Baseball

The most recent 4-3 loss to Brown in league play was illustrative of what has happened to the Dartmouth baseball team this spring. Pitcher Bob Van Dam hurled six and one-third innings for the Big Green and yielded only two hits, but the Indians had five errors and the Bruins capitalized on these to score most of their runs and win the game. Dartmouth actually had the tying run on third base in the ninth inning when Dick Marrone tripled, but pinch hitter Bob . Jennings flied out to end the Big Green threat. It was the third straight loss at home for the Indians.

A few days earlier the Indians were held scoreless until the ninth inning by Columbia in another league contest. Don O'Neill, Dartmouth's top pitcher, worked well, but he contributed two errors which allowed the Lions to score three runs in one inning and pile up a commanding 5-0 lead. Again the Indians rallied in the ninth when Dan Cilo and Captain Woody Woodworth collected back-to-back triples, and Jim Murrar doubled Woodworth home, went to third on an error and scored on a fly by pinch-hitter Bob Jennings. However, the rally ended when Roger Hanlon went down on strikes.

Coach Lupien's club has had good games and bad ones in the past month, and while the pitching has not been steadily spectacular, the fielding lapses and lack of hits at crucial times have cost Dartmouth. O'Neill turned in a fine performance in beating Yale, 2-1, as he fired a four-hitter, striking out ten Elis; and Bob Van Dam was equally effective as he teamed up with Roger Hanlon to halt Colgate, 5-3. However, the Indians were overpowered by league-leading Army, 8-1, and were also defeated by Cornell, 10-5, Princeton, 11-4, and Holy Cross, 4-0, during the past month.

Big Green victories, in addition to the wins over Yale and Colgate, came over Williams, 7-6, Brandeis, 4-1, St. Michael's, 10-3, and Navy, 7-5.

The league losses to Princeton, Cornell, Army, Columbia and Brown, of course, were costly and put the Big Green well out of contention in the E.I.L.B. race with a league record of two wins against five defeats. Dartmouth's overall 11-11 record should improve with six contests remaining on the schedule - Vermont, Harvard, Penn, Amherst, New Hampshire and Holy Cross.

Outfielder Dan Cilo is Dartmouth's leading hitter, currently batting at .329, while shortstop Chuck Kaufman is close behind with a .315 average - the first time in recent years that the Indians have had two regular players over the .300 mark at this stage in the season. Captain and catcher Woody Woodworth has also been hitting well. Dartmouth's top hurler is Don O'Neill, who has five wins and four defeats, while Bob Van Dam and Roger Hanlon have been also most effective.

A few more hits and a few less errors in just a few games could have made a big difference to Dartmouth's baseball fortunes this spring - and that's about the story.

Boston University's John Thomas showed his jumping ability against Dartmouth April 23 as he cleared the bar at seven feet, half an inch to tie the American outdoor mark and set a new Memorial Field record. The Indians defeated B.U. in the meet, 95 to 40.