Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 1994)
/ >53 a, o<-Sce r c;a)Ca < ^ §^£^(2 | 3 Si C ^ S £ ^ t ~ jSJilA,* 1, <! -C "o S 5 JK?®-. wmmmmm Veteran infielders strengthen team By Drew Diener The Battalion T exas A&M returns an infield this season that in cludes veteran players at key positions as well as a host of young hopefuls. "We're much better than we were last year/' head coach Mark Johnson said. "Last season we were on just a real thin string." Johnson said that junior shortstop Robert Harris will be the leader of the infield this season. Harris started 60 games last season, hitting .325 with 12 home runs and 55 runs batted in on the way to earn ing All-SWC honors. Johnson said A&M's increased depth has solidified the rest of the infield while creating several platoon situations, most notably at second base and catcher. True freshman Rich Petru and junior college trans fer Tom Collard are currently battling for the majority of time at second while senior Brian Johnson, junior college transfer Billy Carroll, and freshman Tom Buch- man are competing for the job behind the plate. "We're very pleased that Buchman is on our team," Johnson said. "I think he's got the chance to be the guy." At first base, junior John Curl returns to the lineup after hitting .297 with seven home runs and 30 RBI last season. Curl said he hopes to help lead the Aggies to another SWC championship this season while im proving his own game as well. "I hit the weight room pretty good this fall," Curl said. "I worked on my stroke, trying to stay with one swing and I feel pretty good right now." Sharing playing time with Curl at first will be ju nior Brian Bittiker and redshirt freshman Jason Stevenson. Bittiker was used primarily as a pinch hit ter last season, batting .250 while collecting seven RBI in just 60 at-bats. Johnson said that Stevenson, who is moving to first from third base, is capable of putting up big numbers on offense. On the other side of the diamond, junior Lee Fe dora is back at third base after hitting .342 with eight homers and 48 RBI a year ago. He will be challenged by sophomore Paul Barber, who missed last season after injuring his ankle in a car accident. If Barber returns to form, Fedora could see sometime in leftfield. "Paul or I will be there (third base) each game so I don't think we'll lose a step either way," Fedora said. "He's a good player, it's fortunate that he's able to come back after that accident." With a full slate of veterans returning and the addi tion of highly-touted newcomers, the Aggie infield hopes to lead the team back to the College World Se ries this year. Lee Fedora Jr. - 1L 6-0 /188 Pos: 3rd base College Station (A&M Consolidated) • Bats Left • Throws Left Billy Harlan Sr. - 3L 5-10/180 Pos: LF Corsicana (High) • Bats Right • Throws Right Robert Harris Jr. - 2L 5-8/175 Pos: SS Houston . (Westbury) • Bats Right • Throws Right C. Alexander So. - 1L 6-1/196 Pos: CF Lufkin (High) • Bats Right • Throws Right Trey Moore Jr. - 2L 6-1/198 Pos: Pitcher Keller (High) • Bats Left • Throws Left VJe’re much better than we were last year. Last sea