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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 1997)
Page 5 Friday • March 21, 1997 gs look to end losing streak The Texas A&M Baseball Team heads to Oklahoma to take on the Sooners. By Jeremy Furtick The Battalion The Texas A&M Baseball Team 11 try to put it all together this ekend in a Friday-Saturday-Sun- , three-game series with the nets in Norman, Ok. The 22nd-ranked Sooners have piled a record of 15-6 while going in the Big 12. Their home record ds at 12-2, so the Aggies are look- at a tough series this weekend. Head Coach Mark Johnson said his i-ranked team needs to relax and mentally prepared for the series. “We’re on the road playing the team in the conference,” John- said. ‘‘We’ve got to relax and p pressing ourselves if we want get out of this slump.” The Aggies are 3-6 since defeating |en second-ranked Rice in Hous- i March 4 and have dropped their t four games. Johnson said his i jam’s effort is not the problem. I “The effort’s not the problem,” he said. ‘‘We need to get it together. The pitching defense and hitting has been there. It’s just not happen ing all together.” Johnson said his major con cerns are the bullpen’s lackluster performances and the absence of clutch hitting. ‘‘We’re losing games that we out- hit the other teams in,” he said. “That’s not acceptable.” The team may not be coming to gether, but some individual num bers are still impressive. Sopho more Jason Tyner has managed to keep his average above .400 at .407, while leading the team in hits (50), runs (24) and stolen bases (16). Se nior Johnny Hunter is hitting .313 and is tied for the team leads in RBIs (21) and home runs (6). Freshman pitcher Casey Possum is still throwing well. He leads the team in innings pitched (44-2/3) and strikeouts (56) while posting a 3.83 ERA. He has struggled with walks (28) and giving up home runs (7), which has led to his 1-2 record. Senior Ryan Rupe leads the team in ERA (3.82) and has a 4-1 record. But unless the team starts putting these numbers together at the right times, the most important number will not improve — their record. Johnson said he will continue to Lady Aggies send Roadrunners reeling Dave House, The Battalion A&M freshman Sean Heaney waits for the ball as Lamar senior fimmy Neale slides into third base. shake up the batting order and starting lineup to find a mix which will get the job done. But he stress es the mentality of the team is the one thing that will help the most. “When you’re in a slump you start to press,” Johnson said. “And when you press you don’t succeed very of ten. We just need to clear our heads and we’ll get out of this little slump.” By Nicki Smith The Battalion Even without Head Coach Jo Evans, nothing could stop the Texas A&M Softball Team as they defeated the University ofTexas-San Antonio in back-to-back games last night at the Lady Aggie Softball Field. In the first game, the Lady Aggies jumped out in the third inning to score two runs as freshman Jamie Smith hit a single to third base al lowing junior Tanya Klecker to score. Then, junior pitcher Trina Soles- bee hit a double to left field scoring freshman Jamie Smith. As the Lady Aggies held the Lady Roadrunners to no runs, senior Heather Hayden doubled to right center field and was able to score off of a single from Klecker. Assistant Head Coach Joy Jack- son said the Lady Aggies overcame adversity and maintained their fo cus against UTSA. “Tonight we earned ourselves two big wins, but what makes it bet ter is what the girls had to overcome to do it,” Jackson said. “In their Evan’s absence the team main tained its discipline which is a sign of a mature team. We now have a record over .500 which was what we set out to do tonight.” The score remained at 3-0 until Solesbee came out and blasted a double to right center field in the fifth inning. She was advanced to third by junior Amy Schmaltz’s single to left field and scored when senior Mya Truelove singled to center field. Senior pitcher Lori Gioco claimed the win with an overall score of 4-0 which improved the team’s overall record to 17-17 and her own record to 10-8. Sophomore Kami Tucker said that A&M’s win showed that the Lady Aggies were ready to play from the beginning. “Even when we came together before the first game we knew we were ready to win,” Tucker said. “Jamie hit very well, our defense was really sound and we all wanted to win for Coach E. We never opened up the door for UTSA to score." A&M scored its first run in the second game when senior Gina Perez reached first base off of a fielding error in the first inning and was advanced to third by other hits. See Softball, Page 8 Braves ready to shrug off Buffalo Bills comparisons ATLANTA BRAVES The view from the bottom of the NL East will most likely look the same as it has for the past six years — the Braves on top. Atlanta will return all eight opening- tlay starters from last season and a pitch ing staff that has a familiar look to it. The only conceivable problem for manager Bobby Cox is how to get all of his young, talented players into the lineup. Jermaine Dye spent most of last year fill ing the right field gap left vacant by David Justice’s season-ending injury. Dye could start in almost any team’s outfield, but he will begin the season on the bench next to base ball’s most promising prospect, Andruw tones. Jones, if you remember, hit two home runs in Atlanta’s Game 1 victory over New York in last year’s World Series. He’s only 19. No doubt the Braves will solve their out field problems and field a lineup capable of doing a lot of damage. But the heart of Atlanta is its pitching staff, and the Braves have the major leagues’ best again. The starting rotation will remain intact, as Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Denny Neagle return from last season’s post season embarrassment. Steve Avery is gone, but the Braves have a few young arms to try out in the spring, one of whom will be given the opportunity to start this season under the tute lage of the owners of the last six National League Cy Young awards. Look for the Braves to have one of their better seasons in re cent years. They have the motiva tion to show the world they aren’t baseball’s version of the Buffalo Bills, and with the juiced-up Flori da Marlins in the East, the Braves finally have a division threat Projected Record: 101-61 Key Series: June 30, July 1-2 @ New York Yankees: The rematch. The Braves are tired of being the best team in the major leagues and then get ting kicked around in October. Atlanta has this series circled on their calendars. FLORIDA MARLINS There is no such thing as an expansion team in baseball anymore. In just their fifth season, the Florida Marlins are the only team in the league never to have reached the postseason. The “expansion” Colorado Rockies did it in three, and now the Marlins are poised to make a run at the playoffs. Florida went on a shopping spree this winter, spending over $80 million in the free agent market. Baseball’s fifth-ranked pitch ing staff from last season has been improved with the additions of ace starter Alex Fer nandez and solid lefty reliever Dennis Cook. Add starters Kevin Brown and his 1.89 ERA, A1 Leiter and Pat Rapp plus relievers Jay Powell and Dustin Hermanson setting up closer Rob Nenn and you have the second- best staff in the league, at least on paper. Florida’s dismal offense probably cost Brown the NL Cy Young last season, so the Marlins decided to spend a little on some punch at the plate. Outfielder Moises Alou left Montreal to join Gary Sheffield and De von White in one of baseball’s best out fields, while Bobby Bonilla exited Balti more to take third base. Jeff Conine will move into first base from the outfield. Re serves Jim Eisenreich and John Cangelosi were added to bolster the bench. Sportswriter Jeremy Furtick Senior journalism major On top of Florida’s lineup re-cre ation and pitching improvements, they added the one piece of the puzzle that could make everything work—manager Jim Leyland. Leyland will once again be leading his team to battle the Braves for a World Series berth. Projected Record: 90-72 Key Series: Aug. 8 -11 @ Atlanta Braves: Florida’s high-priced, high- powered pitching staff gets its last head-to-head opportunity to steal the title of the National League’s best staff from this decade’s reigning champi on. Plus, they need to win these games to be lieve they can compete in the postseason. NEWYORKMETS The Mets aren’t surrounded by the same lavish expectations they were this time last season, but their roster is basically the same. The young pitching staff was the cause of most of last season’s optimism, but those hopes quickly faded as r their three young prospects, Jason Isring- hausen, Bill Pulsipher and Paul Wilson, all went on to have surgery during or after the season. This year, Pulsipher is doubtful for the start of the season, but the other two youngsters should be ready to have good years. The re maining starters should be a combination of Mark Clark, Pete Harnisch, Bob by Jones and Armando Reynoso. The bullpen should be solid with John Franco closing out games for relievers Derek Wal lace and Greg McMichael. New York’s only big off season move was the signing of first baseman John Olerud. Carlos Baerga and Rey Ordonez will fill the middle of the infield, while Edgardo Alfon- zo will play third. Lance Johnson is coming off a season were he collected 227 hits, the They (the Braves) have the motiva tion to show the world they aren’t baseball’s version of the Buffalo Bills... most since Pete Rose’s 230 in 1973. He will be the catalyst to Bernard Gilkey and Alex Achoa, who will flank him in the outfield. If Todd Hundley has another big year from behind the plate, Olerud could regain his AL batting champion form, and if Baer ga can lose 20 pounds and have his tradi tional big year, the Mets might make a run at the NL Wild Card. Projected Record: 80-82 Key Series: Sept. 17-18 @ Atlanta Braves; Sept. 19-22 @ Florida Marlins: New York’s promising young pitching staff gets a late-sea son tour of the league’s best arms. They should use this trip as motivation for the offseason. MONTREAL EXPOS Once again the Montreal Expos cleaned house in the offseason. After losing Larry Walk er, Ken Hill, John Wetteland, Andres Galarra ga, Delino DeShields and Marquis Grissom in the past fewyears, they waived goodbye to Mel Rojas, Moises Alou and Jeff Fassero this winter. Once again, the Expos will reload with players from the league’s best farm system, but it will only be hard er this year to cope with the loss of more superstars. Montreal’s outfield, as usu al, has a chance to be one of the league’s finest. Cliff Floyd, 24, and RondellWhite, 25, are troth waiting to rebound after injury- riddled starts to their careers. They are potential all-stars, and Henry Rodriguez already is. Future starter Vladimir Guer rero, 21, is waiting in the wings to fill a spot should anyone go down in the outfield. Mark Grudzielanek and Mike Lansing will remain the keystone combination at short stop and second base, respectively. They each scored 99 runs last year and provided great de fense. They will be cornered by David Segui at first and Shane Andrews at third, while a pla toon of players will be behind the plate. Pedro Martinez is still around to be Mon treal’s ace. He will be joined by Rheal Cormi er and a combination of youngsters who will be sorted out by the end of spring training. Ugueth Urtain Urbina will be handed the closer’s role, but as baseball has shown us over the years, young fireballers don’t always make the best firemen. The staff could be re spectable if Carlos Perez returns to have an other 1995-like year. Felipe Alou deserves better them what the Montreal front office has handed him. He had the class to stick with his franchise in the wake of Jim Leyland’s tearful bailing in Pittsburgh, and his son departing for the Marlins. But even Felipe won’t be able to salvage this season. Projected Record: 78-84 Key Series:June 20-22 vs. Florida Marlins: It will be a family reunion for Montreal man ager Felipe Alou and his son, Florida out fielder and former Expo Moises Alou. Daddy will be proud, but he should also be fed up with Montreal’s management, who has con sistently taken Alou’s best players from him. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES There aren’t a lot of good things to say about the Philadelphia Phillies. It will be a long season in Veterans Stadium if the vet erans they have don’t stay healthy and their young prospects don’t live up to their billing. Lenny Dykstra and Darren Daulton won’t be around for the whole season to help. Dyk- stra’s back and Daulton’s knees are probably going to end up career-enders. Gregg Jefferies will join Dykstra in the outfield and be count ed on to provide much of the offense. Mick ey Morandini and Kevin Stocker remain the double-play combination held over from the '93 World Series, but Philadelphia spent the winter trying to unload them. Youngsters expected to get a tough year under their belts include outfielder Wen dell Magee Jr., third baseman Scott Rolen and catcher Mike Lieberthal. They were all outstanding minor league players and can’t-miss talent for the majors, but the question will be if they can survive the hor rible summer ahead. See Furtick, Page 7 p n R F 6 r i arc u d o u n : 0 0 d h d a P y I r n m Persons with disabilities please call AM-S-ISIS to inform us of your special needs Health Professions Symposium Free! Meet over 50 Representatives from Medical, Dental, and Nursing Schools, Vet Medicine, and Allied Health, Military Scholarship, and Public Health Ad ministration Programs MSC Flagroom March 25 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Texas A&M University Executive Council of Health Organizations
