M
j Page 6
THE BATTALION
TUESDAY, FEB. 24, 1976
Plays today at 1
Baseball team whips St. Mary’s| fl
By PAT EDMONDSON
Battalion Staff Writer
The baseball team opened the
1976 season on a winning note as
Clint Thomas and James “Hoot”
Gibson turned in brilliant pitching
performances to spark the Aggies to a
double-header sweep of St. Mary s
University.
Coach Tom Chandler’s squad tag
ged Rattler hurlers for 16 hits in the
14-7 opener and David Lockett re
lieved Gibson late in the nightcap to
preserve a 7-2 victory.
The Ags are 2-0 for the season
while St. Mary’s dropped to 1-3.
Prior to Friday, Chandler was
concerned about his players getting
wood on the ball. His worries were
silenced though, as Aggie batters
rapped out 24 hits in the twin-bill.
“I was pleasantly surprised at the
number of hits, ” he said, “but it was a
hitters’ day. They were pitching
into the teeth of the wind. ”
A&M pitcher Clint Thomas was
rudely greeted by a home run in the
first inning. Shortstop Glynn
Tschirhart promptly shelled a
Thomas fastball ever the left field
wall.
“It kind of shook me up,” Thomas
said. “It was too early for something
like that to happen.
“It was hard to keep the fastball
down,’’ he added. “The wind was
blowing and he just got it up in the
Following Tschirhart’s blast, the
Aggies retaliated, taking advantage
of Gary Fussell’s erratic pitching.
The Rattler hurler walked in one run
and threw a wild pitch causing
another and rightfielder Billy
Raymer looped a single which gave
the Farmers a 5-1 lead.
Raymer accounted for two hits in
four trips to the plate, knocking in
four runs.
Another standout was Robert
Verde, a football player who earned a
starting position in left field this
The only full service
hair shaping emporium
in the Northgate area.
Call or come by:
331 University Drive Above Kesami Sandwich Shoppe
College Station, Texas
846-7614
spring. Verde had three hits and two
runs batted in for the afternoon.
“ He has been a pleasant surprise, ”
said Chandler. “He is an aggressive
athlete and he really likes to play.”
Fussell was lifted and A&M re
sponded with hits by Raymer,
Verde, Winston Whiddon, Randy
Woodruff, Mark Thurmond, Scott
Paschal, David Lockett, Kirk
Campbell, and Bob Dulak adding to
the Rattler dismay. The Ags nailed
relievers John St. Eve and A1 De-
vage for six additional runs.
Thomas pitched his prescribed
five innings and was relieved by Alan
Wilson. Wilson threw nearly flaw
less ball before a rash of infield errors
allowed St. Mary’s six runs.
“The infield was a little disappoint
ing,” said Chandler. “I think they
had the first game jitters. But they’re
gonna make good infielders.”
Thomas got the win, scattering
four hits and striking out four.
Wilson gave up two hits and fan
ned two hitters en route to his initial
save of the season.
In the second game, St. Mary’s
opened with a fluke single which
sailed inches over second baseman
Tommy Larsen’s head. The Rattlers
again took the early lead as the next
batter lashed a double to put them
ahead, 1-0. St. Mary’s added another
run moments later on a wild pitch by
Gibson.
The Aggies bounced back in their
half of the inning as freshman Mark
Thurmond belted a two-run homer
following two walks. Hits by Tommy
Larsen and Randy Blanchard created
a 4-2 advantage.
“I’m not really a power hitter,” he
said, “I just try to get the bat on the
ball. It was really exciting for me,
and I was on cloud nine going around
the bases.”
Gibson quieted down in the sec
ond inning and threw admirably, al
lowing only two hits in the next four
innings.
Alert base running by Larsen on a
pop out advanced him to third and
shortstop Robert Bonner stole sec
ond before Blanchard sent them
across the plate on a single. This put
the Aggies up 6-2.
Blanchard had a field day, going
three for three with four runs batted
in while scoring one himself,
catcher John Biersner in the third
inning.
Gibson got the win, giving up five
runs on four hits. An All-Southwest
Conference selection last year, Gib
son walked two and struck out two.
As to his poor start Gibson ex
plained, “It always takes me a couple
of innings to get started. After that, I
get in the groove and I’m okay.”
During his appearance, Lockett
notched a save by fanning two
Rattlers and allowing a lone walk in
the last inning.
Though the team looked impress-
By PA
Faulkenberry leads Ags
past Arkansas, Tulane
ive, Chandler visualizes !:J
lenge ahead.
“We saw second line pilcj
day,” he said. “We reallyll
been tested yet."
The team will compete iiil
leheader against Sam Houstf
University today at 1 pj.|
Field.
! <
• 1
si i
'World of Illusion
ALLEN
Oldsmobile
Cadillac
AMERICA'S LEADING ILLUSIONIST, ANDRE' KOLE, PRESENTS
A FULL STAGE PRODUCTION DEALING WITH THE ILLUSION AND
THE REALITY OF THE SUPERNATURAL WORLD.
SALES - SERVICE
"Where satisfaction is
standard equipment"
2401 Texas Ave.
823-8002
SANFORD RUSSO
Battalion Contributing Editor
Ronald Faulkenberry led the
Aggie swim team to victory this
weekend when they met Arkansas
and Tulane in New Orleans.
Faulkenberry won both the
three-meter and one-meter diving
events. He gained his career high
point total with a 240.90 in the one-
meter event.
“Ron is throwing (performing with
good form) his dives real consistent
ly,” said Skip Cox, assistant swim
ming and diving coach. Cox expects
Faulkenberry to qualify for Nation
als.
0tocm
Top of the Tower
Texas A&M University
Pleasant Dining ■
“He hasn’t made the
(total performance rating))tl|
Cox, “but it’s coming sooil|
Ron will finish in the
Conference meet.”
Since diving provides
point-receiving events,
nnis Fosdick has chosen tot® 111
diving squad light. TherefeB ,;i0n t
kenberry is the only diver.IliW 1 and
this year on the 18-man tipS and
squad. Bmen
Most of the points to win®
fere nee meet are accumula: Ls don
17 swimming events. Fosiifield eV e
his team are trying to makiL u It
eback after a sixth place fitp-d use<
year. Bult to
There was plenty of excite Wl ma
the swimming side of the cip heigh
team entered the last eva
400-yard freestyle relay to
take the event or lose then
The swimmers who gam
seven-point win for the Ad
ia Led
|ng his
put o
lof Ter
Don Reeser, Jim Yates, EriblllSM th
son and Chris Shipp.
“They made a good W
swimming all out when tta
dead tired, said Fosdid|
whole team showed the
fight back and show a loti
despite the large number:
who were sick.”
Great View
SERVING LUNCHEON BUFFET
Freshman Bruce Hoak
to the personal best shed 1
10:11.83 in the 1000-yardfc|
event. This makes the
mer to break the old schools)
10:12.5 set by Doug Met
1973.
Lony
in th
ir’s 4:1
16 surpi
s tool
perfo
Sy rela
>16:01.7.
Ifourth
101/2
ich B<
over as
frike Fi
11:00 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.
y;
loyd
les cha
.of :7.:
Each day except Saturday
BankAmericard
y/v//Y'W> wm
$2.50 DAILY
$3.00 SUNDAY
Serving soup 6- sandwich
11:00 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.
Monday - Friday
$1.50 plus drink
Available Evenings
For Special
University Banquets
Department of Food Service
Texas A&M University
“Quality First”
“Hoak is a good example
advantages of a walk-on
said Fosdick. He added l‘l*
Southwest Conference W s " eo
squad ruling could possib® ^ oe
damper on this because it
the number of meets the ®
can swim in and make time
Other top personal tin*
turned in by freshmen Ctos
and Erik Rasmuson. Ban
swam a :48.68 in the 100-yai>
tyle and Ship swam a :48J
same event.
The meet last weekend is 1
of the season as the men’s td
pares to begin taperingfor&
ference meet March 4-6
The meet last weekeendisl
of the season as the men’s if
pares to begin taper for the
ence meet March 4-6.
PORTRAIT SALE
20% OFF
ENDS FEBRUARIES!;
29th
THIS SPECIAL APPEARANCE OF ANDRE' KOLE IS SPONSORED BY CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST INTERNATIONAL
WED. FEB.2S 8 : 00 RM. RUDDER AUD
TICKETS’ $2.00; $150 ADVANCE MSG BOX OFFICE
b & l r
photography
northgate
846-2828