Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 22, 1997)
The Battalion n th _C' ! 11. 5 Page 5 Tuesday • April 22, 1997 Cunning for the Big 12 Championships Aggies look to get back on winning track against non-conference Bearkats tonight By Jamie Burch The Battalion Fourty-nine down, seven to go. rheTexasA&MBaseballTeam (32-17, 14-10) will try to win its final non-con ference game of the season against Sam Houston State University (20-22, 13-10) tonight at 7 at Olsen Field. A&M closes out the season with apair of Big 12 series against Kansas University and Texas Tech Universi ty. Unlike their nine Big 12 oppo nents, the Aggies will not play a mid-week three-game conference series. But the rest of the field will play nine games over a 10-day span. Head Coach Mark Johnson said the lone mid-week game will help the Ag gies recuperate from a tough weekend. “1 think it’s a big advantage,” John son said. “That was just luck of the draw. I think playing that many games in a short span of time really stresses out your team. We’re fortunate we don’t have to play that many games. “It meant we didn’t have a week end off so we’ve already paid our dues in that respect. But [playing nine games in ten days] is much more of a problem for teams than not getting a weekend off.” The Aggies will try to end their first losing streak since a four-game skid March 15-19. Over the weekend, A&M lost a pair of games to the Uni versity of Texas at Disch-Falk Field. “Any time you’ve lost a couple of games you want to get it going,” Johnson said. “The only way to do it is tee it up. We lost two in a row, but that’s not unheard of in college baseball. It happens to everybody. The only way to change it is to play. “We’re anxious to get back out on the field.” Although Sam Houston is in the midst of a losing season, the Bearkats have posted several impressive victo ries. Sam Houston took two of three games versus Southwest Texas State University, a team who beat A&M twice Sneed adjusting to new role By Chris Ferrell The Battalion fter arriving at Texas A&M in 1995, pitcher John Sneed wasted little time making a ame for himself. As a true freshman, he fired a complete-game shutout against the University of North Carolina in an NCAA Atlantic II Regional elimination game to keep the Aggies in the postseason race. Sneed built on the experience and turned in a strong sophomore season in which he led the A&M pitching staff with eight victories. This season Sneed, a junior from Houston, has adjusted to a new role. The arrivals of freshman pitchers Casey Possum and Chris Fulbright and the emergence of junior Matt Blank left Sneed as the odd man out in the starting rotation. Relegated to the bullpen, Sneed tried to take advantage of his opportunities. “It’s a little different this year after be ing a starter the past two years,” Sneed said. “Basically, I’ve just had to do what I’ve needed to do to help the team out. If they need me out of the bullpen, that’s fine. If they need me to make a start, I can do that. This year it looks like it’s out of the bullpen.” Head Coach Mark Johnson said Sneed handled the change well. “I think it’s been tough for John, not because of him but because of me,” Johnson said. “I haven’t got ten him enough opportunities to throw the ball. It’s tough for all the pitchers, but it’s tough for him because he’s a guy who could be a starter, except our starters are doing well. “It’s tough to stay in a groove when you don’t get to pitch a lot. 1 think we’ve put John in that situa tion. I think it’s been tough for him. It’s not tough being a set-up guy or a middle guy, it’s just that he hasn’t had the ball enough to get in a groove.” Sneed said the move called for a change in his pitching style. “It’s different,” Sneed said. “When you start a game, you feel like you have to pace yourself a little bit, because you know you need to try to get to the seventh to give your team a shot. 1 just come out (of the bullpen), no holds barred, and go all out.” His approach to the bullpen has paid off this season. In 12 appear ances, he has compiled 3-0 record ; > # Photo Illustration by Dave House, The Battalion with a career-low 4.18 ERA. Sneed leads all Aggie relievers with 34 strikeouts. Sneed’s size has been a major contributor to Sneed’s success on the mound has been his size. At 6-foot-6, 236 pounds, he joins senior pitcher Ryan Rupe as one of the biggest players on the A&M roster. “I think that my height and size are intimi dating on the mound and God blesses me with a great arm,” Sneed said. “I have a loose arm, which helps me out sometimes. I kind of throw across my body a little bit and, from talking to the guys on the team, that seems to be decep tive. Since I’m taller, I have a higher release point and throw it kind of at downward angle, which is a major factor.” Sneed’s size and prep career made him a top recruit out of high school. He said A&M provid ed him with everything he was looking for. “I’m from Houston and I wanted to play in a major college program, but I didn’t want to go too far from home, but then far enough,” Sneed said. “Houston to A&M — far enough, but not too far. The great coaches up here, the great facilities the great fans, the raggies and those guys, the Twelfth Man — it’s just awesome. It’s a school of traditions, and the spirit was the major determining factor. “There are so many traditions I’ve learned [about] since I’ve been here and the fans are great. The turnout at the Texas game — that was awesome. You can go other places and you won’t draw a crowd like that for the big rivalry like A&M-Texas. It’s just something special.” As tournament time rolls around, Sneed is once again primed for a big performance. John son said he anticipates Sneed to be a key for the Aggies as the team gets into the postseason. “[When] you get to tournament time,” Johnson said, “those guys get real valuable. You get deep into a tournament, those guys who don’t get to pitch a lot become real valu able to you, and that’s what we try to stress. When we get into a tournament and depth be comes an issue, the John Sneeds will determine whether we win or not.” this season. The Bearkats also took a game from the University ofTexas and lost by one run to Rice University. Johnson said the Aggies will draw on their experience of early- season adversities to help end the two-game skid. “We’ll remember back to when we were not doing as well and what we had to do to get out of it (losing streak),” Johnson said. “We have to do the same things now. Good things will happen because good things did happen [the first time] we got ourselves out of it.” The Bearkats are hitting .249 on the season as a team. Leading the squad is senior designated hitter Jason Hurta, batting .319 with one home run and 14 RBIs. Freshman outfielder Derek Haynes, a threat on the basepath, has stolen nine bases in 10 attempts. See Aggies, Page 6 Making his way in the world today .. Patrick Malone has made the transition from Iowa to Texas By Jamie Burch The Battalion N ative Texans all too often take for granted and complain about the warm weather from March to October. But think for a moment what it would be like to play baseball in sub-zero tem peratures submerged in two feet of snow. Impossible? Exactly. Redshirt freshman outfielder Patrick Malone dealt with these el ements growing up in Council Bluff, Iowa. Because of winter weather, Malone’s high school baseball team did not begin its sea son until the end of the school year. “We didn’t start playing base ball until March 1st,” Malone said. “It’s still pretty cool then.” Malone said getting use to the idea of playing baseball before the end of winter has been an adjust ment for him. “That’s something that was dif ferent for me when I came down here last year,” Malone said. “I was still playing basketball from Febru ary to March. I call home now and they’re playing basketball. Baseball is still three months away.” And though it is noticeably more humid in South Texas than up north, Malone said he relishes the summer-like weather from Dave House, The Battalion Redshirt freshman Patrick Malone has been splitting time between the outfield and first base. Febmary to October. “That’s something I really enjoy,” Malone said. “I like being down here playing in the warm weather during February. I’ve already stalled taking the weather for granted. As it is I’m the biggest wimp about the weath er and I come from a cold climate.” Malone has taken advantage of the local weather conditions, working on his game year round. “I think last year was definitely an adjustment period,” Malone said. “In Iowa, I didn’t play as many games as the other guys did. It (sit ting on the bench last year) was hard to deal with at first. See Malone, Page 8 ]•+> utonner- 725B University Driw FINAL EXAM REVIEW SCHEDULE IICKEI S UO UN sale APRIL 26 SATURDAY 3 PM MON Apr 28 TUES Apr 29 WED Apr 30 THUR May 1 SAT May 3 SUN May 4 3-5PM CHEM 102 CH 27 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY CH 28 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY FINAL EXAM REVIEW TEST #1.42 FINAL EXAM REVIEW TEST #3,#4 5-7 PM PRAC. FINAL A 7-9 PM PRAC. FINAL B 5-7 PM CHEM 101 CH 13 CH 14 FINAL EXAM REVIEW TEST#1,#2 FINAL EXAM REVIEW TEST #3 5-7 PM PRAC. FINAL 7-9PM PHYS 202 REVIEW TEST #1 & NEW MATERIAL CH 41. 42 REVIEW TEST #2 ANEW MATERIAL CM 43. 44 REVIEW TEST #3 REVIEW TEST #4 RRAC, FINAL EXAM 7-9 PM PRAC, FINAL B 9-11PM CHEM 102 CH 27 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY CH 28 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY FINAL EXAM REVIEW TEST #t,#2 FINAL EXAM REVIEW TEST #3.#4 5-7 PM PRAC. FINAL A 7-9 PM PRAC. FINAL B 11 P-1 A PHYS 218 ftlVIEW TEST #1 4 NEW MATERIAL CH 13.14 REVIEW TEST Kt S NEW MATERIAL CH IS REVIEW TEST #3 PRAC. FINAL EXAM A 11P-1A PRAC. FINAL B SAT Apr 26 SUN Apr 27 WED Apr 30 THUR May 1 SUN May 2 CHEM 107 3-5 PM CH 14.15 3-5 PM CH 15.16 1-3 PM FINAL REVIEW TEST *1 1-3 PM FINAL REVIEW TEST «2, #3 3-SPM PRAC. FINAL B SAT Apr 26 SUN Apr 27 SAT May 3 SUN May 4 5-7PM 5-7PM 9-11PM 11PM-1A PHYS 201 REVIEW TEST #1 & #2 REVIEW TEST #3 & #4 NEW MATERIAL &PRAC. FINAL *A PRAC. FINAL #B MON | TUES Apr 28 | Apr 29 WED Apr 30 THUR May 1 BUSINESSrFINC 341 ACCT 229.ACCT 230 BEGIN SUNDAY APRIL 27 th. 5-7PM PHIL 240 PHIL 240 SMITH & KIMBROUGH SEC. 504&505 FINAL EXAM REVIEW 7-9PM MATH 151 REVIEW TEST 1 material REVIEW TEST 2 MATERIAL REVIEW TEST 3 MATERIAL PRAC. FINAL 9-11PM PHYS 208 NEW MATERIAL REVIEW REVIEW TEST 1&2 MATERIAL REVIEW TEST 3 MATERIAL PRAC. FINAL LEARN TO AT UNITED FLIGHT SYSTEMS We’re now located at College Station Easterwood Airport. Learn to fly the Cessna Pilot Center Exclusive Integrated Flight Training System at United Flight Systems, the experienced flight school. Private thru advanced training | Aircraft rental, Pilot Shop F.A.A. approved 141 school VA Eligible Benefits United Flight Systems, Inc. Easterwood Airport College Station, TX 409 260-6322 j UVtte got a tittfo istmy (on ya AGS.... I Sunday Jan. 25, 1998 is the traditional date for MSC SPRING OPEN HOUSE -> but this year Jan. 25 is the SUPERBOWL!! (Facilities unavailable on Sat. Jan. 24) What do YOU want to do? Circle one: Sunday, JAN. 25 from 1 - 5 pm Sunday, FEB. 1 from 2-6 pm Let US know by NOON Thursday, Apr. 24 MSC Marketing Texas A&M University BOX J-l College Station, TX 77844-9081 OR: gmm39] 5@tam2000.tamu.edu Step off...Into the Spotlight Ring Dance 1997 Saturday, April 26, 1997 from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. in the MSC/Rudder Complex. Featuring eight rooms filled with endless entertainment. The Killer Bees, a Latin Music DJ, a comedy pianist, a big band orchestra, a bO's-SO's DJ, karaoke, Elvis, and Chris Wells and the Texas Edge will all be there, will you??? Tickets available now in the MSC Box Office, phone 845-1234. For questions call 845-1 515, or come by our table in the MSC!! Italy Study Abroad Sprin ’ 97 in Castigilion Florentine ykBTS 3SO: Arts and CivWzatton SO Cl 20 S: introduction to SocJo/ogy : . SOCf 230. Classical Social Theory EGON 320:' 'Economic Oavaiogmant LBAR 332: Eurapa Glahoi Economic issues: 'INFORMA NONA l MEETtNGS : ip 3S& Bizzmfi Had West, , : Tuesday, April 22"- 2:00 - 2:d~B pm ■ Friday, April 2& - STODY ABROAD PRO f&f Sizzalt Ma0 W {40m B4S-OB4A ^ , T, '
