lavens rookie of the year’ for Ags THE BATTALION FRIDAY, MAY 2, 1980 Page 13 ian, u Chi, Ft ,uzinit ittand Six-foot, eight-inch Aggie freshman pitcher Robert Slavens, presents an imposing sight on the mound. He has racked up 11 wins against no defeats this season while only allowing slightly more than two runs per game. Staff photo by Lee Roy Leschper Jr. by JON HEIDTKE Sports Staff What a difference a year makes. At this time last year, Texas A&M Uni versity pitchers Robert Slavens and Rick Luecken were on opposite sides when Westbury High School faced Spring Woods High School in bi district action. Slavens and Luecken, who now are roommates, anchor the pitching chores along with another freshman, David Flores, as the Aggies prepare for the Southwest Conference Tour nament to be held at Olsen Field May 16-18. Last year, Luecken was highly re cruited by everybody and was the 18th player chosen in the June draft by San Francisco before he signed with Texas A&M. Slavens was also drafted, but not until the Cincinnati Reds picked him in the 26th round, and even the Reds organization wanted him to go to col lege. Even high school teammate Charlie Guinn, who also signed with the Aggies, was more highly touted than Slavens. Luecken has done everything ex pected of him, compiling a 9-3 re cord and posting a team-leading ERA of 2.00, but Slavens has been the big story. The tall, lanky right-hander has a team-leading 11 victories against a team-low no losses. He leads the Aggies in innings pitched with 87% and has an ERA of 2.37. “He has been a very pleasant sur prise for us,” said head coach Tom Chandler. “When I gave him the scholarship, I projected him to help us as a sophomore, but he has picked up a lot of experience in a hurry.” Even Slavens, who is 6-8 and weighs 185 pounds, is surprised ab out his excellent start. “There is so much difference be tween pitching in high school and in college,” he said, “that I anticipated my freshman year to be a learning experience. Coming in, I hoped to get a chance to pitch, but everything worked out and I started winning early and coach Chandler stuck with me.” “He had a good fall practice,” said Chandler about Slavens, “and we didn’t have many returning pitchers. He showed a lot of control and poise and really put it together in a hurry. ” Slavens, who grew 10 inches be tween 9th and 12th grades, said he has had his best control this year. “I finally stopped growing and I am now beginning to put on some weight,” he said. He has been work ing on the weights this year and said he has gotten much stronger. His fastball, which was timed at 83 mph in high school, was clocked at 87 mph this fall. Slavens, who was all-district in both baseball and basketball at West bury, said he felt no added pressure being a freshman with an unble mished pitching record. Comment ing on his spotless won-loss record he said, “It is a day-to-day thing. I will lose sooner or later, but I always take the mound with the idea that I’m going to win.” On being a freshman and proving himself to the team, he said, “If you are good enough to make it this far along, they (team) expect you to be good. But I believe I really proved myself to the team when I made my first conference start and beat Baylor. ” The highlight of the season for Slavens, who had a 7-0 record in SWC action, came when he threw a shutout against SMU. “I felt real good against SMU, but then I felt good against Rice and they got five runs off me,” he said A big reason for Slavens’ success this year has been what Chandler calls an “outstanding curveball.” “He gets it over the plate when he is behind the hitters, and not many college players are good breaking ball hitters,” he said. Slavens attributes his success to Chandler, catcher Joey Szekely and the infield, especially the double play combination of shortstop Twig Little and second baseman Randy Woodruff, which he calls the best in the conference. AUTO INSURANCE FOR AGGIES: Call: George Webb Farmers Insurance Group 3400 S. College 823-8051 “I can’t say enough about coach Chandler,” he said. “His confidence and moral support have been a big plus in my development. ” Slavens also had nothing but praise for Szekely, who was catcher in 10 of the 11 games he won. “He can read my mind,” he said, “which makes my job easier.” The battery has been a winning combina tion and Chandler plans to stick with it. “Slavens is one of the top pitchers at A&M right now,” said Chandler, “and he can’t get anything but better.” Injury will keep Staub out of action United Press International DETROIT—Texas Ranger desig nated hitter Rusty Staub fractured his index finger Wednesday in a game against the Detroit Tigers, the Rangers disclose Thursday. Staub, currently fourth in the American League in batting, is ex pected to be out for at least four weeks. The Rangers have thus far split in two games with the Tigers to remain in fourth place in the American League Western Division. BOOK-BINDING with every 400 pages of thesis or dis sertation copies during April and May KINKO’S “Your Thesis and Dissertation Pros” SOI College Main 846-9508 K » X X Battalion Classified 845-2611 // easeAs PIZZA SPAGHETTI LASAGNA MUSIC BOX -0 WORLD is at Happy Cottage Gift Shoppe Bryan 809 E. 29th Happy Dead Week" ALL DAY ALL NIGHT 2 FOR 1 PITCHERS! Bring your Aggie I.D. and enjoy our 11a.m. - 12a.m. BEER BREAK! (Side effects from studying)—* j 807 Texas Ave. 696-3380 Morgan homersagtiin for Astros bNiekro six-hits Cincinnati, 9-3 , Hon, ,eFlot( United Press International CINCINNATI — Errors by Junior >r5cly ennK| y anc l Dave Concepcion en- >led the Houston Astros to score I)( ] Q| 'e unearned runs in the sixth in- ng Thursday night and coast to a 3 victory and a three-game sweep e: Til the Cincinnati Reds. Nob Jo e Morgan drove in three runs ; Re® ith a homer and a single to pace a l-hit attack for the Astros. Joe Niek- .3-1, surrendered six hits and four oviclij ^ anc ] struck out six in his third onplete-game victory of the ason. Morgan’s two-run homer in the Teh th off starter and loser Mike La ws, 3-2, tied the score 3-3. The lGUE dSms Dsey, [ Job o en) i ih,» MiK tefatt IC6; jz,F lone) 1 Cod 1 ' Oii 'em, Chi NT, Stoc ; :3;* Astros blew the game open in the sixth when Enos Cabell led off with a walk, Cesar Cedeno doubled and Kennedy dropped Luis Pujols’ line drive. After a sacrifice by Niekro and an intentional walk to Terry Puhl filled the bases, Concepcion let a Craig Reynolds roller slip through his legs for a two-run error. Dennis Walling and Morgan followed with RBI singles. The Reds scored their three runs with two out in the third when Niek ro, in a fit of wildness, walked Ken Griffey, Cesar Geronimo and Con cepcion before a three-run double by Ray Knight. Keep Judge TOM DAVIS Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3 • Judges and lawyers voted overwhelmingly for Judge Davis in the recent bar poll. • Judge Davis: 66.7% Two opponents: 17.7% and 15.5%, respectively. • Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals since 1-1-78 • Commissioner, Court of Criminal Appeals, 9-15-71 to 1-1-78 • District Judge, 46th District of Texas, 1-1-59 to 9-15-71 Pol. Adv. Pd. by Judge Tom Davis. 3804 Greystone, Austin, TX 78731 The Houston victory increased their lead over the Reds in the Na tional League Western Division to IV2 games. Entering the three-game series, the Astros trailed Cincinnati by Vsj-game. Banquet set for Saturday The women athletes of Texas A&M University will be honored Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Women’s All-Sports Banquet at the Memorial Student Center. The banquet will honor athletes from all nine varsity sports, with each team coach giving a synopsis of the team’s season and honoring seniors and four-year players. The banquet will feature a buffet, and athletes may bring their parents, dates or spouses. V/SA DISCOUNT CINTiR OLD MILWAUKEE 59 6 pac 12 oz cans 1 LONE STAR LONGNECKS 549 a case plus deposit 1420 TEXAS AVE. COLLEGE STA. SALE ENDS SAT. COORS 59 3 12 pac DR. PEPPER 6 pac 32 oz. plus deposit 1 59 WINNERS OF THE MSC ARTS POETRY & FICTION CONTEST Fiction 1st Place Cheryl Cessna “Buddy” 2nd Place Pat Harris “Annie’s Find” Place Brenda Dawn Hiatt “Cederic the Sedentary Centaur” Honorable Mention Jana Lynn Sims “Old Man Mertz” Elissa Jean Sanders “The Green Dragon” Mignon Yvette Nettleton “Put Out to Pasture” Poetry 1st Place Kenneth Wayne Roberts 01 2nd Place Mitzi J. Gehrs 3rd Place John Edward Schell Honorable Mention Victoria Lynn Luquette “Diamond Reef” fl Cheryl Ann Cessna “A Dirty Gray Highway” Pat Harris “Fingerprints” “More” “Drinking Tea” “Summer Night” I x