Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 18, 1980)
Astros can hit, too THE BATTALION Friday, april is, iqso Page 13 Aggie Lacrosse team captain Carl Hayes sizes up a Notre Dame opponent earlier this year. The Ags host a 3-game series this weekend. photo by Dave Einser lacrosse team has r big weekend ahead i§ The Texas A&Vl lacrosse team will hbst a three-game series against teams from the University of Texas, SMU, and the University of Houston atthe main drill field this weekend, is time■§Saturday the Ags begin their busy Judsoni^weekend when they take on SMU at that co®]. Ip. nr e tkeePfOh Sunday, the Aggies begin a :r Coii^douhte-header at 2 p.m. when they jgie victt meet the Cougars. After that game, 1:30 pis the Ags will play arch-rival Texas at 6 p.m. The two teams last met in Au- jn, constin, where the Ags won in triple ; to OwOvertime, 13-12. IAWcMBDefenseman Curt Jones is in bis team iil daylyn ^ lez. first semester with the Aggie lacrosse team, and though he’s never played against Texas, has a pretty good feel- ing of what it will be like this weekend. “Everyone is really getting psyched up for the Texas game,’’ Jones, a junior management major said. “But we’re not looking past SMU. “They (Texas) are about the third- best team in the conference, behind us and Texas Tech. We should be able to beat them, but not by much because we’re having a big party Saturday night.” By RICHARD OLIVER Staff Writer When Houston Astro right fielder Terry Puhl sent the second pitch of the 1980 baseball season off the right field scoreboard for a home run, many of the 33,000 in attendance at the Astrodome breathed a heavy sigh of relief. One of the big questions during the off-season was the power of the Astros. Many felt last year’s success was a fluke, and a team with strictly pitching couldn’t win a pennant. That is probably true, although Houston came within U/z games of giving it a try. Puhl’s shot signified a hope that this season the Astros’ dormant bats would come alive again, and the U/z- game deficit would reverse itself. While most skeptics agree the Dod gers and Reds have the best shots at Houston, there is no doubt the Astros are fielding a much stronger team to start this season. Doug Rau, the star Dodger pitch er who is currently marooned on the disabled list after elbow surgery, said before the opening game April 10 he believes the Dodgers are more offen sively potent, but the Astros are still the team to beat. “When you look at our infield, player for player, we have more pow er,” he said. “This team (the Dod gers) has the potential, and we have a lot to overcome. Beating these guys (Houston) is going to be the deter mining factor.” Craig Reynolds, the Astros’ short stop who was the only ballplayer Bill Virdon assured a starting position prior to spring training, agreed. “The Dodgers have the power,’’ he said. “When you look at it in pers pective, though, we don’t need the power, and they do.” There is a point there. The Dod gers have long made or broke their season on the potent bats of their offensive stalwarts: Cey, Monday, Garvey, Baker and Smith. They were brilliantly backed up on the mound by the likes of Rau, Don Sut ton, Tommy John and Charlie Hough. However, the tide has turned, and the Dodgers are a struggling team. Perhaps their most consistent pitch er, Tommy John, left via the free- agent draft two years ago. Sutton stumbled through a disappointing 1979 season, and Rau’s surgery will sideline him until at least July. Reggie Smith, the most consistent Dodger, was injured most of the 1979 season, and his return will help, but it may not carry the pitching slack. Off-season writers’ predictions labeled L.A. as the team to beat out Houston this year, but thus far, the threat hasn’t materialized. It’s been L.A. a la 1979. Rau, a graduate of Texas A&M University, said some off-season ac quisitions may help. “We re stronger than last year. We got Don “Stan the Man Unusual” Analysis Stanhouse from Baltimore, and Dave (Goltz) to boost our starting rotation. The hitters aren’t going to lie down, either. We have every thing going, it should be better.” So far, Stan the Man Unusual and Goltz have been plastered by oppos ing batters. Although seven games don’t make a season, the Houston series may be an omen of things to come. Goltz was hammered in Houston’s 5-2 opening series victory, and in two appearances, Stanhouse couldn’t stop anything. So much for Dodger bullpen power. The opening game saw several Astro changes. For the most obvious change, Puhl and Jose Cruz both slammed home runs. Houston hit only 49 during the 1979 season. Joe Morgan was back at second for the Astros after a seven-year hiatus in Cincinnati. He contributed with a base hit and some flawless fielding, not to mention enthusiasm. Prior to the game, he could be seen roving the Houston dugout backslapping and encouraging. The most notable change is the dugout atmosphere. Last season saw a Cinderella Astro team climb out of the cellar to nip at Cincinnati’s heels until the final week. This year, Hous ton is favored. The team is excited, and the confidence is there. “We are the favorites, and every one is ready to play ball,” Reynolds explained. “With Nolie (Nolan Ryan) and Joe (Morgan) here, and our pitching, we know what we can do. This team is ready.” So far, “playing ball” has resulted in a 5-2 record, including three-of- four from L.A. and a two-game sweep of helpless Atlanta. As of Thursday, the team batting average was a healthy .308, and the pitchers are allowing a miniscule 2.18 runs per game. Houston is scor ing five. L.A., however, is 3-5, five games out of first, and has for the most part been shut down until a 10-4 victory over San Diego Wednesday night, and Thursday’s 6-4 decision over Nolan Ryan and Houston. Random, occasional victories over the Reds and Astros just won’t cut it for the Dodgers, and they know it. In order for Los Angeles to make a run for the flag again, it will take a much better showing from the two free agent wonders — Goltz and Stanhouse. Neither has lived up to their billing, and they are desperate ly needed. Ryan , the free agent drawing card, has an over-6.00 E.R.A., the worst on the Houston staff— but at least he can hit. •ALTERATIONS IN THE GRAND TRADITION OF OLD TEXAS WHERE MOTHER TAUGHT DAUGHTEFI THE FINE ART OF SEWING SO HELEN MARIE TAUGHT EDITH MARIE THE SECRETS OF SEWING AND ALTERATIONS "DON’T GIVE UP — WELL MAKE IT FIT!" AT WELCH'S CLEANERS WE NOT ONLY SERVE AS AN EXCELLENT DRY CLEANERS BUT WE SPE CIALIZE IN ALTERING HARP TO FIT EVENING DRESSES. TAPERED SHIRTS. JEAN HEMS, WATCH POCKETS. ETC (WE RE JUST A FEW BLOCKS NORTH OF FED MART.) WELCH’S CLEANERS 3819 E. 29th (TOWN & COUNTRY SHOPPING CENTER) LEADERSHIP POSITIONS AVAILABLE The MSC Council Office is now accepting applications for Officer Application for V.P. for Finance V.P. for Programs Director of Projects Director of Public Relations Deadline is 5:00 p.m. Monday, April 21, 1980. Room 216 of the MSC. Astros bow to Dodgers game ALL jail tear * Spopenin SaturJi! 1 ’' ‘ biniOllW United Press International |LO s S ANGELES — Ron Cey hit a ;d Norjwofrun homer in the third inning foni W and singled in a pair of tie-breaking ing 11 runs in the eighth Thursday to lead isttkiwlhe Los Angeles Dodgers to a 6-4 ;ason ^victory 0 v er t] lc Houston Astros in front of an opening-day crowd of 45.17(1 ich Bill fll With the score tied 4-4 in the The Astros stole seven bases to tie a club record, including three by Joe Morgan. SWEnsen’S Gone Bananas Spetlal Order a cone with any of our 4 Bananas Flavors and get a Double Scoop (V2 lb.) for the price of one Scoop (SA VE 51 * ) ANYTIME WE f RE OPEJ\ Culpepper Plaza • College Station Open: 11:30 Mon.-Sat. • Noon Sunday iTtTt i't iTTn HAPPY HOUR AT THE STUDIO 4 for 1 T T T cm rtinatiwtgntn, Steve Garvey singled and a t {piDusty Baker doubled before Cey — I who has seven hits in his last seven ipial at hats ~ singled down the fleld Jfne,'scoring both runners. Is home run in .the third capped a r-run outburst that gave the Dod- s a 4-1 lead. Jerry Reuss, 1-0, who took over for frter Don Sutton in the seventh Jiing, gained the victory, while Jave Smith, 1-2, who relieved i>lan Ryan in the seventh, took the OSS. he Astros opened the scoring en.'leadpff batter Terry Puhl hit ■non S first pitch for a home run, his second of the year. In the Los Angeles fliird; Dave Lopes led off with a single and .scored on Rudy Law s triple. The Astros added a run in the fourth when Luis Pujols sing led home Jose Cruz, and another in the sixth on an RBI single by Enos Cabell. Spending your summer in Houston? We have something for you. The Houston Community College System offers: • Day, evening, and weekend classes • 20 campuses serving you close to home First Summer Registration May 21*22 Late Registration May 27-28 Second Summer Registration July 9-10 Late Registration July 14-15 Information, Class Schedules, Catalogs Call 869-5986 or write: Houston Community College System Public Information Office 22 Waugh Drive Houston, Texas 77007 Houston Community College System Equal Opportunity G \E PAKf/y. ^ SPECIAL 1 on DISCOUNT CENTER WIN Jill I'll I ■■■■■■II 1420 TEXAS AVE. COLLEGE STA. SALE ENDS SAT. 32 oz. 6 pack plus deposit 1.55 OLD MILWAUKEE 12 oz. 6 pac cans 1.49 LONE STAR LONGNECKS a case plus deposit 5.49 Students pay regular price while parents' meal is V2 price. Offer valid Fri v April 18 — Sun v April 20 with Texas A&M I.D. — HOURS — FRI.-SAT. 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. SUN.-THURS. 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. "There's no pizza, like a Pasta's pizza! We guarantee it! 807 Texas Ave. 696-3380