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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 27, 1991)
Sports 7 Wednesday, February 27, 1991 The Battalion Sports Editor Alan Lehmann 845-2688 irdinalt Wadisor Poor officiating stifles SWC basketball t^veryone makes mistakes, and often we suffer abuse because of them. Faithful ob servers of South west Conference basketball games this year have seen their share of mistakes. Not so much by the players, but instead by the conference’s offi- ciating crews, who have dic tated the out- of several Scott Wudel Sports Writer jood judgment, one person’s come games with a lack of v It is not a matter o! opinion, either. Admittedly, everyone loves to hate referees, and the men in stripes often bear the brunt of the jawing by a frustrated home crowd. Coaches, as well, find something wrong with a certain call and voice their opinion. But the problem continues to grow beyond the surface. This year the officials are coming under more intense scrutiny because of their job performance. The latest discontent of the Southwest Conference officials was triggered by Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson, who walked off the court during an Arkansas-Texas game last year after being thoroughly disgusted with the officiating. At the end of last season. Longhorn coach Tom Penders, then finishing his second season at Texas, publicly criticized the referees after the Horns SWC tournament game against Houston. The Southwest Conference bureaucracy didn’t enjoy the coach’s comments, and suspended Penders for the Longhorns first conference game this season against Texas A&M. The referees are back again this season, and they remain consistent, or rather, inconsistent. They have been consistent when picking the worst time to make the See Wudel/Page 9 No. 13 Ags shut down Bearkats 4-2 By Anthony Andro The Battalion The Aggie baseball team pitched itself back into form Monday, beating Sam Hous ton State 4-2 at Olsen Field. The game was origionally scheduled to be played in Huntsville, but was moved to College Station because of heavy rains yes terday. Texas A&M pitchers gave up just five hits and re-established themselves after giv ing up 18 runs in Saturday’s doubleheader against Louisiana State. “They pitched pretty well,” coach Mark Johnson said. “They (SHSU) are a good ballclub.” The Aggies, 11-4, got on the board in the first inning. After centerfielder Brian Thomas reached on a fielder’s choice, leftfielder Mike Hickey singled to left. A passed ball put both runners in scoring position and designated hitter David Rollen scored Thomas on another fielder’s choice. Shortstop Jason Marshall capped off the inning with an RBI single that gave the Ag gies a 2-0 lead. Aggie starting pitcher Trey Witte tamed the Bearkats for the first three innings, giv ing up only one hit while striking out three. However, in the top of the fourth inning, the Bearkats struck for two runs to tie After retiring 11 straight batters, Witte walked Bearkat catcher Lenny Tallo with two outs in the fourth. First baseman Gene Kridler followed with an RBI double just past the reach of a diving Hickey to cut the Aggie lead to 2-1. Rudi Garcia, the Bearkat designated hit ter, then scored Kridler with a single back up the middle. In the fifth inning, the Aggies finished the game’s scoring. After catcher Ben Blake was hit by a pitch, Aggie second baseman Sittichoke Huckuntod delivered an RBI triple to right-center field. Thomas doubled home Huckuntod and spelled the end for Bearkat starter Raymundo Garza, 0-1. Huckuntod said he was looking for a fastball when he delivered the game win ning triple. “I was trying to hit the ball up the middle and just hit it to right-center field,” Huck untod said. Freshman Kelly Wunsch relieved Witte for the fifth and sixth innings and picked up the win, improving his record to 2-1. Relief pitcher Steve Hughes came in the game in the top of the seventh and closed the door on the Bearkats, pitching three hitless innings en route to his first save of the season. a '%- gill ^4 # «l| mm MN iiti t# « m t is# m f i*# Ife# n ;V/' KEVIN IVY/The Battalion Trey Witte, who played second base last season for the Aggies, started his first game on the mound Tuesday. Although he got no decision, A&M won 4-2. Special Events Center to boost local economy The proposed Texas A&M Special Events Center, shown in this architect’s conception, should boost the local economy as well as being beautiful. EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second of a two-part series on A&M’s Special Events Center. By Scott Wudel The Battalion The new special events center will en hance the landscape of Texas A&M and Bryan-College Station. Though the facility will be a large ex pense for the University, its features will ac comodate the needs of the University and the local community. The bowl-shaped arena is designed by Bill Merrill, who also designed the Erwin Center. It will be constructed by C/A Con struction of Houston. Tim Donathen, Project Manager for the special events center, said various options are still being looked at for the new project, but he estimates the cost of the facility will range from $38-42 million. Donathen also said annual maintenance costs for the center are estimated at almost one million dollars. He said the University is looking at va rious options to fund the multi-million dol lar undertaking. “One of the primary sources of funds are student-use fees,” Donathen said. “There is auxiliary enterprise money in it. “The University has developed a financ ing package that will support it. And I’m sure they have looked at alternative sources of income.” The University will own the facility, and plans to have it pay for itself. A&M administrators would like to see at least 75 events per year to support the cen ter financially, Donathen said. Though basketball games will be one of the primary purposes of the center, the Athletic Department will have to lease the facility by the hour, as will any other organi zation who wishes to use it. A&M intends to receive and award bids in July, and construction should begin in See Center/Page 9 ill! i jBatH» UMBS U^tophis year's fair! The free entertainment, great food, awesome dance floor, massage parlor, giant twister, and other fun games are GOOD BULL! A definite must see!" m •’ i. •! 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