Page 14 THE BATTALION
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1981
Flores is Third man’
By RICHARD OLIVER
Sports Editor
David Flores is a confident
player.
He is the “third man” of a
Texas A&M starting pitching
rotation which includes 1980
SWC Newcomer of the Year
Robert Slavens and Rick
Luecken.
The three pitchers combined
for 24 wins last season in the
Aggies’ Cinderella drive for
second place, but most of the
glory and attention went to
Slavens, 11-1, and Luecken, 9-
5, the freshman pair from
Houston.
Behind the shadow of those
two, Flores awaits his chance
this season to prove he can do as
good a job.
“After playing one year, I
think it’s enough to see who
your competition is,” he said.
“You can pretty much make up
your mind whether you can
pitch in this league or not. This
year, I’ve got a lot more confi
dence than last year.”
Last year was a trying experi
ence for the slender sophomore
from Corpus Christi. He began
the year playing occasionally at
first base and as a spot starter.
He was hit hard early in the sea
son, but as the schedule prog
ressed, his worth became appa
rent to Head Aggie Coach Tom
Chandler, who soon had Flores
tagged as one of his three “fresh
men wonders.”
The right-hander finished the
year 4-2 with one save, over
coming his early ragged per
formances to finish strongly,
winning a key game to start a
series against Houston in Hous
ton. He also pitched well
against the top-ranked Univer
sity of Miami Hurricanes, tak
ing a 1-0 lead into the last inning
at packed Olsen Field before
tiring and giving up four runs.
David Flores
As the season reached the fin
al crucial stages, Flores became
the most consistent Aggie
hurler.
Over the summer, he stayed
in Bryan and played for the
Bryan Bombers, a team largely
made up of several current and
past Texas A&M players.
“I started playing first base,”
said Flores, who was a star
pitcher and infielder at Carroll
High School. “But by the time
tournaments rolled around I
was pitching.”
Flores got his pitching spot
largely due to the fact former
Texas A&M star Kyle Hawth
orne arrived as the new first
baseman.
But the Bombers soon
learned the mound was where
Flores belonged. After Bryan
swept through the regional
tournament at Olsen Field,
Flores led the team to an 8-0
shutout of Lubbock in the state
tournament in Lubbock on a
two-hitter. The Bombers also
knocked off favorite Houston
Lone Star in the double elimi
nation tournament before bow
ing out.
The Lubbock team was so im
pressed with Flores’ efforts they
picked him up to play as they
advanced to the nationals.
“We went to the national
tournament in Kansas, ” he said.
“It was something; I got to go
and play against all the guys who
are unique and considered to be
the best in the nation.”
At the nationals, Lubbock
managed to defeat the top-
ranked team, Fairbanks
(Alaska).
Despite the fact Flores said
the competition the Bombers
faced didn’t give him that much
experience, he met Clint Tho
mas, the pitching coach of the
Texas Longhorns, who also
played with Bryan.
“I was sort of uneasy on the
mound,’’ said Flores. “He
helped me a lot. I was lucky to
get to know him.”
Under Thomas’ guidance,
Flores worked on a slider and
change-up, learning primarily
to control those pitches.
“My problems this summer
were mainly getting a couple of
those other pitches that I could
get over the plate ... other than
the fastball. He made me more
of a pitcher.”
After one year of experience
and a summer of maturity,
Flores said he feels he’s ready to
help the Aggies.
“We’re not going to peak ear
ly this year,” he said. “It’s going
to take awhile until everyone
plays as a team. We should be
better by the time the tourna
ment rolls around.
“We have no one or two guys
who can really bang the ball like
we did in the past, but we have
speed.”
Chandler has no plans to use
Flores’ talents as a hitter or a
first baseman, rather he has de
cided to go with him solely on
the mound.
“If he decides you’re good
enough to play something, then
that’s what you’re going to
play,” said Flores. “It’s not bad
pitching like that. Then you get
to sit on the bench for three days
and watch a little baseball.”
Houston, Arkansas clinch
semifinal tourney berths
United Press International
It wasn’t exactly a masterpiece, but the Arkansas
Razorbacks will gladly hang it in their museum.
The 16th-ranked Razorbacks went out and put
together what can only be described as a workman
like performance against the slowdown-minded
SMU Mustangs Tuesday night, picked up a 47-33
victor^ and won the undisputed championship of the
Southwest Conference.
Arkansas has won or shared the SWC title four of
the last five years and coach Eddie Sutton had reason
to be especially pleased about this one.
“I’m very proud of our team,” he said. “Every
championship is special; but this team showed a lot of
courage to come back from 2-3 in the conference. I
think very few clubs could have done that.”
In winning their 10th game in a row the Razor-
backs also wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the SWC
post-season tournament while the Houston Cougars,
breaking a three-game losing streak with a 63-55 win
over Rice, annexed the No. 2 seed.
Even though Houston and Baylor could wind up
tied for second place in the league’s final standings,
the Cougars own a tiebreak advantage over the
Bears.
So Houston and Arkansas are assured of not having
to play until the semifinals of the tournament in San
Antonio March 6.
Nothing else is quite so certain, however.
Texas A&M’s thrilling 59-57 victory over TCU and
Texas’ 65-54 whipping of Texas Tech left a wholesale
number of possibilities open for the opening round of
the tourney next Monday night.
Texas Tech is assured of a home-court advantage
for the first round, but Rice, Texas A&M, TCU and
Texas are all fighting for the remaining two home-
court edges.
In Fayetteville, SMU — determined not to have a
repeat of the 92-50 loss it suffered against Arkansas
earlier this year — opted for a patient game. And
even though the Mustangs trailed by 10 early in the
second half they held the ball for three minutes
before taking the shot.
“The stall was the only chance we had,” said SMU
coach Dave Bliss. “I apologize to the fans who don’t
like that kind of basketball, but our fans didn’t like
the game at Dallas, either.”
Texas A&M let a nine-point lead slip away in the
second half and it took a blocked shot by Rynn
Wright with seven seconds to go and a missed shot at
the buzzer by TCU’s Cuney Luke to preserve the
Aggies’ victory in Fort Worth.
I
SPRING ELECTIONS
Filing opens March 3
9am-5pm Room 216A of the MSC
Filing closes March 9 at 5:30pm
Positions open:
Student Body President
Student Government Vice-Presidents
Resident Hall Association Officers
Off Campus Aggies Officers
Graduate Student Council
Yell Leaders
Class Council Officers
All Student Senator Positions
for more information
Call 845-3051
studknt
OOVKKNMKNT
TANK MCNAMARA
by Jeff Millar & Bill Hinds
Rockets on a streak,
beat Pacers, 101-100
United Press International
HOUSTON — Allen Leavell’s 14 fourth quarter points led the
Houston Rockets to a 101-100 victory over the Indiana Pacers Wednes
day, extending Houston’s unbeaten string to four and putting them
into playoff contention.
The win put the Rockets in sixth place in the Western Conference
and if they continue to win they’ll be assured a playoff berth.
The Pacers led by as many as nine points midway in the second
period but the Rockets put on a 12-0 spurt to get back in the game. The
teams were tied 45-45 at halftime.
Indiana led 76-72 entering the fourth period, but Houston went on
another spurt, this time with 10 straight points, to capture an 84-78
lead with seven minutes left.
Leavell scored three baskets and added one assist during that spurt.
The lead changed hands four times in the final minute of play. Bobby
Joe Reid’s two free throws with five seconds remaining put the game
away. But the game wasn’t assured until a desperation jump shot by
Pacer George McGuiness fell short.
Leading scorers for the Pacers were James Edwards with 25 and
McGuiness with 19. Reid and Calvin Murphy led Houston with 18
each. Leavell had 14, all in the fourth quarter.
TENDER LOVING CARE!
FOR YOUR
THESIS OR
DISSERTATION
OF A LIFETIME.
We Care At
KLVKO'S COPIES
201 College Main • 8 4 6-8721
Open Every Day
>aec >»x yazcyammi
something
for
everyone
in the
Battalion Classified
845-2611
Auto-Reverse Cassette
Clarion PE-560 has locking fast
-forward and rewind plus convenient
automatic reverse.
^ Clarion
INSTALLED
*149
1
I
1
f
Mini-Chassis
Digital Cassette
Clarion PE-956 has separate power
amp, digital readout and signal
seek, auto-reverse and more.
^ Clarion
INSTALLED
*399
iP LET THE
PROS AT
DYER
INSTALL
YOUR CAR
STEREO!
i* ROAD STAR
Foreign Car Size
AM-FM Cassette
Roadstar RS-2747 has small chassis
and flat faceplate for most foreign
cars.
INSTALLEDG^^QR
«- Cassette
with Equalizer
Roadstar RS-2280 gives you
everything! All most wanted
cassette features plus a built-in 5-
band graphic equalizer for complete
tone control.
INSTALLED
40-watt Auto-Reverse
Pushbutton Cassette
Hi-Comp 1030 has built-in 40-watt
booster, auto-reverse, Dolby NR,
pushbutton radio tuning and up to a
5-yr. warranty.
HiCompS^l Q
INSTALLED Am I J
Car Antennas
Hi-Comp car antennas for popular
makes and models both foreign and
domestic. $ 3"up
‘Price includes normal
installation. Any additional
charges will be quoted before
any work is done. No hidden
charges at Dyert
<» ROADSTAR
AM-FM Cassette
with/TV Band
Roadstar RS-2141 has AM and FM
radio plus TV band for listening to
your favorite shows on the road.
Auto-Rev. Cassette
Model 7700 has locking fast forward
and rewind plus FM muting for quiet
listening. Auto-reverse makes it a
dream.
INSTALLED
INSTALLED
*119
*109
Cassette Deck Cleaner
Allsop 3 cleaner is perfect for both
home and car cassettes. $^£08
Clarion 300-EQB delivers 30 watts
per channel with LED power
indicators. Five-band equalizer plus
fader control and separate on/off
Clarion *149 88
Roadstar RS-551 60-watt power
booster has LED power indicators and
separate bass and treble tone controls.
Put big power in your car at a Dyer Deal
m ROADSTAR ® 8
Roadstar RS-501 60-watt booster
has slimline design so you hear big
power without having to look at it.
Get one today!
<m ROADSTAR
Concord 2 speakers are perfect for
vans, jeeps, and trucks where
cutting holes is impractical. Great
sound from efficient 3-way design.
«12988
Get famous Sony sound quality at the
lowest price ever. Model XS-211 ’s look
as good as they sound.
SONY,
*29“
Sony XS-62 two-way six-by-nine
speakers will deliver crisp highs as
well as deep bass with limited
power.
00
Ipr.
SONY
5*. dyer electronics
’ TM Dolby Labs., Inc.
3601 E. 29 th St.
846-1768
dyer
00
Focus, The Battalion
Thursday, February 26, 1981