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Show Page 14 The Tfumderbird Monday, ApriC 16, 1984 "",.."' '"", '"'' 'A' 'S'?, WW", "'fl'ssq'A'ps,, ' ''', ""W'W " Softballers streak to wins Diamonds really are a girls best friend that is, if youre a member of the SUSC womens softball team. The Lady Birds found success on the baseball diamond once again last week, winning five out of six games and . improving their record to defeated SUSC Brigham Young University 2 and 12-- 6 on Tuesday. They got a big kick out of beating BYU, Coach Joy Peterson said of her teams wins. The Lady Birds also got a big kick out of beating New Mexico Highlands in three out of four contests. Pitcher Jennifer Smith shut out Highlands and improved her record to 1 as the won Fridays opener In the fourth inning of that game Smith and Gwen Thomas drove in two runs for the lead. The Lady Birds put Highlands away in the 7th inning with three consecutive outs. In game two SUSC slipped and fell to their opponent by a score of They out hit us, Peterson said. They had seven hits and we only had six. The Lady Birds left runners on base in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings as they were unable to come up with clutch hits. We just couldnt bring them in, Peterson said. Saturday the Thunderbirds swept the twin bill from Highlands and assurred themselves of the number one seed in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championships. The seeding gives them a first round bye in the tournament scheduled to be played at SUSC on April 27 and 28. The Lady won Saturdays We had a Highlands opener against little meeting where we set a goal of taking two from them, Peterson said. SUSC scored three runs in the second 17-4- 5-- inning and two runs in the fourth inning as the team got half way to their goal. We put a little pressure on them and they committed mistakes, Peterson said. Becky Peterson was the winning pitcher in the contest. Inspired by their goal the Lady Birds won the second game 2 behind solid seventh inning play. Playing as the home team Highlands maintained a 2 tie going into the final inning. Highlands then walked three Thunderbirds in a row, setting up a two run single by short stop Denise Muir. Linda Eames followed with a sacrifice fly that scored one run. When we loaded the bases it took the 5-- 2-- 8-- 2-- 4-- 2. 5-- 3. Becky Peterson winds up for a pitch in one of Saturdays wins over New Mexico Highlands. SUSC softballers clinched the number one seed for the RMAC tournament later this month. The Lady Birds copped the top seed for the RMAC championships . later this month. wind out of their sails, Coach Peterson said. She also gave credit to Denise Muir: Shes had a tremendous last six games, Peterson said of Muirs hitting. We played much more enthusiastically today (Saturday). We had everybody contributing, Peterson added. A key to the big turn around from last record is the performance of years SUSC the pitchers. Peterson feels that pitching is foremost among the improvements over last years team.. Another key is team desire, something that Peterson feels is a team strong point. If we keep playing the way we played today I think its possible of going to nationals, Peterson said. 2-- Baseball on deck for today Thinclads improve at BYU track meet were aggressive and on top of things, but we had a terrible fourth inning. Mesa went on to defeat the ' will Birds 4 in that game. baseball team The SUSC try to turn things There is little doubt in Wilsons mind that the around today and tomorrow as they take on the team went through a mental slump. Theres no University of Redlands in a pair of nine inning question about it, he said. Its frustrating. We games. wanted to win, we tried to win and we struggled. suffered disappointing losses to the The There were bright spots in the Mesa series Mesa Mavericks over the weekend, dropping a pair of doubleheaders. We just flat got beat, a though. Wilson praised the efforts of pitcher Darrin Garrick and relief pitchers Ken Trowbridge frustrated coach Larry Wilson said. Thunderb;rd and Tom Garvin. The threesome have been an baseballers slumped to the Mavericks by 11-0 and 4 scores. integral part of the SUSC pitching staff s success They (Mesa) didnt do anything to us, we did it all season. As the Thunderbirds take on Redlands today to ourselves. We made it easy for them. We hit found Wilson said. SUSC and tomorrow theyll need to work out problems and hits, lazy flys pop of concentration and mental preparation. Wilson itself lacking in the Mesa series, and in particular has some thoughts on the subject for his team: Ill were unable to hit the ball like they have in the as tell the as Birds at The werent plate you what, I would not want to be the team agressive past. thats playing these guys this week. Theyre going the usually are, according to Wilson. Our hitting was terrible, he said. It wasnt to be possessed. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference indicative of the way weve been hitting the ball. SUSC did manage to get momentum roiling in the championship tournament is just 10 days away, final game of the series but after the third inning it and in Mesas ballpark. Were going to find out came to a dead stop. We played exactly like were this week what kind of team we are, Wilson said about preparation for the tournament. capable of playing in the first three innings. We by Stewart Smith 8-- 5-- 2-- 8-- i by Orin Allen The SUSC tracksters continued to do well Saturday when they traveled to Provo, Utah for the Brigham Young University Invitational track meet. The competition was tough, said Ben Davidson SUSC track coach. We are improving every week and thats what needs to be done. The mens 4x100 relay clocked an impressive performance as they timed a 41.76 for a fourth place finish. Speedster Will James placed third in the 100 meters, clocking a 10.58, qualifying him for nationals in the event. James also ran well in the 200 meters with a time of 21.92, fast enough for third place. Adrian Sampson did what hes been doing so well all season as he soared to a first place finish in the long jump again leaping 24-- 6 Vz. Adrian jumped very well all day, Davidson praised.. This has been his toughest competition all year. Thunderbird distance runners also did well for SUSC. John Pragle, competing in the 10,000 meter event, finished in fifth place with a clocking of 35:05.26. Davidson was also happy with the thinclad performances of Derek Lamb in the 800 meters, Dave Webb in the 1500 meters, Dave Dix in the 5000 meters, and Scott Henderson and Mike Riske in (continued on page 15) |