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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 2, 1993)
Tuesday, March 2,1993 Sports The Battalion Page 5 Young pitching staff the force behind 14-0 T hose sweet smells drifting across the railroad tracks are ones of success. Texas A&M's baseball team has blossomed like a rose over at Olsen Field, sporting a 14-0 record and a No. 3 ranking. The pollen for the bloom has been pro vided by the pitching staff. Heralded as the strength of the team by head coach Mark Johnson before the season started, the pitchers have done noth ing to defray those expectations. "Before we got rolling, I thought our pitchers would be the base of this team," Johnson said. "As the season has gone on, the pitching has improved and there is a key reason for that. "No injuries." That suffering bug has not bitten the pitchers like it snapped at the in field earlier this year. For a relative ly inexperienced group that was searching for an identity, staying away from pain was paramount. So far, so good, as evidenced by a few numbers. A&M's staff leads the Southwest Conference with a 2.01 earned run average. Junior left-hander Kelly Wunsch posted a career high ten strikeouts Saturday against Pan See Plumer/Page 6 MICHAEL PLUMER Assistant Sports Editor Steve Kenney's road to recovery Injury in Anaheim, rehabilitation have tested defensive back CRAIG FOX/The Battalion Rehabilitation Specialist Danny Kniffin observes defensive back Steve Kenney as he works out his repaired left knee. Kenney tore his anterior cruciate ligament in August. By MICHAEL PLUMER The Battalion Kyle Field is quiet these days. No fans are screaming, no shrill officials' whistles are heard, and the cannon is not unleash ing titanic booms, signifying Texas A&M touchdowns. Underneath Kyle Field, there is a dif ferent story to be told. A&M defensive back Steve Kenney is making plenty of noise. He is striving to regain the oppor tunity to play again, sweating through re habilitation. Grunting and groaning to repair his left knee's torn anterior cruciate, he is at tempting to capture a chance to make some lifelong memories. When Kyle Field is full of fanatics, cheering his every move. When the can non could be unleashed because of a touchdown he scores. "I can't wait to get back out on the field and compete again," Kenney said. "I never got a chance to play for the home folks, which is something I want to do. My injury was very disappointing because last year I was a sophomore and I had a chance to start for three years for a top-ranked defense. "Then, all I had worked for was taken away with one blow." With about five minutes left in the second quarter at the Pigskin Classic on August 26, 1992, against Stanford, a 10-7 A&M win, Kenney's world came to an abrupt stop. "Everything happened in slow mo tion," the soft-spoken Kenney said. "I was running towards the play and I was coming close to the running back. (Free safety) Patrick Bates and (linebacker) Lar ry Jackson made the tackle and started rolling. "They rolled me over and my leg was weak. I thought I had broken it as I See Kenney/Page 6 Aggies ready for Southwest Texas By WILLIAM HARRISON The Battalion As Ash says in "Army of Darkness," "Hail to the King, baby." So go the Aggies... The 14-0 Aggie baseball team takes a second shot at Southwest Texas State to day in a double-header at Olsen Field af ter beating them soundly a few weeks ago in their own park, 9-2. Ranked 4th in the nation by the USA Today/Baseball Weekly poll, A&M is off to its best start since 1989, when A&M coach Mark Johnson's team went 26-0. Johnson acknowledged his team's start, but said he wanted to keep it in a daily perspective. "Southwest Texas State has a good club, (and) we'll have to continue to play well in the field and get good pitching and timely hitting," Johnson said. The Aggies have provided both lately, sweeping their three-game weekend se ries with UT-Pan American. After Friday's 4-2 win, A&M took both ends of Saturday's twin bill, manufactur ing three runs out of three hits and some UT-Pan Am miscues to win 3-1 in the first game, and broke through in the sec ond game as freshman Chad Alexander broke out of an .087 batting slump with a towering, three-run shot to left for the bulk of A&M's 4-2 victory. A&M's pitchers gave up four runs for the weekend, only two earned. A&M is 4-0 on the current home stand, their longest stretch of the season at Olsen with eight games yet to be played through the upcoming weekend against Southwest Texas, Maine and Illinois State. A&M's hitting corps is led by senior center fielder and co-captain Brian Thomas, sounding most of A&M's bat ting thunder with four home runs and a .419 batting average. Thomas also leads the team with .614 See Baseball/Page 6 BUY ONE GET ONE FREE* For one day and one day only at all Bryan/College Station locations we will be offering a buy any regular sandwich or salad and receive one of equal or lesser value free On March 2,1993 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. * Not valid for phone in or delivery orders 7 LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU Subway Post Oak Mall Food Court * 764-8602 Subway 3601 29th Street 846-4972 Subway 913-C Harvey Rd. 764-3990 Subway 2500 S. Texas 823-7827 Subway 601 University 846-2165 Subway Southwest Pkwy. 696-4418 Subway 330 George Bush Dr. 696-1654 ‘Second sandwich sub must be of equal or lesser value. Not good in combination with any other offer. Offer good 3/2/93 only. COME MEET THE WINNERS OF ARTFEST ’93 :g1 yj; RECEPTION: THURSDAY, MARCH 4 AT 7:00PM LOCATED IN THE MSC VISUAL ARTS GALLERY (UPSTAIRS NEXT TO THE ELEVATORS) FOOD, PUNCH, AND LOTS OF FUN! March 1993 Security Programs for Residence Halls MONDAY TUESDAY ••••Alcohol, the law and you win answer questions about DWI, MIP and others often asked by students. There win also be an Auto Theft film to inform students of potential problems you face each day with burglary and theft We feel these topics are important for students anticipating spring break. We look forward to tng you there. CpL LeMay, University Police Crime Department **TO ATTEND. CONTACT YOUR RA FOR MORE INFORMATION**** Sfamond 6y IMvastty TaOct Crime Tnvtmkm Unit amd Sittdatt affairs Security Committee