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Show ----------------mfkfBi@II THE THUNDERBlRD • SOvrHERN UTAH U IVERSJTY • THURSDAY, MAY 6, 1993 • PAGE 7 Spring football game is Friday Going into the final week of pring football, SUU's head coach Jack Bishop says he is plea ed with what he has seen so far. "'Things are going good," Bishop said. "We've had great contact. probably as good or better than we've ever had. That's a sign we have good quality players, from top to bottom, because guys are out there competing, trying to make their mark. Things are so even, the guys are really getting after each other." The Thunderbirds wrap up spring practice tomorrow with the annual Red/White scrimmage, scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Coliseum of Southern Utah. Bishop said he has seen several strengths to his team chis year and that an area which has had him concerned, the kicking game, is starting to shape up as well. "We're about where we should be at this point,• he said. "I've seen several areas of progress though. Right now the kicking game is shaping up well. Jason Parsons has been doing a very, very good job and that's one area where we really needed someone to step up." Bishop said the areas his team looked strongest at going into spring ball, d1e defensive secondary and linebackers and the offensive Line and backfield have lived up to expectations. Diamondmen host 23rd-ranked Bruins SUU's baseball team winds up the 1993 home schedule this weekend when d1e Thunderbirds play host to the 23rd-ranked UCIA in a two-game series Friday and Saturday. Games are scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. Friday and at noon Saturday. Southern Utah (6-40) has been the victim bf two one-run inning losses in the last seven games and three one-run losses overall in that span, and will be looking to break out of a six game slump. The Thunderbirds are slugging at their highest pen..-entage all season, with a .404 mark and are hitting .280 as a team, their highest batting average since they hit the .285 mark April 3. OF/P Will Scott leads the team at the plare with a .450 average, while 3B Mickey Houston is second at .43S. Houston ranked sixth in the nation last week in batting ~rage. Scott did not have enough at-oots ID qualify for rankings. Houston also leads the 'Birds in RBI (35), hit~ (60), and triples (3) and is tied for the team lead in doubles with 1L and slugging percentage at .688. Scott is the team leader in slugging percentage and on-base percentage (.529), while C Karl Hermansen took over the team lead in home runs (7) with a pair of clingers last weekend at Utah. In all, five 'Biros are hitting .324 or better, while nine are above the .269 mark. Troy Nordick and Shane Wilde lead the team in victories and ERA, with Nordick checking in a 2-0 record with a 7.02 ERA anJ Wilde at 2-8 with a 7.50 ERA. Eric Madsen 0-2, 8.27 ERA, I save} and Dave Mineer (0.5, 8.1 J ERA) lead the Thunderbird bullpen. The Bruins are lat at the plate by junior Ryan Mc.Guire. who leads the nation in hume runs with 17 through 39 games and is d1ird in RBI with 59. BLOOD DRAWING CLASSES Learn basic Phlebotomy techniques 1-800-688-Vein Pre-registration required. Classes will begin May 15th, on Saturdays only. Four classes total. Hat Cleaning & Restoration NOW AVAILABLE! Laundry • Dry Cleaning • Drapes Professional Leather Cleaning • Pillows Every Tuesday, 50¢ off All washers! ' I i Brand New 40 lb. Washer. 1117 N. Main, 586-1405 Open Daily 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Last load by 9 p.m. Current student I.D. required Softballers face WAC rival UNM Saturday ,-----------------~--~ Scrambling out of the cdlar of the W csrem Athletic Conference standings could be a pouibility for thc Southern Utah Univenity women's softball tam Sarurday when it challenges the Univenity o f New Mexico. 1ne Lobos of UNM will host rhe cloublcheadcr in Albuquetque, N.M. The first game is scheduled to bq:in at l :30 p.m. SUU holds a record of7-32, and UNM is 29-1 7. "We've said it a doien time during the season, but it's still tnk. If we maintain our intensity and our concentration, we can win against the teams in this con ference," Joy Peterson, SUU head coach, said. •we played well against New Mexico earlier this year in Ced;u City. if we play that well, or suck it up a not.ch, d1ese are games we can win.• The Thunderbirds and Lobos have met three times dus season. UNM won all three matchups. SUU struggled earlier in the year and lost a 9-1 decision in a game played at Las Cruces, N.M., in a tournament hosted by New Mexico State University. In conference games played on the T-Bird fwdd. UNM toolc U) anJ 3-2 decisions. "We played well in the gamn here, " Peterson said. "We played a lax game at: Las C nas. You can ace the difference in the scores.• will go into the Albuquerque games ~th a 2- , 16 conkrence record and a cha~ io slip by San Diego State (2-14) in the WAC standings. San Diego State h<»t:s a pair of tough opponents (Fresno ~ and Sacramenro State} this weekend. New Mexico split four games last week. The Lobos were pummelled by league leading Cal Sta.re North ridge, 40 and 10.1, but d1ey came back to steal a pair from San Diego State, 2-1 and 2-0. The Thunderbirds are getting solid hitting from a quartet of young players. Freshman third baseman Denise Johnson leads the way with a .41 7 batting average and a .602 slugging percentage. Freshman left fielder Stacy Stuart is second on the team in bom categories; she hits .293 and has a slugging percentage of .427. ·suu Track season to end in Flagstaff tourney The 1993 outdoor track and field season comes to close for members of the SUU men's and women's teams Saturday at Flagstaff, Ariz. Members of both teams will compete in d1e Flagstaff invitational which will be hosted by Northern Arizona University at Lumberjack Sta.dium. Field events are scheduled to start at 10 a.m. "We are expecting a relatively smalJ field which will include our team, a large contingent of entrants from Northern Arizona University, a smattering of runners from several other Southwest schools, and a bunch of unattached people,• SUU track coach Eric Houle said. "lnere will be some vety good people there, but the field as a whole should not be nearly as snong as what -wc have faced in our last two meets.• Houle says that some personal bests for his team memben are pc>Mible, but that they are most l~y ro come in field events and shorter running events where altitude will not be such a factor. "Generally, we want this to be a fun meet, • Houle said. "We~ even going ID allow some of our people compete in some events they have always wanted to try, but haven't concentrated on very seriously. We have had a great year in terms of individual improvement, team unity, and enjoying training to the competition." Both men's and women's teruns made a wholesale assault on personal records and seasons best marks last week in San Diego. Thunderbird men established 12 best times/distances of the year, and eight of SUU's women did the same. One new school record was established, and two athletes approached SUU record performances. Major improvement came last week from Anoa Pett who took nearly 27 seconds off her previous 1993 best in the 5000 meters. Travis Anderson sliced 18 seconds off his best of the year in the same event Debbie Child is now the school record holder in the women's 400 meter hurdles. She ran a 1:04.49 ID take the record from teammate Brenda Foy. "We got a great improvement in the shot put from Lou Elison. She is getting ro within range of our school record,• Houle nottd. 1410 East St. George Blvd., St. George (Exit 8, 1-15) 980 West 200 North, Cedar City (1-15, Exit S9) i . |