BASEBALL
The baseball team, under the watchful eye of Coach Tony Lupien, practiced indoors and outdoors in early April, impatiently awaiting the resumption of the regular schedule. The 1964 squad has high hopes of putting together a winning season and possibly another Eastern League championship - and with good reason. Already the Indian nine has done what few Green teams have been able to do in recent years - post a winning record on the spring jaunt south.
Coach Lupien praised the performance of his team during the vacation trip, emphasizing that the new field house with its spacious practice area was what enabled the Indians to meet their southern rivals on equal terms. The Green's 5-2 record included a 14-4 victory over Navy in the league opener. In other games played, North Carolina State was beaten 2-0; the Indians split with Duke, losing 5-4 but taking the second 6-3; Old Dominion was downed twice, 1-0 in ten innings and 7-4; and the Green was beaten by the University of Maine 12-7.
The southern, trip showed that the Green has a sound team afield, a strong pitching staff, and some capable hitters - three of whom were over the .300 mark. Ken Lapine who held down the right field position on the trip south led the team with a .412 average. Catcher Dick Horton, a junior, after a slow start at the plate (no hits in the first ten trips) caught fire and ended up with a .394 mark. The third man over the .300 level was Steve Dichter, who Coach Lupien considers "the best centerfielder I've had in College." A senior, Dichter hit .312, stole eight bases, and scored thirteen runs. Last season he led the Eastern League in stolen bases with seven.
The Indians will be a strong team defensively. The infield has Chip Hayes at first base, Captain Henry Ota at second, Mike Bloom at shortstop, and sophomore Bill Bower at third. Bower, though lacking varsity experience, has already shown he will help the Green cause this spring.
The southern trip was not without its bad breaks. Barry Machado, who had earned the starting left field assignment, received an injury which will probably keep him on the sidelines until late May. In the meantime Lapine will be moved into left and the right field job will be taken over by either Taylor or McGruther. Junior Ted Friel from Pittsfield, Mass. leads the Dartmouth pitching staff with a 3-0 record. In the 24 innings he has pitched, Friel has allowed thirteen hits, struck out eighteen, and has an earned run average of 1.50. He pitched a nine-inning no-hitter against Old Dominion and saw the Indians win it in the tenth 1-0. Three other hurlers who should get starting assignments from Coach Lupien are Pete Barber, Bob MacArthur, and Scott Creelman. Leading the relief pitchers will be Bill Caterino.
The Indians were scheduled to resume play on April 18 against Boston College and then on April 21 and 22 they had games with New Hampshire and Holy Cross - all three considered among the toughest opponents to be faced. The two-week layoff, however, has not helped the Indians, and the BC contest will be like the opening game all over again. With good defense, more speed than a year ago, and adequate hitting, Coach Lupien rightly is optimistic about the season and the Eastern League title race.
Dartmouth's pitching ace is Junior TedFriel, who had a 3-0 record in the Southand pitched nine innings of no-hit ballin the 1-0 win over Old Dominion.
