BASEBALL

A month ago a question mark hung over Dartmouth's largely untried pitching staff. A 5-4 southern swing during spring vacation and early league victories over Columbia and Penn have now largely removed that question mark.

The pitchers were throwing well. Big road winners were Glen Culbertson '69 of Bucyrus, Ohio, who won two and lost none, and Jim Shaw '67 of Penacook, N. H., who won two and lost one. Shaw added another win in pitching a 10-0, nine-hitter against Penn as the regular league play started, and Lou Highmark '6B of Indianapolis, Ind., who was 1-1 on the road, was responsible for a sixhit, 6-1 victory over Columbia.

Behind such mound strength were two familiar names from last fall's football wars. Gene Ryzewicz '68, second base, was leading the team in batting with a .432 average, while his teammate at shortstop, Mickey Beard '67, was providing the other half of what was generally regarded as one of the best keystone combinations in the East this year.

Beard led the Eastern Intercollegiate Baseball League in stolen bases in 1965, and Ryzewicz did the same last year. Neither player appears to have slowed down, so the team ingredients for championship contention are there: speed, hitting, and pitching. Coach Tony Lupien isn't predicting, but he has a lot more than hope to go on this year.