Having scored only four runs in its last three games, Harvard's varsity baseball team will send a revised line-up against M. I. T. in a Greater Boston League game to be played at 3 p. m. today on the Engineers' Briggs Field.
After establishing a 9-0 record on its Southern tour, the Crimson has won only two of its last seven games. In its last three outings. Harvard has faced three pro prospects, Springfield's Tom Badcock and Dartmouth's Chuck Seelbach and Pete Berg, and the Crimson collected only a total of 19 hits in those three contests.
"We've left so many guys on base that it's bound to show up in the results." coach Loyal Park said. "We lost two of those games by only one run, so those stranded runners have really hurt us."
No Panic
"We'll change the batting order." Park said. "But it's important not to do anything out of panic. There won't be any drastic changes, it's just a matter of getting your hot bats into the strategic spots in the line-up."
Sophomore Mike Thomas will start his first game of the year today at third base Dan DeMichele will move from third base to left field, and Bill Kelly will be reassigned to a permanent position on the relief staff.
"This isn't any demotion; Kelly has pitched so well we want to use him where we need him the most." Park explained, Kelly has yet to yield an earned run in 11 innings of pitching this spring, and Park plans to use the junior righthander in long relief roles. At the plate Kelly has been in a stamp, hitting. 126 since the Southera four.
The only other change is that right fielder Pete Bernharal, who has four of Harvard's last ten hits, will bat clean-up rather than leading off the line-up. Bernhard has led the team since it came north with a 321 average.
Pete Varacy, who led the nation with 6 home juns and 23 RBI's last week, went 1 for 12 in his last four games. Still leading the Crimson with a 413 average, Varney will bat fifth in the line-up.
The starting pitcher against M. I. T. today will be right-hander Tom DaShiell. Although the junior hurler has lost his last two starts, he still has a very respectable 1,98 ERA, Park will have Kelly and John Todd throwing in the bullpen.
The surjaise of the Crimson's season has been the consistency of its starting rotation. Tom Kidwell, Phil Collins, and J. C. Nickens have a combined 1.45 ERA. Last year's starting trio had a 3.59 ERA, and even Harvard's top pitcher. Bob Kalinoski, could do no better than 2.56.
M. I. T. is off to a fast start this season establishing a 5-1 record and hitting, 301 as a team. The Engineers are led by pitcher Bruce Wheeler, who two years ago was the GRL's most valuable player. Wheeler beat Harvard two years ago and will start, again today. When he isn't pitching, Wheeler plays second or third base. He is hitting 400, leads the team in RBI's, and has a triple and home run to his credit.
Read more in News
Trackmen Score 32 Points And Take Lead in GBC's