The Battalion
Page 7
Tuesday • April 1, 1997
reshman pitcher has Chance to perform
hance Caple will get his second start of the season against the Sam Houston Bearkats tonight
By Chris Ferrell
The Battalion
Vhen the 21st-ranked Texas A&M
■eballTeam takes on the Sam Houston
le Bearkats today at Olsen Field, they
l0 '*Blook to a freshman right-hander to
ive them a Chance.
Ifthaiice Caple (0-1) will make his sec-
start of the season for the Aggies (22-
4, '-8) as they look to avenge last sea-
'■’sloss at Sam Houston.
■I want to get Chance Caple back out
lie,” Head Coach Mark Johnson said. "I
lik he’s [the kind of] guy that the more
|ngs he pitches, the better he’s going to
fe’ll probably get some pitchers out
i C here that haven’t thrown a lot.”
ServBVs has been the pattern, Johnson will
Is,CcB a variety of pitchers for the midweek
". Bies to evaluate pitchers for the week-
■, a formula which came up big for the
last week.
^Hn the Aggies’ series with Kansas State
l past weekend, Johnson used four of
i clAeven pitchers who faced University of
■as-San Antonio batters last Wednesday.
“I was really impressed with (fresh
man Courtney) Weller and I was im
pressed with (senior John) Codrington
out of the bullpen,” Johnson said.
‘‘Those guys were huge for us. They kept
us in the ballgame and
both of them pitched
well. And (junior Robert)
Keens had probably his
best relief performance
where he had stuff go
ing. So 1 think we got
some encouragement
there and (freshman
Chris) Fulbright gave us
a good start.”
Johnson wants to get a
look at some other pitch
ers against the Bearkats,
hoping the Aggies will
stay true to recent forms.
“I think we can get (freshman Steve)
Scarborough out there,” Johnson said. “I
think we can get (junior John) Sneed out
there for a few. Playing Saturday and Sun
day gives us a little better chance than
what we had last week. I think the
“I think he's
(Caple) [the kind
of] guy that the
more innings he
pitches, the better
he’s going to be.”
Mark Johnson
Head Coach
Wednesday game would be a better
chance to get guys that pitched during
the weekend. Casey Possum is a guy that
could go Tuesday or Wednesday because
we had him in a relief role and he didn't
throw a lot of pitches.”
The Aggies won two of
three from Sam Houston
last season, winning both
games at Olsen Field and
losing on the road.
Johnson said the Aggies
will have their hands full
with the Bearkats again.
“Sam Houston brings
to the table a team that
was in the regionals last
year and has everybody
back,” Johnson said.
‘‘They obviously have rea
son to believe they can
compete. They just swept UTA (the Uni
versity of Texas at Arlington) this past
weekend, so they have some pretty good
encouragement coming into this series.
They’ve always played us tough. I see
them as a tough opponent for us.”
The Bearkats are keyed by a strong
pitching staff which has stood strong all
season. Bearkat pitchers have fired four
shutouts while posting a 3.89 ERA. Sam
Houston pitchers have compiled a strike
out-walk ratio of better than 2-1 (153
strikeouts and 78 walks).
The Aggies, winners of six of their last
eight games, will try to stay hot as they
begin a stretch which will see them play
10 of there next 11 games at home. John
son said the Aggies are back in a position
to compete for the conference crown.
“I don’t know how much turn around
we’ve had, we’ve got a few more wins,”
Johnson said. “I never thought we were
playing bad. We’ve lost so many close
ballgames. Now we’re winning some
close ballgames. We’re encouraged.
“We’ve won six of our last eight ball-
games and we’ve won four of those on
the road. That’s a big time improvement
over what we were doing. We’ve got sev
en conference games at home in a row,
and 10 of our next 11. It’s easier to get on
a run when you’re in your own house in
stead of the road.”
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Dave House, The Battalion
junior Scott Sandusky tries to slip past the catcher
to score against Baylor but was called out.
^Heaney, Benefield part of 'Angels in the Infield'
freshman Heaney fields comparisons to The Natural 'What's on second?' — Mr. Consistency
a !
I
By Matt Mitchell
The Battalion
rfyou happen to pass Olsen Field
I on a graying afternoon, and
Lcatch a glimpse of tine Aggies’ No.
I taking extra batting practice, you
jlmost might think Sean Heaney
jvas a fair-haired farm boy whose
pploits became the stuff of legend.
But despite his Redford-esque re
semblance to the wonderboy-wield
ing Roy Hobbs in The Natural, the
\ggie third baseman insists the uni-
jb/mnumber is merely coincidental.
“I don’t know if I’m a natural, but
[guess it’s a good number to have,”
tleaney said. “I didn’t notice it un-
[tilpeople started telling me it was
foy Hobbs’ number also.”
Coincidence or not, Heaney has
made a splash as a freshman, start
ing 16 games and batting .298 for
the Aggies while starting at third
base for the first time in his career.
“He’s come in and he’s really a
second baseman, and we’ve con
verted him to third just for this
year,” Head Coach and Wilford
Brimley disciple Mark Johnson
said. “1 think his future is at second
base, but he’s come in and given us
some good innings and we’re real
ly seeing a lot of improvement [in
him| as a third baseman right now.”
Heaney has his preference, of
course, but insists playing time is
the only issue.
“They stuck me over there, and
it was a lot different at first, but I'm
used to it now,” Heaney said. “I still
prefer middle infield, but as long as
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Dave House, The Battalion
reshman third baseman Sean Heaney prepares to snare a line drive
gainst the University of Texas-San Antonio.
I’m playing, third base will be fine.”
Heaney was recruited heavily,
most notably by Texas Tech Univer
sity and Tulane University. And while
his high school stats were impres
sive, in the summers, he garnered
most of the recruiter’s attention.
“I think a big part of it was that J.J.
Pearce (High School) didn’t have a real
big baseball tradition, and we had a
good team, but we didn’t have a lot of
hitters to protect me when I went to
the plate,” Heaney said, quickly apol
ogizing for sounding cocky.
“Then in the summer, we had
outstanding (Connie Mack) teams
— we won back-to-back national
championships. And you couldn’t
really pitch around anyone on those
teams. They came right at me and I
just did what I could.”
Heaney played two summers with
the Dallas Mustangs, a Connie Mack
team he helped lead to back-to-back
national titles as a second baseman.
Heaney led the team in 1995 with a
.430 batting average and, along with
Aggie freshman shortstop Steve Scar
borough, set the AABC record for
double plays. In addition, he won the
Golden Glove Award at the national
World Series and went 4-for-5 with a
home run and six RBIs in the nation
al championship game last year.
“I think he’s a guy that, in the sum
mer leagues, is where he really im
proved and got it going” Johnson said.
“He was surrounded by a lot of good
players to where they couldn’t pitch
around him. That’s where he got our
attention—in the summer leagues.”
Once Heaney signed with the
Aggies, old and current teammates
were quick to follow suit. In addition
to Scarborough, freshmen hurlers
Chance Caple and Casey Possum
completed the Mustang flavor.
Heaney’s partner in the pivot,
Scarborough, said if he were to pick
a team, Heaney would be at or near
the top of his list.
See Heaney, Page 8
By Jamie Burch
The Battalion
altimore Oriole’s shortstop/third baseman Cal Rip
ken Jr., the definition of consistency, broke Lou
’ Gehrig’s record for consecutive games played at
2,131. As an everyday player, Ripken provided stability
for the Oriole infield.
Texas A&M second baseman Brian Benefield has
done the same for the Aggies. Starting 35 of 36 games
this season, Benefield has been an instrumental part
in the Aggies stingy .960 fielding percehtage.
Benefield attributes his regimen to his coach at
Mesquite High School.
“It goes back to my high school coach,” Benefield said.
“He always taught consistency and persistence. Even
though there’s going to be tough times, just stick with
what got you there. In times of adversity, a lot of people
start trying to change things.
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Tim Moog, The Battalion
Junior second baseman Brian Benefield and senior
shortstop Rich Petru have turned 15 double plays.
“I try to stick with what I’ve got. Most of the time it
gets me through the tough times.”
Head Coach Mark Johnson said Benefield’s contri
butions at second base are invaluable.
“For a team to be good you have to be strong up the
middle,” Johnson said. “That’s the old standard in
baseball. Your catcher, pitcher, shortstop, second base-
man and center fielder have to be good defensively. He
gives us stability on defense.”
The stability is evident in games with a runner on
first and less than two outs. Benefield and his partner
in crime, senior shortstop Rich Petru, have turned an
astounding 15 double plays this season.
Petru said Benefield’s natural ability makes his job
as a shortstop easier.
“We’ve practiced and played together for two
years,” Petru said. “Knowing you have a solid second
baseman makes double plays a lot easier. You know no
matter where you throw it, he’s going to relay it over.
“It gives you confidence to go for plays that you
wouldn’t normally go for.”
Benefield has produced on the offensive side of the
ball as well. The junior is hitting .311 with one-fourth
of his hits going for extra bases.
Johnson said Benefield’s offensive production is an
added bonus.
“When you’ve got a package where a guy can also
hit over .300 and steal bases then you really have some
thing special going,” Johnson said. “That’s what Brian
does. A lot of times your middle infielders are not of
fensive weapons but in Brian’s case he is.”
Benefield brought his services to A&M after
spending a year at Galveston Junior College. Although
he was recruited by Wichita State University out of
high school, Benefield spent one season at the junior
college level hitting .390 with eight home runs.
Benefield said he chose to attend junior college af
ter a conflict with the head coach at Wichita State.
“I had a couple of quarrels with the head coach,”
Benefield said. “I made a decision that I didn’t want to
be in that environment for three years. I wanted to
come back and stay in Texas to play baseball. Galve
ston was a late deal.
“They had either lost their shortstop or were look
ing for another one. I was straightforward with them
in that I only planned to stay for one year. They were
receptive to the idea. It was a great year and a good
learning experience.”
Prior to playing JUCO baseball, Benefield had to
make a more difficult choice. As an all-state and Texas
High School All-Star shortstop his senior year, Bene
field was faced with the opportunity to play in the
Florida Marlins farm system.
See Benefield, Page 8
\rizona wins battle
[>f Wildcats, 84-79
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Now
sre’s only one No. 1 left for the Ari
na Wildcats — themselves.
Arizona, the team that was sup-
ised to be a year away, just needed
extra five minutes to win its first
)AA basketball championship.
Led by the backcourt of junior
iles Simon and freshman Mike Bib-
1 Arizona kept Kentucky from re
lating as national champion with an
4-79 overtime victory Monday night.
With three juniors, a sophomore
pd a freshman in the starting line-
P, next year was supposed to be
|e one for Arizona. Instead, the
[ildcats (25-9) made their first
lampionship appearance a
tilling one in a game featuring 20
-s and 18 lead changes.
Fourth-seeded Arizona became
e first team in tournament histo-
to knock off three No. 1 seeds —
a nsas, North Carolina and now
Kentucky, the winningest programs
in college basketball history.
Kentucky was trying to become
the second repeat champion since
UCLA’s stretch of seven straight ti
tles ended in 1973. Duke repeated
as champion in 1992.
Instead, Arizona won the first
overtime championship game since
Michigan beat Seton Hall 80-79 in
1989. Arizona reached the Final Four
with an overtime win against Provi
dence in the Southeast regional.
Simon, who missed the first 11
games of the season because of aca
demic problems, finished with 30
points. Bibby, the son of former
UCLA star Henry Bibby, who won
three college championships him
self, had 14 of his 19 points in the
second half.
Arizona became the losingest
team to win it all, since Kansas was
27-11 in 1988.
Braves, Indians meet in October, Atlanta prevails
Sportswriter
<s.
s/yi-
'V*
Jeremy Furtick
Senior journalism
major
WORLD SERIES
CHAMPION—ATLANTA
BRAVES
After last season’s offensive ex
plosion, the major league bats
should cool down a little this year.
The league is five years removed
from expansion so the pitching
staffs should be about rebuilt. Not
that single-season pitching
records are going to be falling left
and right,
but this
should be a
more re
spectable
year for the
hurlers.
This sea
son will see
some play
ers finally
reach their
peak perfor
mance level
and others will return to their for
mer greamess. Greg Maddux will
bounce back from his first non-Cy
Young award season since 1991 to
be the best pitcher in baseball.
Frank Thomas will slightly benefit
from Albert Belle in Chicago’s four-
hole and put up some inhumane
numbers and win the Triple Crown.
Gary Sheffield will step into his own
this season and lead the Marlins to
the playoffs, while Tony Gwynn will
snag yet another batting title.
It’s ironic that the biggest trade in
recent memory included the two
teams which will meet in October.
Atlanta has a statement to make this
season and they have reloaded to
win the World Series. Cleveland put
themselves into this position with
the trade, but Atianta is too tough.
Remember though, it’s easy to
sit at this computer and make
these picks - anyone can do it, but
nobody really knows what’s going
to happen.
That’s why they play the games.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
East
Atlanta Braves
Florida Marlins
New York Mets
Montreal Expos
Philadelphia Phillies
Central
Houston Astros
St. Louis Cardinals
Cincinnati Reds
Pittsburgh Pirates
POSTSEASON AWARDS
MVP - Gary Sheffield, Florida
Cy Young — Greg Maddux, Atlanta
Rookie of the Year—Trey Beamon,
Pittsburgh
Manager of the Year—Larry Dierk-
er, Houston
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Batting Average — Tony Gwynn,
San Diego
Home Runs — Barry Bonds, San
Francisco
RBI — Jeff Bagwell, Houston
ERA— Greg Maddux, Atlanta
Wins — Greg Maddux, Atlanta
Saves—Trevor Hoffman, San Diego
NL CHAMPION
Atlanta Braves
AMERICAN LEAGUE
East
Baltimore Orioles
New York Yankees
See Furtick, Page 8