Page 12
or ting View
This is the time of
year for sports fans
by John Musser
Collegian Sports Editor
This is one of my favorite
times of the year. And I'm not
just talking about all of the fun
I have preparing for finals. No,
what I'm preaching today is of a
much higher importance. This
is that special time of year when
all of the major sports have
something important to provide
to the fans.
For those that have survived
the long regular seasons, the
NBA and the NHL are finally
playing the postseason.
So far the road to the Stanley
Cup has been an exciting one
for hockey fans. The Los
Angeles Kings pulled a rare
double, upsetting the defending
Cup champion in the opening
The only other team that will be dangerous
could be the Chicago Bulls. The only question
is, How far can Michael Jordan fly with all of
his teammates' extra-baggage?
round two years in a row. Before
this year's toppling of the
Calgary flames from the high
chair, the Kings and Wayne
Gretzky outshot the Edmonton
Oilers last year.
Then there is that traditional
playoff match-up, Boston versus
Montreal. For those who have
never watched a Bruins-
Canadiens series, well, you
haven't lived much. This classic
scries epitomizes what the game
is all about: just damn good
hockey.
The NBA post-season, like
hockey's, is much more
interesting than games played
during the regular season. Lets
face it, when teams play four
games in five nights, you can't
honestly tell me that they will
be able to go full throttle in
each game. Yeah, that's right,
I'm saying that most players
don't come to play every night.
And 1 don't blame them. An 82-
game season is way too long.
The playoffs, though, are
like a pair of new Nikcs: they
fit so well, you wonder why
you put up with that old, hole
ridden pair of Kangaroos.
And this year, there is some
new force to be reckoned with in
the west. The San Antonio
Spurs have unleashed the
frustrations of seven losing
seasons this year, winning 55
games and the Midwest
Division for the second spot in
the Western Conference. While
David Robinson has received
much of the attention and praise
in this turnaround, the
acquisition of Terry Cummings
didn't exactly slow the Spurs
rapid improvement.
Unfortunately for San
Antonio, they play in a
conference where several teams
have legitimate chances at the
title. Phoenix, Utah, Portland,
and, uh, that other team that's
kind of good. Oh, yeah, the Los
Angeles Lakers. Put these
team's names in a hat, and
whichever one you draw out
could easily be the west
representative in the finals.
The east isn't quite as strong.
Obviously, Detroit is the
number one contender, but the
Philly Sixers have been coming
together lately and could pose
some problems for the defending
champs if the two should meet
in the conference finals. Don't
be surprised if that scries turns
into a hockey match.
The only other team that
will be dangerous could be the
Chicago Bulls. The only
question is, How far can
Michael Jordan fly with all of
his teammates extra- baggage?
The rest of the teams are merely
ordinary, with perhaps Boston
and Cleveland providing the
only surprises.
But the excitement of playoff
fever is not all that is catching
this time of year. Baseball is
back, with all of the excitement
and dreams a young season
holds. There have already been
several good stories.
The incredible start of the
Cincy Reds under new Manager
Lou Piniella has been a
welcome sight after the specter
of the Pete Rose case haunted
the team all of last summer. In
fact, Rose is still hedging in on
the team's headlines with the
results of his tax evasion case.
For some odd reason, the
government believes Rose didn't
report all of his earnings in the
years 1984-1987. Is it possible
that Petey didn't report his
gambling winnings? Naaaah.
And, as of Monday, the
Pittsburgh Pirates were in first
place in the NL East, heading
straight for a pennant and a
World Series win. (Ed. Note:
We apologize for John's
obvious lack of
objectivity, but then, I
like the Buccos too).
Finally, there is the NFL
draft, which garners as much
interest as any championship
game, if not more. Well, maybe
not any championship game,
but the draft certainly was more
exciting than the Super Bowl.
The Collegian
Men’s baseball
Lions woes on the field continue
by Tony Viola
Collegian Staff Writer
"(This is) The most
competitive team Behrend has had
in the last four years," stated
Baseball Coach Mike Bari on his
young Lion squad.
Despite the improved quality
of Bari's squad, the schedule the
Lions play is laden with teams
that have more talent. This helps
to explain their record of 3-17.
One of these more talented
teams, Allegheny College,
traveled to play the "Lions last
Wednesday. The Gators beat the
Lions by a score of 10-2 in a
nine inning battle.
Scott Fleshman started for
Behrend, pitching 5 1/3 innings.
Fleshman gave up 12 hits and
nine runs, with six of the runs
were earned. He walked four
batters and struckout two hitters.
Matt Palisin pitched next
picking up 2 2/3 innings.
Palisin got hit once and let one
unearned run score. He also
walked and struck out one
slugger.
Ray Ccrqua pitched the last
inning for the Lions. Ccrqua
struckout one batter and gave up
only one hit.
From the batter's box, Paul
Bcnim hit a double in the third
On your mark: Captain McCarthy, Behrend's
ROTC commander, starts off last Friday's 5K on
the right foot
ROTC sponsors 5K run
Despite heavy rains last
Friday evening, 37 determined * Charles Burchard (22:30).
runners ventured out on the hilly Blakeslce was the first Behrend
and muddy 5000 meter course, student to cross the line, while
The top male finisher was Norm Burchard was the first faculty
Sweet, who crossed the finish member to complete the course,
line in 18 minutes and 42 The race run by Behrend
seconds. For the women, Janet ROTC was part of the Wellness
Adams took top honors with a Awareness Week activities. The
time of 24:57. event netted 62 dollars toward the
Top finishers for Behrend were
Kyle Blakeslce (22:06) and
inning to drive in Kirk
McKinney, who reached first on a
base on balls. The double also
drove home Mark Van Horn, who
hit a single and stole second base.
Offensively, Bari said that his
team lacked confidence at the
plate. Behrend managed only four
hits the whole game.
Last Thursday, the Lions also
played a doublehcadcr against
Gannon University in Erie.
In the first game, Behrend
took a 6-3 lead into the bottom
of the seventh, but they would go
on for a disappointing 7-6 loss.
Ccrqua started for the Lions,
throwing six innings, giving up
five runs on six hits. He also
struckout four while walking two
)atters.
Palisin came on in the
seventh, faced one batter, and
walked him. Freshman Alex
Horwath pitched 1/3 of an
inning, allowing two runs on
two walks. Darin Wotus closed
the game for Behrend letting up a
hit before getting the final out.
Offensively in the first game,
Kirk McKinney got a hit in three
out of four at bats as he scored
two runs and drove in one. Scott
Frantz swatted two hits,
including a triple, and also drove
in two runs. Ccrqua also hit a
triple and scored for the Lions in
They’re off!
Diehl Elementary School's
playground project
Wednesday, April 25, 1990
photo by Rick Brooks
the fifth inning.
In the second game, Behrend's
offense was nonexistent in a 4-0
shutout. The Lions only had two
hits in the game. John Terrill
collected one of those hits when
he ripped a double in the sixth
inning. The other Lion's hit came
in the fifth inning when Tim
Cook singled.
Wotus pitched a complete
game for Behrend, allowing three
earned runs on nine hits. Wotus
didn't have any strikeouts, but he
did walk one Gannon batter.
The Lions wind down their
season Thursday at California
State University, Friday at
Mercyhurst, and Saturday at
Laßochc College.
NOTES: For the season,
Ccrqua is hitting .428 and might
finish with the record for best
batting average in a season. He
also needs 14 hits in this last
week to tie the number of hits in
a season Wotus was the big
find on the mound for the Lions.
Although his record is 1-5, the
mound ace boasts a 2.91 earned
run average. Why the poor won
loss record? Lack of offensive
support. Behrend isn't scoring
when he is starting. He has four
complete games this
year.
Netters
finish up
(continued from page 11)
decision was made that he keep
that commitment.
The result was that when
Nazereth decided that they wanted
to play the match, Grignol would
have to move up his lower seeds.
Smith, Mitch Janowski, Joe
Spangler, and Mike Schell all
played up a spot against
Nazereth. Despite this handicap,
the Lions still played well, with
Smith defeating Andrew Harris.
Schell nearly won his match, but
ended up losing in the third set
after taking the first set and
leading 4-3 in the second.
The netters still had a chance
to win the match, but they
couldn't afford to lose any of the
three doubles matches. Schmitt-
Kecnan was the only successful
duo in doubles play, winning 6-
1, 6-2. The other two contests
were close, but Nazereth pulled
out both to win the event.
Despite the team's seventh
loss, Grignol was pleased with
the play of his team. "We had
some real tight matches," said
Grignol. "It could have gone
either way."
NOTES: The Nazereth loss
dropped the Lions to 2-
7 Monday's game with Indiana
has been re-scheduled for tonight.
The home match begins at 7
pm Grignol's squad finishes
the season with Slippery Rock
(home) tomorrow at 3 pm and St.
John Fisher (away) Saturday.