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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 22, 1988)
Page 8/The Battalion/Monday, February 22, 1 988 Sports McDonald leads Aggies past Rice HOUSTON (AP) — Guard Darryl McDonald’s second-half shooting led Texas A&M to a 67- 55 Southwest Conference victory Saturday night over Rice. McDonald led the Aggies with 20 points and got 14 of them in the second half, including a pair of 3-pointers. Forward Keron Graves also hit a pair of key 3- point field goals in the second half for A&M, which had only a 26-22 halftime advantage. Rice freshman forward David Willie led all scorers with 22 points, including five 3-pointers. The Aggies improved to 14-12 overall and 6-6 in the SWC, while the Owls fell to 6-18 and 3-10. Forward Donald Thompson had 9 of the points by intermission. The Aggies led at the half de spite shooting only 44 percent from the field. The Owls were an even colder 28 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes, with Willie and guard Ronald Rob ertson scoring 11 and 9 points re spectively. The Owls scored 10 unanas- wered points and took an 18-8 lead with 7:19 left in the first half, only to see the Aggies go on an Darryl McDonald 18-4 run for their 4-point half time lead. In the second half, the Aggies raced to a 37-26 lead but the Owls fought back and took a short lived 48-46 lead with 5:50 to play on two consecutive three-point goals by Willie. The Aggies countered with nine points down the stretch by backup center Doug Dennis and six points by McDonald to coast to victory. Lady Ags victory over Rice strengthens shot at tourney HOUSTON — The Texas A&M women’s basketball team solidified its chances for a berth in the Southwest Conference post-season tournament with a 70-67 win over Rice Saturday in Houston. Under the current tourney for mat, the top six teams in the league will advance to Dallas, the site of the tournament. A&M, with a 12-10 overall re cord and a 6-6 SWC slate, is cur- rently holding on to fourth place. The Lady Owls had a 10-point lead with five minutes left in the game, but they couldn’t hold off an A&M rally. A&M took the lead for good with 23 seconds left when center Lisa Jordon sank two free throws to put the Lady Aggies on top 68- 67. Traci Thomas was the Lady Aggies’ leading scorer with 17, in cluding seven straight points to give A&M its first lead of the sec ond half at 66-64. Aggies clean up at Olsen Field By Anthony Wilson Sports Writer If someone had looked into a Texas A&M baseball player’s locker this weekend, he probably would have found the following: a baseball glove, batting gloves, baseballs, cleats, a bat and a broom. A broom? Actually, the Aggies didn’t bring brooms to the ballpark this weekend. But, the way they swept the seventh- ranked University of New Orleans Privateers in three games at Olsen Field, it wouldn’t have been surpris ing if they had. Fifth-ranked A&M won 11-5, 4-2 and 6-2 to up its record to 8-0. New Orleans dropped to 2-3. After the series, the players and coaches talked about how much the team’s confidence is growing as the win total increases. “Last year we went over there and they swept us,” John Byington said. “But we have a different attitude this year. Instead of saying, ‘Let’s take two out of three,’ we say, ‘Let’s sweep them.’ ” Pitcher Sean Snedeker said, “It was a big series for us. It was impor tant to us because we know we can play with anyone. We knew they had a good club. For us to feel good about our rankings we had to play well. It’s a big confidence builder.” A&M Head Coach Mark Johnson agreed that sweeping the series helped the Aggies mentally. “They’re (New Orleans) going to be a hard team to sweep for anyo ne,” Johnson said. “It instills confi dence when you can beat those folks.” A&M exploded for 1 1 runs, seven against UNO’s Olympian and All- American ace Joe Slusarski, against the Privateers Friday afternoon. Catcher Tom Carcione, designated hitter Byington and left fielder Tim McWilliam led the offensive attack. Carcione got the Aggies first hit off of Slusarski, a three-run home run in the second inning. “It’s about time I started hitting the ball,” Carcione said. “I hit a slider away and hit it good. I didn’t think it was going out of the yard. It helped the team get some momen tum going.” Carcione picked up another RBI in the fourth on a fielder’s choice. McWilliam hit a bases loaded triple in the seventh, chasing home three runs. Byington had two RBIs on his first home run in the eighth inning. “Knowing their ace was an All- American, when we came in and ripped him, it gave us lots of confi dence,” Byington said. Left-hander Nick Felix picked up his second win of the year. Felix gave up five runs in his 7% inning stint and struck out seven. Anthony DeLaCruz pitched the final 1 '/s innings for the save. Saturday’s double-header was more of a pitcher’s duel than a slug- fest. In the first game, A&M and UNO were tied 1-1 going into the sixth inning until A&M scored three runs in its half of the inning. “I've been working a lot on| straight change,” he said. “It'so tinned to improve so you’llscej use it more as an out pitch.” Pe plii [ev< co COI Kirk Thompson led off the inning with a single and moved to second on Terry Taylor’s sacrifice bunt. UNO third baseman Keith Schmitt dropped a pop fly by Scott Liv ingstone. Byington followed with a double off the base of the right field wall driving in Thompson and I iv- ingstone. Byington later scored on Jim Neumann’s fielder’s choice. Sean Snedeker improved his re cord to 2-0 by working his way out of jams in the second, third and fifth innings. “Once they get on, I try to battle with them,” Snedeker said. “1 try to bear down. I had to stay tough and not let them score.” The Privateers scored only one earned run in seven innings on Sne deker. The senior righthander went to the well several times to pull up a changeup. A&M also got strong pitchingfc formances in the second game fra Randy Pryor and Scott Ceaii Pryor pitched seven strong inn allowing two runs, one of whi unearned. I he win boosted Pnail record to 2-0. Centala, who lias emerged asll team s stopper in the bullpen,stntil out three in his two innings of rekT “1 really felt like our pitchersktnl much better this weekend thankl weekend,” Johnson said. “Thafil sign of good competitors—contim] mg to improve.” I he Aggies took advantag eral UNO n tiscues, scoring three ii| earned runs. Ol A&M’s earned runs, two of them came j the seventh inning on solo runs by Carcione and Tavlor. dingers were Uarcione’s 1 aylor’s second. A&M will travel to Huntsvilltttl toda\ to plav Sam Houston State! 2, at 2 p.m. Jeff Jones will takea 11 i <•< i o (I tn the mound for the Awl against SI ISU’sJim Crawford,nkl also 1-0. The Aggies will rettuf home on fuesday to face LamanriJ doubleheader at 1 p.m. $4 Fr WA mer pair I cou mer I pair stuc Pa ISK Pei fee anc bur feci volt A&M men netters stroke past UALR, Sooners By Cray Pixley Sports Writer The Texas A&M men’s tennis team won two dual matches against Arkansas-Little Rock and Oklahoma with the help of’strong doubles play this weekend at the Omar Smith Tennis Center. Friday afternoon the team took on Arkansas-Little Rock and split the singles matches 3-3. A&M’s No. 1 and No. 2 two seeds, Dean Johnson and Shaun O’Dono van were defeated in the singles 4- 6,6-4,6-3 and 6-4,6-4. Steve Kennedy, Michael Cham bers and Craig Whitteker won their matches for A&M. A&M then came on strong in the doubles to win two of three matches. No. 2 seed Whitteker and John son defeated Cary Rosenbaum and Rigo Rosales 6-4,6-3. No. 3 seed Wayne Green and Mi chael Chamber^ defeated Lars Malmgren and Mikael Cavelin 6-3,6- 0. No. 1 doubles seed Kennedy and O’Donovan were defeated 6-4,3-6,6- 3. “Kennedy and Chambers played extremely well in singles, and the No. 2 and No .3 doubles showed a lot of enthusiasm on the court,” A&M Coach David Kent said. “I’m proud of Wayne Green be cause of the great doubles match he played after a disappointing singles loss,” he said. Green recently replaced Jeff Liv- shitz as the No. 6 seed. The doubles wins against Arkan sas-Little Rock pumped up the A&M team. “We had lost confidence in dou bles after the Indiana dual match,” Assistant Coach Tim Drain said. “Now 1 think we have regained it. Confidence is the key.” A&M beat UALR by a score ol 5- 4. Saturday afternoon A&M took on Oklahoma and came out of the sin gles matches with 3-3 split remi niscent of the match the day before. Dean Johnson met two-time Big Light champ and Ail-American( ver Lorin in the singles. Johnson played Lorin stronp managed to take the second setli lore succumbing to defeat, 14 3.6-2. I )e.m placed an excellentMJ against Lorin, their All-Anteiidl Kent said. Drain agreed that Johnson plan Lorin well. “That was a tough matoi™ Dean," he said. ‘'Lorin basicalh| no weaknesses.” A&M's O'Donovan, Kennedtaa| Whitteker defeated their oppi in singles play. See Tennis, page 10 Do nigf eligi stuc to b wee corr II La TUDENT IRNMENT UNIVERSITY Concerned Members and of the Association of Former Students. ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT! SIGN THE FACULTY CLUB PETITION WE, THE UNDERSIGNED TAX PAYERS/VOTERS OF TEXAS ARE OPPOSED TO THE TAKING OVER OF THE TOP FLOOR AND MEZZANINE OF A STATE OWNED BUILDING (RUDDER TOWER) ON THE CAMPUS OF TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY FOR USE AS A PRIVATE CLUB FOR THE FACULTY OF THE UNIVERSITY. SUCH DISCRIMINATORY USE WOULD PROHIBIT THE FREEDOM OF THE USE OF THIS SPACE (PRIOR USE, PUBLIC DINING) BY ANY AND ALL TAX PAYERS / CITIZENS OF TEXAS UNLESS THEY BECOME A PAYING MEMBER OF THE FACULTY CLUB. FEB. 22 - 26 MONDA Y THRU FRIDA Y 9 AM-4 PM TABLE IN MSC $7 c Indivi highe study start those $7! $50 wan ferine a 5 c c Cal $50 $40 H We tensi noh CA Marcel Marceau Wednesday, February 24 8 p.m. Rudder Auditorium Tickets available at: NSC Box Office • 845-1234 Dillards Ticketron NSC Opera and Performing Arts Society Memorial Student Center • Texas AftfM University • Box J l • College Station TX 77844-908I F , u „ se GSthStre