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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 11, 1986)
PRESENT THIS COUPON AT Cljeteea Street ^ufa in CORPUS CHRISTI FOR ONE ORDER OF NACHOS With $ 1 0 Purchase FOOD, FUN & GREAT LIVE ENTERTAINMENT EVERY NIGHTI XAMU mmmmmmmmmm wwww~w OPEN Feb. 20,1986 J BRAZOS VALLEY GOLF DRIVING RANGE \ Mon.-Fri. 12-9 p.m. Sat. 10a.m.-9 p.m. Sun. 1 a.m.-8 p.m. 696-1220 East Bypass and Hwy. 30 Service Road Going South V* mile. • • • • Page 12/The BattalionATuesday, March 11, A&M finds 'strokes of genius' in Sconlin By TOM TAGLIABUE Sports Writer Mike Scanlin, who has become Texas A&M’s most prolific home run hitter, wasn’t always a long ball threat. “In high school, I hit one home run throughout my whole career,” said Scanlin, who slammed his 31st and 32nd career home runs against Louisiana Tech „ Friday to break BQSGbOll the record of 'frirk-k’k-k-k’irirkirk-k lekii-k k A ************** *»»**f1 GREAT PIZZA at GREAT PRICES fgzerfe FREE DELIVERY 846-0379 * *■ Hours: Sun-Thurs 1 1 a.m.-2 a.m. Sat & Sun 1 1 a.m.-3 a.m. 405 W. University * at Northgate j FREE EXTRA TOPPING With this coupon. One coupon per person. Battalion Classified 845-2611 30 set by Kyle Hawthorne (1977- 1979). “It was like, my freshman year up here, the ball just started jumping out of the park in batting practice. It was just a stroke that happened to come to me.” The 16-7 Aggies will need Scan- lin’s “strokes of genius” when they host NCAA powerhouse Mississippi State in a two-game series at Olsen Field Tuesday and Wednesday. The Bulldogs (6-5) finished third in the College World Series last sea son, but were wiped out when 12 players were lost to the major leagues. Scanlin could have joined several of those MSU players in the majors last summer, after being drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 24th round. But Scanlin said the money wasn’t worth giving up his senior year at A&M. “I’m glad I made that decision (to remain at A&M) because I’m that much further along in school and I’m very happy here on this team,” he said. After passing up the opportunity to turn pro, he sought the help of A&M Coach Mark Johnson, who signed him up to play in the Alaskan Summer League. Scanlin went on to be named the league’s Most Valu able Player. This fall, Scanlin’s Aggie team mates named him captain, some thing he said doesn’t bring on as much pressure as he thought it would. “It’s really opened my eyes,” he said. “There’s a great deal more re sponsibility on the team (as captain). I have the responsibility, if guys are really getting out of line, to say something and try to keep order along with Barry Smith and Fred Gegen (the other senior captains). “On the field. I’m more of an in tense player. I’m not as much a cap tain/leader type. If I’m a leader, it’s by my actions out on the field. “I’ve been improving since Day 1 that I’ve been up here at A&M and I still feel that this is going to be my best year. I’m not finished yet. I’ve Photo by ANTHONYS. CASFU A&M’s Mike Scanlin (8) gets a handshake from Scott Livingstone (3) after Scanlin hit his 30th ca reer home run to tie an A&M record. A&M, now 16-7 overall, hosts Mississippi State tonight at 7. DALL inally si n a ni| points. “We si ou have s Goad cricks Cc with less feat the - night. It was over the Maverid Bird never made (the All-Southwest Con ference team) and that’s just a goal I’d love to accomplish.” But the Aggies starting center fielder of the past two years knows every baseball player has highs and lows. Scanlin said his first low came during his sophomore year and has haunted him for two years. He was mired in a 0-for-22 hitting slump, which started on a road trip to Loui siana and continued through the fol lowing home stand. It was ironic that almost exactly two years later Scanlin broke A&M’s career home run mark and went 7- for-18 on a similar Louisiana road trip over the weekend. Scanlin said he has two goals for himself — a career in professional baseball and a college diploma. He said he is a physical education major by necessity, but an accounting ma jor by heart. He lacks just 30 hours for a degree in P.E. If he is drafted in June by the ma jors, Scanlin said he will return each fall to finish his education at A&M Scanlin said the Aggies hope; educate the always-tough Mis State Bulldogs tonight at 7 in 1 Field. Johnson will be trying to defa his former team and Coach “ Polk, who was named Nalio Coach of the Year in 1985 by- ball America magazine. Johnson was an assistant under Polk for six years before jo ing A&M four years ago as an; tant. : wasn’t er “No hi have hai enough, MSC MANIA Week Wednesday, March 12 Activities MSC Town Hall Broadway Brigadon publicity games • MSC Mania T-Shirt Day • MSC Mania Package Sale (1 st Floor MSC) • "Bring A Buddy to the Student Program Office/' 216 MSC • MSC Council Assistant Program Orientation, 8:30 p.m. 701 Rudder (open to all Freshmen) (All activities to be held in the MSC/Rudder Complex)