United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics

FORT MYERS, FLA.--(3/13/07)--Christian George had single, double, triple an RBI and three runs scored as eight Coast Guard players had two or more hits in a 17 hit attack as the Bears beat Albion (Mich.) 11-8.

Kevin Higgins, who had a career-high four RBI’s in the game, had two hits including a three-run double highlighting a four-run third inning as the Bears led 4-0 after three innings.

OPA LOCKA, FLA.--(3/11/07)--Florida Memorial held off Coast Guard Academy's furious ninth-inning rally to defeat the Bears, 8-6, in Opa Locka, Fla.

Coast Guard (1-2) trailed 8-2, scored four times and left the bases loaded. Mike Mitchell had a two-run single and Brian Lisko an RBI double in the ninth.

Lisko, Ken Franklin and Kevin Higgins had two hits apiece for Coast Guard. Florida Memorial is 6-12.

Bears Split Season Opening Doubleheader with Kings Pt.

Chuck Arena opened with 3 hits

Hollywood, Fla -- 3/10/07-- Chuck Arena had three hits, including two doubles, and two RBI to help first-year Coast Guard coach C.C. Grant earn his first collegiate victory with an 11-0 season-opening win over Merchant Marine in the first game of a doubleheader at Hollywood, Fla.

Kevin Higgins hit his first collegiate home run to start a six-run seventh inning for the Bears and Will Becker struck out four in seven innings for the win. Arena had his school-record 33-game hitting streak broken in the second game as the Bears were no-hit by Alex Smith and lost, 2-0.

Senior tri-captain Chuck Arena, who hit .429 last season, brings a school record 32 game hitting streak into the season.

Coast Guard returns its top four hitters and the entire infield from last season’s team for first year head coach C.C. Grant, however the Bears still have a huge hole to fill in the pitching staff as the Bears lost New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Pitcher of the Year Mike Jarbeau along with Cory Anderson, who became the first Coast Guard player to be drafted as he was selected by the Washington Nationals following the season.

The Bears were 15-17 overall and 4-8 in NEWMAC play a year ago and Grant is excited as he enters his first year as head coach after serving as assistant coach under Pete Barry for the past seven seasons.

“I’m excited to have the group of guys returning that we do this season,” said Grant. “To have the entire infield back along with Chuck Arena in center field makes it easy for me in my first season to be surrounded by a veteran group of talented players, who have worked extremely hard in the offseason. It will be alot easier than if we had graduated eight seniors and had to rebuild.”