 feet. AccordBrasfield & Gorrie, Genering to Forthofer, the structural Contactors is the construcal steel comes from north Alation manager for the $13.9 milThe crane is the bama. The LED panels come lion project and is one of the nafrom South Dakota. tion’s largest private construction most valuable piece The video board is defirms, according to their website. of equipment on signed to withstand hurriIn addition to Brasfield & Gorthe site right now.” cane-force winds. rie, they are joined by other conCassie Arner is the associtractors such as Rabren General —Gregory Forthofer design project manager ate athletic director for strateContractors, Meredith Environgic communication within the mental, Inc., Morris-Shea Bridge athletics department. Company, Inc., NAFCO InternaAccording to Arner, the athletics department is tional, Auburn Electronics Construction Co. and Daktronics. Daktronics specializes in LED score- the contract holder and is responsible for funding the entire project for the video board. boards and video systems. “It’s part of our revenue that we generate Forthofer said the structure must be built bethrough a number of different ways,” Arner fore the screens are placed. “The crane is the most valuable piece of equip- said. “Ticket sales, fundraising, television monment on the site right now,” Forthofer said. “You ies, those are the things that we generate in the
“
athletics department.” The video equipment and services will work together, Arner said. The staff that will operate the video board will also be working with the athletics department. The cost of the video board specifically is $3.5 million. Lauren Van Tuyl, junior in human development and family studies, said she thought the scoreboard could be beneficial to the University. “I think at first I thought it was going to be a waste of money,” Van Tuyl said. “In one of my classes, we discussed it and apparently the athletics department took out a loan for the University, but then they’re going to pay the University back. I don’t think it would make me go to the game. A scoreboard is not going to get me to go. But if it’s going to get other people to go, then I think it’s good.” According to Arner and Forthofer, this video board should last 10 years. Future projects for Jordan-Hare Stadium may include premium seating, a new scoreboard, new locker room and other architectural upgrades on the north side of the stadium.
oaks
Toomer’s Magnolia Avenue tree ‘in shock’ Jim Little
Contributing Reporter
As renovations continue at Toomer’s Corner, University officials are monitoring the health of the new Magnolia Avenue oak tree. The new Oaks were planted Feb. 14, and while the Oak on College Street is thriving, the Magnolia oak is in transplant shock, according to Gary Keever, professor of horticulture. “[Transplant shock] results from probably 90 to 95 percent of the roots being left in the ground when it was dug out,” Keever said. “That imbalance makes it impossible for the tree to absorb as much water as it needs to, to support a new flesh of growth.” Keever said a decision will be made in early June to determine if the backup tree planted in front of the 3-D Arts Studio Building on West Samford Avenue should replace the Magnolia Avenue oak. The Magnolia oak is still alive and growing new roots, but the tree does not have the root system to support new leaf growth yet, according to Keever. “The real question is ‘How long can it maintain like this?’” Keever said. “Because the longer it goes without putting out new leaves, the weaker it gets.” If the tree does grow new leaves, Keever said the tree may still be too far behind to store enough energy to make it through the winter. The decision to move the tree will be made after Keever, officials with Facilities Management, Tim Thoms, owner of Thoms Tree and Plants of Atlanta and the
Jim Little / Contributing reporter
LEFT: The College Street tree on Toomer’s Corner will not be replaced. RIGHT: The Magnolia tree is not growing leaves. BOTTOM: A close-up of the Magnolia oak.
consultant hired to plant the trees, meet to discuss the current condition of the trees. The backup tree is healthy and growing new leaves. Normally, it would be too late in the season to transplant a tree, according to Keever. “Because [the backup] tree was just moved in there in the middle of February, there’s really not that much root growth outside of the [root] ball,” Keever said. Keever said the risk of the backup tree going into transplant shock is minimal.
Thoms was not able to be reached by deadline, but told The Auburn Villager on May 13, if the Magnolia oak can leaf out soon they will be better off than transplanting the backup oak. Keever said the leaves on the backup tree are still immature, and moving one could cause substantial water loss through the leaves. “I think that if the decision is made to transplant the third tree, then we should wait until the foliage is at least at [the mature] stage,” Keever said.
News A2
The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, May 21, 2015
community
DUI reports The following were arrested and charged with driving under the influence by the Auburn Police Division from May 4-17: May 7 -James Bates Pugh Jr., 28 West Magnolia Avenue at Wire Road, 3:33 a.m. May 11 - John Preston Houston, 22 Woodfield Drive, 2:26 a.m. - Leslie Irene Cummings, 34 South College Street, 3:42 a.m. - James Earl Ellis, 20 West Glenn Avenue, 5:45 p.m. May 14 - James Christian Kauten, 20 East Glenn Avenue, 2:32 a.m. - Joseph Randall Finney, 30 Moores Mill Road 3:41 a.m. May 15 - Phuc Q, Le, 24 West Longleaf Drive 1:27 a.m. May 17 - Yolanda Thomas Frazier, 43 Shug Jordan Parkway 12:21 a.m. - Anthony Dr Nelson Cruz, 26 Gentry Drive 12:43 a.m. - James Richard Faust Jr., 32 West Magnolia Avenue 2:42 a.m.
A full crime report provided by the Auburn Department of Public Safety is available online at theplainsman.com. –Reports provided by the Auburn Department of Public Safety
community
Alabama scales back
Program encourages healthy habits Rachael Taylor News Editor
The City of Auburn participated in Scale Back Alabama this year and the winners were recently announced. Scale Back Alabama is a free statewide weight loss program that took place from Jan. 26 until the first week of April. The program encouraged healthy habits through weekly events. Prizes for local winners were gift cards to restaurants and shops, including Taziki’s, the Auburn University Bookstore, Subway, Kroger, Big Dog Running Co. and Dick’s Sporting Goods. Local winners include Penelope Adams, Heather Armbruster, Stephanie Busby, Linda Felton, Shirley Green, Heather Jackson, Mary Lin and Nancy Melkerson. Local winners were chosen by a drawing. There were weekly events for the program and every time someone participated in an event their name was put into the drawing. Jenny Ferguson, Auburn resident, placed at the state level. The program started statewide in 2007, but this was the first year Auburn and Opelika created events and teams for the program, according to Allison Hall, coordinator for Scale Back Alabama team. The events included a grocery store tour with dietitians from the East Alabama Medical Center, aqua aerobics, tai chi, disk golf and an Auburn University Campus History Walk. During the grocery store
tour, participants were taught recipes, learned how to read food labels and found out how to make substitutes for healthier foods. According to Hall, there were 28,000 Scale Back Alabama participants statewide, almost 80,000 pounds lost statewide and 5,000 pounds lost in the Auburn-Opelika area alone. Most events were free and there was no preregistration. During the event there were weigh-in locations all around the Auburn-Opelika area so participants could track their progress. Locations included Ashley Furniture Homestore-Opelika and several recreation centers and churches in the area. Weigh-in locations were spread out to be convenient for participants. According to Kathe Briggs, state committee and local coordinator, coordinators wanted participants to try physical activities they may not normally try. They also wanted to showcase places in Auburn. Gabby Meredith, communications and program director, said she thought the events helped participants to keep motivated. She works with seniors and talked with them about the events to encourage them to come. She organized a zumbathon and a biking event for the program, but the zumbathon was canceled because of inclement weather. Meredith said she thought the Auburn-Opelika area had a good turnout for the program this year.
Contributed by cardiac rehab of eAMC
Scale Back Alabama participants attend a grocery store tour.
David Topper / senior photographer
Vintage planes Fly-In to Auburn Post-World War II era plane sits after landing on the airstrip.
Maria McIlwain Copy Editor
Multicolored vintage aircraft touched down at the Aviation Education Outreach Fly-In at the Auburn University Regional Airport on Saturday, May 16, underneath a blue sky spotted with clouds. Residents and families walked among the planes and displays, taking photos. Johnny Lawrence, event coordinator, said there have been other aviation events over the years, but this event is geared toward education. Lawrence said the money raised helps offset the costs of putting on educational programs for the community. “With the [department of aviation and supply chain management] being created at the University, we decided that we would use these aviation events to help them and reaching out to their outreach programs with K-12,” Lawrence said. “That is kind of the focus of what we’re doing.” Lawrence said providing interactive elements for the children, such as touching the airplanes, is one of the goals of Fly-In. “Our goal is provide opportunities for kids to see and interact with the planes,”
Lawrence said. “We want the kids to come out and find a way to engage with science and math more so than they do in front of a computer screen.” Lawrence said the planes also serve as a history lesson. “You look at the older planes that are up front with the propellers on them and you kind of look at the technology of the time there,” Lawrence said. “Then you look at the Navy jet, you realize a lot of the same features are still there, but there are also so many different things.” Capt. Jeremy Marvin of the U.S. Air Force Civil Air Patrol said Fly-In served as a recruiting ground and educational tool for the cadets of the squad. Marvin said cadets must be at least 12 years old. He said cadets learn about the military and flying. He said their main focus is aerospace education. “They’re loving it,” Marvin said. “It’s very, very educational for them. We’re just sitting there explaining things to them and it sort of piques their interest.” Some Auburn student groups, such as representatives from the flight program also had tents set up. Striped Wings is the student ambassador group for the aviation management program. They attend various events
to promote the flight program and recruit new students. Kevan Leveille, senior in professional flight, is president of Striped Wings. “Many people don’t know that Auburn has the second-oldest flight program in the nation,” Leveille said. “Our history goes all the way back to the Wright brothers in 1907.” Military vehicles were also on display. Dan Golden of the Dixie Division Military Vehicles Club was one of a group volunteers who brought their restored military vehicles. He said he came out to support veterans appreciation days. Golden said the group lets the veterans determine what stories to tell their families. Golden said his small green vehicle was used in Vietnam. He asked Vietnam veterans to sign a white board. Planes weren’t the only thing flying through the sky. Three skydivers touched down for a cheering crowd. Justin Lovell, senior in software engineering and one of the jumpers, said it was “exhilarating,” and said they jumped to generate excitement. “Kind of the novelty of it,” Lovell said. “Kind of get to do something you don’t always get to do.”
Campus
Auburn and Tuskegee partner for research project Maria McIlwain Copy Editor
Auburn and Tuskegee Universities are partnering to research heir property with the help of a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agriculture and Food Research Institute. “This is a major national grant with a true partnership between colleagues at Tuskegee University and Auburn University,” said Conner Bailey, professor of agricultural economics and rural sociology. Heir property is land passed down to several people after the original owner dies without a will, according to a press release. Bailey said this often happened with rural African-American families starting after the Civil War. Bailey said a lack of education and mistrust of the government and lawyers led to people not writing wills. “They couldn’t understand the legal language,” Bailey said. “So people would not write wills. And that became kind of almost a cultural tradition within families.” Bailey said family members forcing sales of their portions of land often nets much less money than they thought. Bailey said outsiders will also force partition sales, or sales of part of a plot of land, because a family does not have the money to keep their land. “To me, that’s the moral outrage,” Bailey said. “Of a legal system that has allowed lands that black families have been able to purchase, in the past, have maintained over generations, but then somebody through legal, unscrupulous means, to steal the land.” Bailey said the collective ownership of the land prevents people building permanent structures or improving any homes on the property. “You could drive around Auburn or Tuskegee or wherever and find houses that are dilapidated, and if you interviewed and find out who owned that house, you’d find out it’s heir property,” Bailey said. Bailey also said banks won’t give loans on heir property, which amounts to large amounts of money lost. It isn’t just the owners of their
CONTRIBUTED BY CONNER BAILEY
A research team meets with members of the USDA Forest Service.
property who suffer. Becky Barlow, associate professor in forestry and wildlife sciences and Extension specialist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System said it also impacts the wildlife on the land. “When it is bound by heir property issues it is very difficult to actively manage a piece of property — for forest management as an example,” Barlow said in an email. “If management cannot happen then timber and wildlife on the property suffer.” Bailey said many people across the South have stories about heir property. He said he was discussing heir property research in a restaurant with colleagues when the owner overheard them. “He sits down and starts telling us his stories,” Bailey said. “And this is very common. Many African-Americans, either themselves or good friends of theirs, have got lands tied up in heir property.” Bailey is co-directing the project with Robert Zabawa, research professor in the George Washington Carver Agricultural Experiment Station at Tuskegee. Bailey said Zabawa and Tuskegee are in the lead on the project, but both groups of researchers came up with the project. There are two other nonprofits working on the project; Alabama Appleseed, a legal advocacy organization that works with landowners, and North Carolina’s Land Loss Preservation Project, according to Bailey. Bailey said the study will examine
four pairs of case studies across three different states. The pairs examine communities established by the federal government versus those not established by the government. Bailey said there are legal and policy implications associated with the study, such as laws about heir property developed by the American Bar Association. He said the Extension program at the Universities help apply the research to benefit people across the state. He said they are trying to slow down partition sales to help families keep their land. Bailey said the grant will help fund graduate students and help fund travel to national conferences, as well as help students from other schools work together. Jamie Creamer, communications and marketing specialist with the College of Agriculture, said the project wouldn’t be possible without the grant because that kind of money isn’t available. Creamer said this project allows the “best and brightest minds on heir property” to work together. Bailey said different levels of federal funding and different primary missions have prevented Auburn and Tuskegee from working together in the past. Bailey said this project is “in a true spirit of partnership.” “What I want to try to encourage is more of this kind of collaboration between the two institutions,” Bailey said.
Opinion Thursday, May 21, 2015
3 ThePlainsman.com
Opinion
our view
We should get what we pay for The Glomerata is the official yearbook for Auburn University. Many students patiently wait for that time of the year when the 400-page yearbook is ready to be distributed. The Glom has been a long-standing tradition at Auburn since 1897, according to their website. The yearbook highlights different aspects of what it means to be an Auburn student – campus life, athletics, academics and organizations. This year the theme of the Glomerata was Auburn University: classic, timeless, according to former Editor-in-Chief Stephen Caton. Caton said the Glomerata staff wanted to keep up with the times but also stay true to Auburn tradition. This year the Glomerata increased its page count and had a watercolor cover reflecting the 100th anniversary of Katharine Cooper Cater Hall. Caton said he was pleased with the final product. The Glom produced 7,500 copies and distributed them all in two days. In comparison to previous years, Caton said it was the fastest year to distribute, with the process usually taking three to four days. The yearbooks are handed out on the concourse. The Glom is available to Auburn students, faculty and staff. The cost of the Glomerata is included in students’ tuition. Students receive their yearbook by showing their TigerCard. Caton said this is technically still the process for obtaining a Glomerata. However, some students said they did not have to show their TigerCard to get their Glom. We understand with a large amount of people lining up to get their Glom, there might have been gaps in the process. The staff started distributing the copies designated for regular students Tuesday, April 14, and by lunchtime Thursday, April 16, they handed out all of the 7,500 copies, according to Caton. Caton said there are extra copies of the Glom, but they are reserved for spring co-
SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE PLAINS
Response to “Baseball falls to Florida in deciding game of series” Matthew Shores “Hey Golloway, guess what. That’s YOUR JOB to MAKE them take advantage. Take a note from Clint Meyers.”
Response to “Six Auburn softball players named to NFCA all region southeast teams” Linda Evans “Go ladies”
Gurden smith / contributing designer
The Glomerata staff ran out of yearbook copies within the first two days of distribution.
op students in the College of Engineering. These copies are strictly for co-op students, according to Caton. We support the Glom and the passionate students who work to keep the tradition alive. We realize it is great the staff was able to distribute the copies quickly, but some students did not receive their Glom at all. Some of these students were seniors and may never have a copy of their final yearbook. The University of Alabama discontinued their yearbook, The Corolla, last year, according to Caton. The Digital Corolla Initiative provides a collaboration of the yearbook pages that can be viewed online, according to the University of Alabama’s website. The Glomerata is a well-established publication with 118 years of tradition. We do not want our yearbook to discontinue. It is great students want the Glom. We ask that next year the process be monitored closely so everyone who has paid for a Glom in his or her tuition will receive one.
question of the week: Did you get a Glomerata this year, or did you miss out?
Response to “FINAL: Auburn 6, Kentucky 3. Auburn will advance in the SEC Tournament to face No. 1.” @jackson11_dana “WDE”
Response to “According to @247Sports, Texas fivestar prospect and offensive lineman Darius Jones is transferring to Auburn.” @WesMac29
Yes, I got one.
“Woah. Cool!”
No, but I wanted one.
Response to “Auburn, Tuskegee Universities receive grant for joint research project”
No, but I don’t care about having one.
@leilalw
Vote online at ThePlainsman.com We feel the current first-come-first-serve system is unfair when each student pre-pays for a yearbook via the cost of attending Auburn. Just like all students can use the rec center, all students deserve the opportunity to have a copy of the Glom.
“is this photo an attempted homage to Twin Peaks”
Response to “Gymnast Megan Walker nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year and Academic All-District” @macyfinck “It’s because of her Twitter game. #WorkHardWork @MeganWalkerAU”
her view
Rounding up grades: helpful or unfair? Allison Phillips contributing writer
With only a two week break between spring and summer semester, many Auburn students taking summer classes have hardly had time to detox from finals week. Of course, we all know what finals week entails, and I believe most students would agree it is one of the most stressful times of the semester. It is simple to tell ourselves at the beginning of the semester we will attend class more, take better notes and overall not wait until the last minute to learn the necessary material.
However, each teacher grades differently, and many of us find ourselves allowing whether a teacher is willing to round up to make or break our grades. Though it has definitely been helpful in the past for a teacher to give me half of a point which ultimately led me to a higher letter grade, I can’t help but think teachers who round up are acting unfairly as well as creating unnecessary stress for themselves and their students. For one, most teachers I have encountered who are willing to round up don’t have specific guidelines concerning when they will or will not round. To me, this just seems like a disaster waiting to happen because it opens a door for students to attempt to take advan-
tage of the situation, possibly getting ahead of other students who aren’t willing to do so. These unclear guidelines also give opportunity for new issues to arise. For example, does two points still count as rounding up? Another problem I have with rounding grades is though it is helpful for some students; it can be discouraging for those who earned their desired grade on their own. It may make these students feel their extra time and effort was almost pointless. This can possibly lead those to not put forth as much effort in future classes, because of the hopeful possibility that teacher will round up as well. Lastly, I do not like the idea
of rounding grades because I simply do not think it is fair. In my opinion, if you give one student half of one point, then you should give all students who met the same criteria half of a point. For example, if a teacher bumps a student with a 79.6 average to a B because that particular student always went to class and submitted assignments on time, then that teacher should also give a different student who ended up with a 89.6 an A if he or she also always went to class and submitted assignments on time, regardless of whether that student asked. Allison Phillips is a contributing writer for The Plainsman. She can be reached at opinion@ThePlainsman.com
Editor-in-Chief
Kris Sims
Rachael Taylor
Maria McIlwain
Managing Editor
copy
Lauren Christopher Elizabeth Tiller
Sports
Online
Submissions The Auburn Plainsman welcomes letters from students, as well as faculty, administrators, alumni and those not affiliated with the University. Letters must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. on Monday for publication. Letters must include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification, though the name of the author may be withheld upon request. Submission may be edited for grammar and/or length. Please submit no more than 400 words.
Dakota Sumpter Photo
Policy The opinions of The Auburn Plainsman staff are restricted to these pages. This editorial is the majority opinion of the Editorial Board and is the official opinion of the newspaper. The opinions expressed in columns and letters represent the views and opinions of their individual authors. These opinions do not necessarily reflect the Auburn University student body, faculty, administration or Board of Trustees.
“Pray Carlee is ok good to see her return to the dugout” @m_gp17 “Wat happened”
THIS MONTH IN AUBURN HISTORY 2010: Linebacker Chris Landrum commits to Auburn 1992: Pat Dye resigns as athletic director 1979: Football and basketball put on 2 year probation for recruiting violations
255 Heisman Drive, Suite 1111, AU Student Center Auburn, AL 36849
multimedia
News
Raye May
@rshirley6853
The Auburn Plainsman
The Editorial Board Emily Esleck
Responses to “Carlee Wallace (00) swings at an incoming ball during the 2015 NCAA Regional against South Alabama in AUburn, Alabama on Sunday, May 17.”
Newsroom - (334) 844-9108
Editor-in-Chief - Emily Esleck
Advertising - (334) 844-4130
Managing Editor - Raye May
NEWSROOM MULTIMEDIA
NEWS COPY DESK
Editor - Rachael Taylor Reporter - Ben Wallace Writer - Sommer Henry
Editor - Maria McIlwain
SPORTS
ONLINE
Editor - Lauren Christopher Reporter - Emily Shoffit Writer - Evan McCullers
Editor - Elizabeth Tiller
PHOTO Editor - Dakota Sumpter Senior - David Topper Photographer - Adam Sparks
Editor - Kris Sims
NETWORK MANAGER Wes Coker
OFFICE MANAGER DESIGN Editor - Ashley Harris
Kim Rape (334) 844-4130 kelleka@auburn.edu
EDITORIAL ADVISER Austin Phillips (334) 844-9104 adviser@ThePlainsman.com
Sports Thursday, May 21, 2015
4 ThePlainsman.com
Sports
softball
Ragin’ Cajuns touch Plains for Super Regional
Lauren Christopher Sports Editor
With its 7-4 win Sunday, May 17, against South Alabama, Auburn locked in its spot in the NCAA Super Regional this weekend, May 22-23, at Jane B. Moore Field, where the magic all began. Their first opponent, stepping in with a 42-10 record, fresh off beating Baylor in Regionals 9-1, will be the Ragin’ Cajuns of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Making history with every step, the Tigers are heading into the first round at 52-9 overall, with 18 conference wins. “I’m extremely proud of these ladies,” coach Clint Myers said. “They have accomplished something that no other Auburn team has done. Again, I still believe that our best softball is ahead of us. I believe that this team can go as far as they want to go. They are very talented. They are not afraid of hard work. It is them controlling their own emotions. It is them putting in their own efforts and controlling their own outcomes. I believe in them.” Sunday afternoon was a win to remember, not only including a first-ever regional win for Auburn, but also a major injury to the starting catcher, Carlee Wallace. “The key to winning the game was to win it for Carlee,” third baseman Kasey Cooper said. “After the incident at home plate, we were playing for her. We just needed to control and contain (South Alabama) in [the fourth inning]. We were completely, solely, one-for-one on the team like sisters. We were batting for each other.” After making a loud return to the dug-
Dakota Sumpter / photo editor
TOP: Carlee Wallace returns to lead the fight song with fans after the 7-4 win. BOTTOM LEFT: Wallace collides with a South Alabama runner at home. BOTTOM RIGHT: The softball medical staff checks Wallace’s condition on the field.
out to watch her teammates win the big one with five more runs to top the Jaguars, Myers said Wallace has gotten the thumbs-up from her doctors and should be good to play. This call, however, may be subject to change.
If anything changes, either Anna Gibbs or Courtney Shea will replace her behind the plate. As far as the rest of the defense goes, Myers has a brick wall of infielders and outfielders to prevent the Ragin’ Ca-
juns from crossing the plate. In Sunday’s game alone, Cooper caught three hard line drives for outs, including one play she turned to first baseman Jade Rhodes for a double play. “It was something routine,” Cooper said. “We practice it every day. We have girls like Jade (Rhodes), Emily (Carosone), Morgan (Estell), Tiffany (Howard) and Haley (Fagan) that all rifle them over there in situations. They have definitely prepared me for it, so it was routine.” At bat, Rhodes is known for her season-best 17 home runs, including three in one game against Ole Miss in regular season play. Although she has been in a slump recently at the plate, going 0-for-23, she broke through in a huge way in the regional final round. With a nailed pitch to the center field wall, she ran for a triple, scoring Fagan. “As the coaches always say, ‘Pass the baton,’” Rhodes said. “I knew that hitting the ball and putting it in play would do a lot for my team. I wasn’t trying to have a triple. I was trying to hit the ball out of the infield and make South Alabama make a play on the ball.” Wherever the Tigers end up in the Super Regionals this weekend, they have brought positive attention to the program. Sold-out crowds have piled in since the Tennessee series, where 400 bleachers were added along the third base line. “The sky is the limit,” Cooper said. “We haven’t all turned on at one time since the Arizona game. We are just building off of this. Eleven hits is something we haven’t had in a while. We are going to build off of this for the Super Regional.”
This Week in Auburn Sports
adam sparks / photogrpaher
LEFT: Cole Lipscomb throws a pitch against Morehead State. RIGHT: Samantha Scarlett jumps in the women’s 100 hurdle.
Baseball
The No. 9 seeded Tigers stepped up to the plate Tuesday, May 19, in their first SEC Tournament game since 2013 and walked away victors after facing the Kentucky Wildcats. Pitcher Cole Lipscomb had a quality start and successful day on the mound through 7 and two-thirds innings, recording nine strikeouts and a 2.38 ERA and allowed only four hits and two earned runs in 107 pitches. Auburn led the contest 1-0 throughout the third thanks to an RBI single from first baseman Daniel Robert. Jackson Burgreen contributed to the lead in the top of the fourth with a triple into the corner of right field to score two, making it 3-0. The Tigers struck again in the sixth with a sac fly from Melvin Gray and another RBI single from Robert to extend the lead 5-0. A solo home run, single and base hit put Kentucky back on the board, 5-3, in the bottom of the eighth, but the Tigers responded in the top of the ninth. Blake Logan started the inning with a single, followed by a bunt single by third baseman Kyler Deese and a huge slash hit and RBI for Jordan Ebert giving Auburn the 6-3 lead. Justin Camp, who relieved Lipscomb in the bottom of the eighth inning, caused the leadoff hitter to fly out and the following batter to walk. That walk would prove to be useful as catcher Greg Fettes grounded into a 3-6 double play ending the ballgame. Lipscomb was credited with the win and the game ball, both well-deserved. With this win, the Tigers will advance in the SEC Tournament to play LSU on Wednesday, May 20, at 4:30 p.m. in Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. The LSU Tigers currently defend the top spot nationally and hold a record of 46-9, including 21 conference wins. In the last meeting of the Tigers, Auburn went 1-2 in the Baton Rouge series, but the one win was by five runs, 6-1.
Men’s Golf
The No. 7 men’s golf team jumped from seventh to fourth place with a 4-under 280 in the final round of the NCAA Lubbock Regional on Saturday, May 16, to earn their fourth straight ticket to the NCAA Championship. The Tigers, who were one shot off the cutline after the second round, finished the final two holes 2-under to advance to the NCAA Championship in Bradenton, Florida, on Friday, May 29, to Wednesday, June 3. “It was a stressful day and kind of up and down,” coach Nick Clinard said. “We got off to a great start there, getting it to 9-under, and we had some pick-ups on the par 3 eighth. We had a lot of great shots coming down the stretch.” No. 2 Texas won the NCAA Regional at 22-under, followed by No. 9 Texas Tech, Duke and No. 7 Auburn. Trailing the Tigers are Purdue and Houston, who tied in a playoff to take the fifth and final spot to advance. Senior Dan Stringfellow shot a 4-under final round 67 including birdies on his final two holes, and sophomore Ryan Benton had a 3-under 68 as both tied for seventh to lead the Tigers. Stringfellow, who had five birdies and an eagle, tied for seventh at 4-under after a pair of even par rounds the first two days. “I started out really well and made an eagle on my ninth hole and was feeling pretty good,” Stringfellow said. “I made two bogeys right around the turn. I was getting a little shaky, but Coach got me pumped up and made some putts on the last two holes for birdie.” Clinard gave Stringfellow a pat on the back following his performance. “Dan (Stringfellow) made about a 15-footer for birdie on nine [Auburn’s final hole] when he had to make it,” Clinard said. “He has just turned into a big-time player. You can’t be more proud of all the guys. It was a total team effort.” Benton added five birdies of his own, including four on his outward nine.
All-SEC junior Michael Johnson tied for 30th at 1-over 214 with a final round 2-over 73. All-SEC freshman Ben Schlottman tied for 54th at 6-over but had a 1-under 70 to close. All-SEC sophomore Matt Gilchrest tied for 63rd at 77-223. “It is really big because this course was playing tough,” Benton said. “We are a really good team and there are a lot of good teams out here. We definitely deserve to be at the National Championship, and I am glad we found a way to get through.”
Track and Field
Auburn track and field concluded competition at the SEC Championships in Starkville, Mississippi on Saturday, May 16. Junior Shawn Johnson earned 13 points with a tie for second in the high jump and third place finish in the triple jump. Johnson cleared 6-10.25/2.09 meters in the high jump for seven points and earned six points in the triple jump with a distance of 530.75/16.17. The men’s team finished 10th with 40 points and the women’s team placed 10th with 28 points. “Shawn (Johnson) did a fantastic job today coming up big in two events,” coach Ralph Spry said. “It started raining during the high jump, but he was able to keep his head and tie for second. I am really proud of him.” Torrey Campbell, Kahlil Henderson, Joe Fisher and Teray Smith composed the men’s 4x100 relay team and clocked a season-best time of 39.82 to finish eighth and earn one point. Senior Kane Grimster placed sixth for three points in the 1,500 at 3:46.41, and senior Ty McCormack added three points with a sixth place finish in the 5,000 at 14:13.21. “Ty (McCormack) stuck in there and grinded it out in the 5,000,” Spry said. “The 200 guys ran really well out of lane one and two. The kids that we put out there really did well. I am excited because they are all young. We will be good down
the stretch, and we still have a good chance to send a lot of people to the National Championships. This is never an easy meet, but we have to reload and keep on moving.” Smith and Henderson earned five points in the men’s 200 after finishing sixth at 20.84 and seventh at 20.86, respectively. Samantha Scarlett, Jonielle Smith, Ebony Morrison and Sashel Brown finished seventh in the women’s 4x100 relay for two points with a time of 44.88. Scarlett earned one point in the 100 hurdle final, finishing eighth at 13.35. Brown clocked a personal best time of 58.34 in the 400 hurdle final to finish fifth. Junior Rachel Dincoff placed fourth in the shot-put with a throw of 52-9.5/16.09. The Tigers will return May 28-30 for the NCAA East Preliminaries at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida.
Basketball
Auburn men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl added new forward Tyler Harris to the 2015-16 roster, according to a report by the Montgomery Advertiser. Harris, a top five transfer from Providence College in Rhode Island, chose Auburn over top basketball programs such as UCONN, Oklahoma State and Georgia Tech. Harris averaged 9.9 points and 4.4 rebounds off 12 starts on 34 games last season. Harris said Pearl has planned to put him in a power forward position for this upcoming season. “I knew that Bruce Pearl would be able to put me in a position like my brother was able to play in,” Harris said. “I feel like Auburn was the best school for me. I feel like I can help the team to reach the ultimate goal: winning games, get into the (NCAA) Tournament and winning championships.” Harris started summer school May 2015. Compiled by Lauren Christopher and Emily Shoffit
Intrigue
5
Thursday, May 21, 2015
ThePlainsman.com
Intrigue
SUSTAINABILITY
Campus bike share coming in the fall Ben Wallace news Reporter
Bike Share is a service that campus students have been asking about, according to Jennifer Morse, communications and outreach manager with the Office of Sustainability. This fall semester, Bike Share is coming to Auburn. Bike Share provides bicycle transport for Auburn students. Don Andrae, manager of Parking Services, is the head of the project. According to Andrae, to use this service, a user needs to download an app. “You’ll download an app to your smartphone,” Andrae said. “For this, the bikes are free. When you pull the app up, it will show you where the bikes are. You’ll go to the bike rack, you’ll press a button for that bike rack and it unlocks automatically. You’ll take the bike and you’ll go. There’s a GPS on the bike that identifies where the bike is going and, of course, it knows who has the bike.” The smartphone application, which will be available for iOS and Android, will also keep track of whether the rider is still using it, and can be used even after locking the bicycle up. Andrae said if the bikes end up in one area instead of where they are needed, they can move the bikes to where they want using trucks. Parking Services is able to lo-
“
Auburn University is trying to get bikefriendly campus status. It’s right in line with the goals that we’re trying to accomplish as an office. I think it’s a great resource for people on campus.” -Jennifer Morse
communications and outreach manager, office sustainability
cate the bikes using tracking devices. “We decided that the bikes will be free for up to three hours and there will be a charge for every hour the bike is used after that,” Andrae said. “The students can use their TigerCard.” This is to ensure the bikes are returned to campus to be used again, according to Andrae. Parking Services is the department in charge of the maintenance and repair of the bikes. Helmets will not be provided for the bikes used for the service for sanitation reasons. “I’d like to have it implemented by the beginning of the fall semester,” Andrae said. The bikes provided are being customized for Auburn Univer-
contributed by don andrae
Auburn University’s Bike Share program is expected to be implemented by the fall semester 2015.
sity. Each of the 75 bikes is branded with the Auburn AU and the University’s battle cry, War Eagle. Students without smartphones can access the bikes using the web, according to Andrae. Bikes will likely be available in most main areas of campus, according to Andrae. According to Andrae, there will be bikes in the RO parking lot, the gravel lot across from Parking Services, the residential
areas of campus, central campus and at the College of Veterinary Medicine. The bike share service costs students nothing, according to Andrae. For Auburn, the approximate cost of the total project is $90,000, and $1,200 per bike. Morse said the Bike Share program will be an asset to campus. “Auburn University is trying to get bike-friendly campus status,” Morse said. “It’s right in line
with the goals that we’re trying to accomplish as an office. I think it’s a great resource for people on campus. I think there’s a demand for it. Particularly, we have had professors in the design department who are asking for it. They have students who have only 10 minutes to get across campus. If there was a bike share program then that would really expedite their ability to get to class on time. Personally, I’m way in favor of it. I have my own bike. I think it’s a great thing to have
on campus.” Miranda Pecot, a student who also works at the Lowder Student-Athlete Development Center, said this will help students be on time for class. “I know several people don’t have bikes and they have trouble getting to class on time,” Pecot said. “I think it would be a good program.” According to Andrae, he willnot know who will be supplying the bikes until Wednesday, May 27.
opinion
inexpensive LIFE HACKS
Read on the treadmill
ORGANIZE YOUR GIFT WRAP
don’t water down drinks
OPEN WINE WITH NO CORKSCREW
MATERIALS:
MATERIALS:
MATERIALS:
MATERIALS:
BOOK PANTS HANGER
STEPS:
SCISSORS TOILET PAPER ROLL GIFT WRAP
BERRIES OR GRAPES BEVERAGE
STEPS:
SCREWDRIVER & SCREW HAMMER WINE
1. OPEN BOOK 2. CLIP PAGES 3.TURN PAGE AS NEEDED 4. READ ON THE RUN
1. CUT ROLL VERTICALLY 2. SLIDE AROUND GIFT WRAP 3. BE SUPER ORGANIZED
1. FREEZE BERRIES OR GRAPES 2. PLACE IN BEVERAGE (OR, FOR ICED COFFEE, FREEZE COFFEE INTO CUBES)
1.TWIST SCREW INTO CORK 2. HOOK HAMMER PRONGS OVER SCREW & PULL
STEPS:
STEPS:
Raye May is the managing editor for The Auburn Plainsman. She can be reached at managing.editor@ThePlainsman.com
the plainsman picks playlist : “CHILLIN’ IT” by cole swindell
Emily Esleck, editor-in-chief
“MADE IN AMERICA” by toby keith
Raye May, managing editor
“GOD BLESS THE USA” by lee greenwood
Maria McIlwain, copy editor
“THE FIGHTIN’ SIDE OF ME” by merle haggard
Dakota Sumpter, photo editor
“memorial day weekend is a fun time to gather with friends and family, and ‘just chill it’ whether it’s at the lake, beach or your own backyard.” “this song makes me think of those I love who served. it makes me take a step back from the fun and remember what memorial day is about.” “this song puts memorial day into perspective and helps us remember what it’s really about: our troops, not just barbecue and parties.” “one of the most patriotic songs in outlaw country, haggard says it best: ‘If you don’t love it, leave it.’ keep the hippies away with haggard!”
the staff at the plainsman chose their favorite songs for
memorial day weekend. to listen to their picks, follow the auburn plainsman at spotify.com.
“BLUE JEANS - RAC MIX” by lana del rey
Elizabeth Tiller, online editor
“WANT TO WANT ME” by the Jason Derulo
Rachael Taylor, news editor
“A SKY FULL OF STARS” by coldplay
Ashley Harris, design editor
“SUMMERTIME” by kenny chesney
Lauren Christopher, Sports Editor
“there’s nothing more American than blue jeans, white t-shirts and Memorial Day. Also,you can never go wrong with lana del rey.” “It’s a fun song that always puts me in a good mood. It’s great to listen to when you’re hanging out by the lake with friends.” “It’s nice to have a fun, uplifting song from coldplay, compared to their more somber style. It’s a good one to dance to in the backyard.” “this song is all about lying in the sun and being with your friends beside the water, so it’s perfect for a weekend at the lake or pool.”