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Show THE THUNDERB1RD rr WEDNESDAY MARCH 25, 1987 PACE 13 i ,bh Ql L "w. baseballers have a tough break T-Bi- rd Not everyone had a spring break this past week. At least that's how SUSC's baseball team might have felt after they packed their bags and headed for the sunny skies of Phoenix, but they probably didn't complain too much; after all they did have a chance to get out of the snow. Unfortunately the spring break got off to a bad start when the 'Birds dropped a pair of tough losses one to Grand Canyon and the other to Eastern Washington. The 'Birds got otf to a tentative start by losing to Grand Canyon College on Saturday According to Coach Bill Groves they just never quite got into the game until it was too late. "We were a little shaky to start the game," said Groves, "and as a result of not playing for a couple of weeks we were a little rusty coming out of the chute." SUSC trailed early in the first inning 0 but Brian Whittiaker's unassisted 21-1- 3. 2-- I triple play put the Antelopes out for the inning. SUSC finally got the field artillery going in the later innings, but it was simply a case of too many runs to make up and not enough innings to do it in. In Sunday's game against Eastern Washington the stayed fairly close but four key double plays fouled things up for the 'Birds and ended up being the difference in the 3 loss. "Every time we got something going we hit into a double play," said Groves. "We hit the ball well but right at somebody." SUSC pounded out six hits and three runs while Eastern Washington produced seven hits and nine runs. The Thunderbirds will take a week off to prepare for two home doubleheaders against the University of Utah, next Monday and Tuesday. Game times are set for noon both days. 9-- SUSC lady softballers to play doubleheaders An increasingly familiar opponent will face the Southern Utah State women's softball team in a pair of doubleheaders scheduled Friday and Saturday on the Thunderbirds' home field. Game times are set for 1 and 3 p.m. Friday and 1 1 a.m. and 1 host Metropolitan State from p.m. Saturday as the lady Denver. Until last year, when SUSC took five games in five tries from the Roadrunner women, the two schools were virtual strangers. In last season's final meeting in the opening round of the NAIA District Seven Playoffs SUSC squeeked out a 2 victory. "We don't know much about Metro yet this year, but we do know that they weren't a bad team last year. If they've got pitching, they should be strong again this season," Joy Peterson, SUSC softball coach, says. SUSC will go into the weekend series with a 1 record, all accumulated last week against Mesa College in a shortened series played at Grand Junction, Colo. Peterson would prefer to have fewer heroics this week than the Lady 'Birds were forced into against Mesa. In both victories, SUSC fell behind early and had to make up significant differences in the final innings for the two wins. "I'd just like us to go out early and ept the job done," Peterson smiles. Of concern to Peterson are some outfield mistakes made by her team and the commission of too many mental errors. "There were a number of contributing reasons for our problems," Peterson points out. "Lack of outside playing time is probably the biggest factor, and the weather didn't help much either." Of more worry is the lack of team hitting, but again, Peterson quickly points out that it is way too early in the season to expect the type of hitting she would like to see. "Our pitching is going to be fine, and the hitting will come around. I'm still optimistic about the team," Peterson says. After the Metro State series, the Thunderbirds will travel to Salt Lake City for a pair of games with the University of Utah April 2 and to Provo for an April 3 doubleheader with Brigham Young University. 3-- 2-- SUSC baseball skipper Bill Croves contemplates his club's inconsistency thusfar in '87. Tracksters gird for second start layoff precedes April 4 meet at Weber Two-wee- k k After a layoff, the men's and women's track teams from Southern Utah State will dig into the heart of the 1987 two-wee- season. The Thunderbirds will compete at an invitational meet hosted by Weber State College April 4 in Ogden. Only four upperclassmen are included on the men's and women's combined rosters. Except for those teams are comprised of four, the strictly freshmen and sophomore athletes. "We did reasonably well last week at the Westmont Relays in our first spring outdoor competition," Joe Lopour, assistant track coach explained. "Our men picked up fourth meet, and the women place in an eight-teaalso finished fourth among eight teams." rd m men were led by Individually, the freshman Erik Hughes who placed in four events and picked up a first place in the long jump. The only other SUSC first was in the Javelin where Leo Garand picked up the blue ribbon. Senior Jill (Reynolds) Porter had a first in the javelin and seconds in the shot put and discus in the women's division. The women also got a first place effort from freshman Alana Orton who jumped a meet record 5 in the high jump. "We are generally pleased with our performances," Lopour says. "With some work and some good weather, we have the potential to make a lot of improvement." rd 5-- Golfers are eager for spring young Southern Utah State golf squad is eager to get more competition going this spring after a stuttering start. is the date the Thunderbird March 29-3- 1 squad is pointing at. That's when the 'Birds are scheduled to compete in the Grand Canyon College Invitational at Phoenix, Ariz. "We've had one meet rained out, and we finally managed to complete another," Tom Kingsford, SUSC golf coach, explains. "We are ready to play, if the weather will let us. Normally, we should have no problem this time of year in Arizona." In the only competition of the season, S JSC just nudged Fort Lewis for second place in a three team meet the Invitational Fort involving the A Tri-Sta- te Lewis, and Eastern New Mexico University. ENMU's squad shot a combined score of 1,182 to win the meet held at Albuquerque, N.M.'s University South course. SUSC's 1,247 was a single stroke better than Fort Lewis' 1,248. Freshman Todd Mills shot a 237 over 54 holes for the best SUSC score and the fourth best score of the tournament. "We are awfully young," Kingsford says of his squad. "We du, however, have some people who are good golfers now and will sti improve." Junior Brett Wilkinson is the only upperclassman on the team. Ryan Huntington is a sophomore, and the remainder of the squad is entirely comprised of freshmen. |