Pellegini back on track at The Citadel

   Erica Pellegrini, a two-time All-Delco during her days at Garnet Valley, got right back in the swing at The Citadel as she opened the spring campaign of her senior year by posting the Bulldogs’ low total at the Wofford Spring Invitational early last week.

   Pellegrini missed the spring campaign a year ago as well as the fall portion of the 2013-14 season while studying abroad in Spain. But the two-time PIAA medalist showed she’s still got some game as she posted rounds of 79 and 80 over The Country Club of Spartanburg layout for a 159 total that left her in 15^th place.

   Pellegrini finished a shot ahead of teammate Eraina Manor, a sophomore who was in a three-way tie for 16^th at 160. Junior Kellie Anderson had rounds of 82 and 82 for a 167 total that left her in 32^nd place. Manor and Anderson were The Citadel’s top performers during the fall portion of the schedule.

   Junior McKenzie Duncan had rounds of 93 and 88 to finish in 38^th place at 191 and freshman Renata Sucha rounded out the scoring for The Citadel with rounds of 90 and 95 and in a three-way tie for 39^th at 195.

   The Citadel had team rounds of 335 and 329 to finish last of the six teams in the tournament at 664. High Point (302-311—613) edged Gardner-Webb (300-315—615) and host Wofford (305-312—617) to claim the team title.

   The Citadel was scheduled to get right back it beginning Sunday at the Kiawah Spring Classic at the Oak Point and Cougar Point courses at the Kiawah Island Resort on Kiawah Island, S.C. The three-day event will include 36 schools with Penn State, Kentucky, Delaware and Bucknell among them.

Calamaro keeps battling at Illinois

   Jackie Calamaro, the 2009 PIAA champion as a senior at Radnor, is one of three players battling for the fifth spot on a very competitive Illinois team as the Illini’s spring season starts kicking into high    gear.

   The Illini opened their season with their annual trip to Venice, Fla. in early February for the Illinois Challenge, an old-fashioned dual match with cross-state rival Illinois State.

   Calamaro, a redshirt junior, won her singles match, 1-up, over Carlee Cossell and teamed with Emily  Joers to grab a point in a four-ball match with a 6 and 4 decision over Cossell and Maggie Ambrose. The Illini won the day, 9.5-2.5.

   Calamaro is battling juniors Erin Ahern and Michelle Mayer for the five spot on the Illinois travel team.

   Ahern got the nod as the Illini traveled to Peoria, Ariz. early last week for the Westbrook Spring Invitational at the Westbrook Village Golf Club and she made the most of the opportunity with solid rounds of 74, 74 and 75 for a 224 total that left her in a tie for 51^st.

   Illinois had its best round in the final round, a 290 total that left it in eighth place at 875. The Illini, however, were only six shots out of a tie for fourth. Big Ten rival Ohio State ran away with the team title at 838, 10 shots clear of runnerup Oregon. Tournament host Wisconsin, another Big Ten entrant, finished third at 859.

   Illinois has a solid first four of freshman Stephanie Miller, senior Ember Schuldt, redshirt junior Sam Postillion and Joers, a freshman.

   Miller finished tied for sixth with a 3-under 213 at the Westbrook. Schuldt was in a tie for 18^th at 1-over 217, Postillion was in a tie for 39^th at 5-over 221 and Joers struggled a little in finishing 71^st at 13-over 229. Ahern’s solid 8-over finish was five shots better than Joers.

   So Calamaro has some work to do if she plans to see her old high school rival, Purdue junior Aurora Kan, at the Insperity Lady Jaguar Tournament in Augusta, Ga. in a couple of weeks.