1
The Battalion
SPORTS
Monday, February 12, 1990 Sports Editor
Alan
Lehmann
Spons Writer
Fans and fun:
new season goin’
well for baseball
▼ hat goes “Step, step,
step, scratch, squat, unh, uho, dos,
tres?”
The fans at the Shack By The Track
did when Jose Rubiera came to bat last
weekend. Rubiera, the University of
Texas-Arlington centerfielder, who
played his high school baseball in the
Bronx, was adopted by the fans at the
Shack this weekend.
When he came to bat Saturday, the
fans mimicked his every move. They
chanted “step” when he walked to the
plate, “scratch” and “squat” as he did
each before stepping into the batter’s
box.
The crowd yelled “unh” when Rubiera
hit the plate with his bat and counted
each of his practice swings in Spanish.
Although the crowd probably started
the chants to disrupt Rubiera, he said
that he wasn’t affected.
“They didn’t disrupt me at all,”
Rubiera said. “In fact, I enjoyed it.
They’re a really nice crowd and I think
they respected me.”
Rubiera won over the crowd with his
style during Saturday’s second game.
From then on, the crowd didn’t seem to
cheer against him as much as they did for
him. In fact, when Rubiera singled in the
eighth inning of the last game, half of the
crowd gave him a short standing
ovation.
The attentiveness of the crowd
impressed him, he said.
“I’ve never seen such a crowd so
much into a game,” Rubiera said. “It’s
much different than New York.
“It really shows a lot about the team
here, and how much they appreciate the
team.”
Rubiera said that he’d played in front
of larger crowds, but none more
impressive that the fans at the Shack.
“I’ve played in Farmington, New
Mexico in front of a large crowd,” he
said. “But this was more exciting.
Because these people were on me and
the team (the whole game).
“The way they did it was so nice,
because they wanted to see me do good.
Usually, (crowds) want to see you do
bad, but it was the opposite. It was
nice.”
Fans enjoy Aggies, too
Chad Broussard was a hero in his first
game as an Aggie.
Broussard, a junior transfer from San
Jacinto Junior College, got the game
winning hit in the 10th inning of Friday’s
opener.
He said that his San Jacinto teams
seldom played in front of crowds larger
than 150 fans.
“It was incredible,” Broussard said.
“There were so many people out there
cheering for us to win, and ragging the
other team.”
Panola Junior College transfer David
Rollen, who hit a home run in the third
game, also enjoyed his debut before the
fans at Olsen Field.
“It felt great,” Rollen said. “The fans
were really behind us.”
A&M Head Coach Mark Johnson said
that the fans are important.
“I hope the fans stay with us all
season, because they’ll make a
difference in the outcome of some
ballgames,” Johnson said. “No question,
when the fans are here, and they’re
hooked up like they were this weekend
it’ll make some difference.
“We appreciate them coming out, and
on the whole I think they’re really good
fans. They know the game and they
enjoy coming out.”
The Shack: D.D.’s place
No doubt about it, A&M baseball is
fun for Aggie fans. One reason is public
adress announcer D.D. Grubbs.
Grubbs keeps fans involved by
playing a “theme song” for each Aggie
hitter. He also livens up the game by
providing a musical theme for foul balls
and announcing “lucky numbers”.
Saturday, Grubbs announced a lucky
number to win a Valentine’s cake from
the A&M Food Services Bakery. The
crowd hissed loudly, and Grubbs shot
back, “Have you even tasted it yet? Then
shut up!”
For fans and players alike, baseball is
back at the Shack By the Track.
'• «. . jl
Photo by JnyJamter
First baseman Jeff Bernet Is thrown out In an unsuccessful steal attempt Saturday. The Aggies won, 6-0.
By ALAN LEHMANN
Of The Battalion Stall
New team. Same results. f.. ^ -
; The Texas A&M baseball 'team
opened the 1990 season just like they did
last year: with a three game sweep at Ol
sen Field. ' I
This season’s first victims were the
University of Texas-Arlington Maver
icks. The Aggies beat them 3*2 in 10 in
nings Friday, m Front of 3,948 fans.
A&M completed the sweep by taking
both games Saturday, 5-5 and 6-0, in
from ol 3,471.
The Aggies didn’t blow the Mavericks
away, managing only five hits in the first
game and three in the second. But A&M
ran the bases well, and took advantage of
nine UTA errors to squeeze out the first
two wins. ' ^ '
The Aggies’ defense also was shaky,
committing six errors in the first two
games. ' ' ' v '
But the third game was all A&M.
Finally, the Aggie bats came alive and
A&M grabbed an early 5-0 lead en route
to a nme-hit attack. The best pitching
also was saved for last, as junior transfer
Rich Robertson struck out 12 Mavericks ;
and* allowed only one hit in seven in
nings of work.
Coach Mark Johnson said he was
pleased with the overall performance of
his team, but saw some weak spots.
“For the first weekend, I’m not dissa-
pointed,” Johnson said. “We didn’t play
real well today, bur I thought Coach
Lawler had the pitchers throwing really
well, - ; •/ -V ' |
‘T didn’t think we hit the ball real well.
But, we did do some situational hitting.”
Key hitting saved the Aggies Friday..
However, they didn’t even need a hit to
score the first run of the season.
In the second inning, Aggie third
baseman Travis Williams drew a walk.
He was balked to second by UTA starter
Jeff Burrow, and scored on Jason Mar
shall's grounder one out later.
With one out in the third inning, Dan
Robinson hit Burrow’s first pitch over
the left field fence for the Aggies' first
home run of the season. '
The score stayed 2-0 until the top of
the seventh. With one out A&M starting
pitcher Ronnie Allen gave up a double
to UTA rightfiefder Joe Cuuity. Allen
then hobbled a ground ball, and walked
a batter to load the bases.
Junior pitcher Bo Siberx, a transfer
from Westavk Community ^College,
came on in relief and gave up a two-run
single to catcher Shayrte ^ujirtio;;'
The score stayed knotted until the
bottom of the 10th inning.
With one out, pinch hitter Jeff Bernet
drew a walk. Cornelius Patterson came
on to pinch run, and stole second base. A -
wild pitch by UTA reliever Kyle Smith
Mark Johnson
and intentional walks to Robinson mid
Blake Pyle loaded the bases.
.? Junior left fielder Chad Broussard, a
San Jacinto Junior College transfer,
worked the count full before lining the
8 ae-winning single past third baseman
HysGottld;''
“It was a fastball right down the mid
dle,*’ Broussard said. ‘T was just trying to
keep the ball out of the air and trying to
get k through the infield somewhere for
Cornelius to score." . '
Broussard said that his first game in
front of the Olsen Field crowd was fun.
! *Tt was incredible,” he said. “There
were so many people out there cheering
for its to wm; and dragging the other
team.” ; fc ' , /
Siberz picked hpjjhe win with 3.2 in*
nings of scoreless relief. Allen was dissa-
■ ted at not getting the win, but
ted only himself,
“It was my own fault,” Allen said. “I
missed the ground ball. If I’d have got
ten that guy, l think 1 would have been
our of the inning.
.1 *T expected to patch a little longer, but
I think l ran opt ofjuice a little there at
the end from being hyped up all day."
Thanks to the work of more JUCO
transfers, Saturday’s games weren’t as
close.
In the opener, the Aggies again
jumped out to an early lead. In the bot
tom of the first, leadoff hitter Dan Rob
inson walked, and advanced to third on
a walk and a wild pitch. David Rollen, a
Panola Junior College transfer, scored
Robinson on a deep sacrifice fly.
The Aggies grabbed a 3-0 lead in the
third when Robinson again walked.
Witte doubled him to third, and they
both scored on Roilen’s double down the
left field line.
UTA scored one run off A&M starter
Pat Sweet in the fourth inning on an er
ror and an infield hit. Sweet cruised un
til the seventh inning, giving up only
four hits until first baseman Charlie Lle
wellyn’s two-run home run.
Then, with- the Aggies leading 5-3,
Coach Johnson pulled Sweet in favor of
junior Jason Bullard, another San Ja
cinto transfer. Bullard retired the last
two hitters to earn his first save of the
season.
Saturday’s second game belonged to
the transfers, too.
Robertson not only kept the Maver
icks off the bases, but was overpowering,
recording 12 strikeouts and allowing
only one hit in seven innings. Rollen
gave Robertson all the support he
needed with a solo home run leading off
the bottom of the second inning.
"It was a fastball outside,” Rollen said.
“I thought it wasjust a Unedrive, I didn’t
know k was out until 1 got to first base.”
The Aggies didn’t let up there, they
scored four more runs in the fourth in
ning.
Johnson took advantage of the blow
out to work in some substitutes. He also
got a look at returning pitcher Steve
Hughes, who worked the last two in
nings of the doubleheader. Hughes got
into trouble in the ninth, but got of a no-
outs, bases- loaded jam.
“I was having trouble from the wind
up,” Robertson said, “My patches were a
little up. Once I got the lead, I tried to
spot my pitches a little bit.”
Johnson said he liked what he saw
from his pitching staff.
“Rich Robertson was really impressive
today for me,” he said. ”1 thought all of
our pitchers did a good job for a three-
game series. I’m glad they did, because
we’re not hooked up real well offensively
yet,
“We’ve got to make some adjustments,
but that’s typical of a new bajlclub. I’m'
not disappointed that we’re not hooked
up offensively . We’ve just got a ways to
go. I think there were some nervous
people, some jitters and unanswered
questions. But now we’ve got something
to build on."
Lady Ags keep hot streak alive
A&M now 3-0 in second half of SWC play
STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
DALLAS — The Lady Aggies’ basketball
team continued their winning streak
through the weekend as they defeated
Southern Methodist, 90-71, in Dallas on
Saturday.
A&M hasn’t lost a game since the start of
the second half Southwest Conference
schedule, which began Feb. 3.
The Lady Aggies downed the Baylor
Bears, 94-55. Then A&M fought off Texas
Christian in a grudge match, 84-70.
And with Saturday’s victory over the
Mustanqgs, the Lady Aggies increased their
streak to 3-0.
A&M controlled the ball most of the first
half by jumping out to a four-point lead in
the opening 55 seconds.
However, both teams battled hard as
they exchanged leads six times in the first
20 minutes.
SMU finally pushed through, taking a
five-point advantage at the 9:37 mark.
The Aggies kept their poise by playing
heads-up ball, and regained the lead.
They extended their lead to nine points
and led at the half, 41-32.
At the start of the second half the Lady
Aggies exploded, never giving the Mus
tangs a chance to get back in the game.
A&M had the lead for the entire second
half of play, extending their overall lead to
23 points with 2:16 left in the game.
Lady Aggies sophomore guard LaTanya
Irving and junior center, Louise Madison
scored 14 and 12 points respectively in the
second half to help give A&M their 90-71
win.
The Aggies had three players in double
figures for the night.
Irving scored 22 points to lead all
scorers, with Madison close behind, posting
20 points.
Sophomore guard Sheri Dillard had 14
to round out the top scorers.
With the win, A&M increased their lead
to 7-4 in the SWC, and 15-7 over all.
1C
Richard Tijerina
845-26I
E
LLP \
Official’s call
gives A&M late
win over SMU
WAN
DIFF
ENT
By CLAY RASMUSSEN
Of The Battalion Staff
Guest
Kings
lookir
DA LI. AS — For Texas A&M men’s k er 9 e ti c
ketball coach John Thornton, Holmes
where the heart was Saturday.
Southwest Conference referee Son
Holmes sent Thornton a valentine fc
days early, as he reversed a controveri
call at the end of the game to give A&Jl
58-57 victory over Southern Methodist.
With 35 seconds left in the gameandtr
iling the Mustangs 57-55, the Aggieshu
final chance to set up a shot and trytosti
the game into overtime. Senior guard To:
Milton, who was 2-of-17 from the fid
took the inbounds pass, drove inlothelt
and missed the layup.
“The lane was wide open,” Milton said
just missed the layup. That’s the wayittf
all night.”
SMU senior forward John Colburn
who led the Mustangs with 25 points,ca
down with the rebound but fell over A
forward David Harris.
Holmes called Colbourne for travel
and the Aggies got a second chance
“There’s no question about that on
SMU Coach John Schumate said. “We
it on the film after the game. Hewasli
ally body slammed to the floor.
“But that’sjust the breaks.”
With only four seconds left in thegai
Thornton called a timeout and set up
play.
“We were in a dilemma because we h
they had fouls to give,” Thornton said.
to fill \
Most
May a
tembe
of yea
knew we were not going to get good si: A y s
Browr
Dalla
because they could foul us. We had a
hie pick down with (junior guard Ly
Suber coming high.
“He caught the ball and thoughthisit “'OUSi
option was to drive in and try to draw
foul or get the layup.”
Suber took the inhounds pass from!
ton, drove up the middle and missed
easy layup, all hut signalling the end of
game.
However, Harris and freshman gut
Brooks Thompson tipped the ball to
right corner baseline where Suber
ended up after his failed attempt.
Suber picked up the ball and lobbd
See Ags/Page 11
East All-Stars
outshine West
in 130-113 win
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MIAMI (AP) — It was truly an AM
show for the Eastern Conference on Siii 10PES,
dav. 1 CUBA .
N' ¥7 t l J ,L I VSI.WA
No one on the East had more than,
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points, but nine players had at leasteigli®ADLI'
a 130-113 victory over the West, whichf IECK,
strong perf ormances from Magic Johns V0MEN
and Tom Chambers but shot only43.8ps ^
cent from the field.
It was the lowest total for a losing lean
an All-Star game since the West lost B WIN A
109 in 1976. ORB
Michael Jordan and Charles Barkleyki RAISE
17 each for the East. Isiah Thomas bad
points and nine assists, Robert Parish
points and Patrick Ewing 12 points and
rebounds.
Johnson was the Most Valuable Plat
with 22 points, one more than his high
total in eight previous All-Star appearans
He also hit four 3-pointers, matchingin® i )L
game the career All-Star record! rat ®’
Thomas. Johnson, who had five 3-poinU 1 T
tempts Sunday, now has five career AM
3-pointers.
Chambers added 21 points for theWs yy e are
The East led by as many as 20 poinii: ,
the first half and by 13 at halftime, and
breakaway dunk by Jordan with 7:12lefi: ,
the third quarter gave the East an 8M ef lS 1
margin. ^PP ro ^
A dunk by Ewing, a jumper by Thoc 3ume <
and a 3-pointer by Joe Dumars gavetl lard W<
East, which shot 63.6 percent fromthef* Work ot
in the third quarter, its largest lead,' 11
with 4:05 left.
The West got as close as nine pointsW
in the f ourth quarter as Fat Lever scored
of his 16 points in the period.
A basket by Rolando Blackman madti
118-109 with 2:20 left, but consecutive
kets by Barkley, Jordan and Thomasseai
the outcome.
Parish scored 10 points in a spanofk fNeed
than five minutes late in the first quar
and early in the second, leading a 29-12r
that expanded a 22-19 East lead to 51
with 9:16 left in the half.
West coach Pat Riley then inserted a W
center lineup of Akeem Olajuwon and"
vid Robinson, and that seemed to settle
team as it rallied to close the gap to 554
The East scored eight of the next
points, four by Barkley, to rebuild the®*]
gin to 17, but two 3-pointers by John!'
helped the West make it 65-52 at halftime]
The East missed four of its fintflL ,
shots, three of them layups, and fell betel ^ 1
7-2 before scoring 10 consecutive point: *
pull ahead to stay. Jordan had a 3*
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Barkley a three-point play and Ewingte
straight points for a 12-7 East lead.
Later in the first period, the East pul*
gether streaks of six, seven and six po®
ballooning the margin to 15 before Do®!
ique Wilkins arched in a 30-footer will
tenth of a second left, making it 40-23 at’
end of the quarter.
CRUl:
for spri
The West made only nine of 24 fieldftion ^n^anw
attempts in the period and made its: ” le
tion worse with 4-for-10 shooting from
line. Johnson was 4-for-5 and Chamberi* _
for-2, and the rest of the West was3-for