With the loss of two games, both loosely played, the averages of the University baseball team show a rise in hitting end a decline in the art of fielding. From .247 the batting average has jumped to .258, an increase of 11 points. At the same time the fielding has dropped two points, from .934 of a week ago, to the present, figure, .932.
The offensive features of the week's play have been the continual heavy hitting of Captain Todd, whose figure still continues to climb, and now stands well above the coveted .300 mark, at .367; the return of Burns' batting eye after a short lapse and the hitting streak of Ullman, who though he faced opposing pitchers but once last week, has improved his mark from .263 to .282.
Burns Heads Stick Average
Burns, who may now be classed as a regular, leads the Crimson stickmen with an average of .422. Last week he was batting only for .333, but his six hits last week were enough to push his average up to its present mark. Captain Todd follows the Harvard center fielder, and is in turn followed by Zarakov, his rival up to now for the batting crown. The Crimson third sacker also had a good week, pushing his mark up from .307 to its present .333.
The extra base clouting of the team, up to now not very impressive, shot up in the games against Princeton and Williams. Burns opened the disastrous Tiger game with his first home run of the season, and later connected for a safe double, also his first. Chase, Sullivan, and Todd also rapped out a two-bagger apiece, all of them coming in the Williams game, lost after a game uphill fight. By virtue of his hit in the game against the Purple, Sullivan, the Crimson short fielder, moved into a tie with Barbee for the most doubles. The Harvard total for extra base hits now stands at 15, of which ten are two-baggers, two triples, and three home runs. The home run hitters are, besides Burns, Sullivan and Zarakov.
No Rise in Base Thefts
In the matter of stolen bases, the team has shown no progress during the week. The total for the squad still stands at 22, the figure chalked up a week ago. Todd, Zarakov, and Jones are still the leading base stealers, each of them with four thefts to his record.
Only five men on the entire squad have a perfect average in the field. These are Duchin, who played in only one game; Burns, who has accepted 14 chances without a misplay; Cutts and Puffer, pitchers who have toiled in three games each; and Ellison, veteran right fielder, who before his removal to make room for the speedier Burns, registered 15 put-outs in the outer gardens.
Nine to Embark Tonight
This evening the baseball team will leave by boat for New York, from where it will entrain for Princeton to face the Tiger nine in a return engagement tomorrow. Since the debacle of a week ago Coach Mitchell has shaken things up a bit with the hope of gaining increased hitting strength. Lord, star first baseman of the Freshmen a year ago, has displaced the veteran at first. The Sophomore lacks experience, but he is a natural hitter, and about on a par in fielding with his rival.
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