Freshman Baseball Picture Gloomy, But It's Improving

When a baseball team has three tie games to show for its first three outings, it seems nothing short of incredible. But Warren Berg's Freshman nine battled the Crimson Jayvees, B.U., and Milton to 3-3, 7-7, and 8-8 deadlocks. The first two games were cut short at the end of eight innings by darkness. The Milton contest went the nine innings route with the Freshmen rallying for the tying runs in the last stanza. However, Brown ended the Yardlings "streak" on Monday with a 4-2 win and a return engagement with B.U. plus games with the Freshmen's traditional prep school rivals--Andover and Exeter--Holy Cross, Dartmouth, and the Yale finale loom big on the Yardling schedule. Berg's charges must improve if they are to cope with these opponents and finish their season on May 15 with a respectable record.

Berg has dubbed his team an "odd" one, for three fifths of his infield has moved up intact from Roxbury Latin, and he had been using three erstwhile pitchers in the outfield. In fact, a total of four pitchers are cavorting elsewhere than the mound. "They're fast, and we need the batting strength," claims Berg. Third baseman Vinnie Morton, shortstop Hal Marshall, and second sacker Harry Cavanaugh played in the same infield at Roxbury Latin last year. Ed Smith, Berg's towering six-six first baseman and Freshman basketball captain, appears to have found his batting eye already and makes a good target in the infield.

Behind the plate, Berg has been using Gordon Kilpatrick and lately, Sherrill Houston. When spring football practice ends, Bill Rosenau, former Andover receiver, will be available. Rosenau has been practicing but cannot play. Pitcher George Emmons, also out for football, is able to play, but cannot attend practice sessions. Catching has been a sore sport for Berg, and he insists his staff "must improve." The outfield has proved to be another Crimson weakness. Reilly, another Roxbury graduate and brother of Brendon Reilly who pitched for the Varsity last spring, John Simons, and Ernie Wohler had been operating in the outer gardens, but Berg made a change in the Brown game. Dave Skinner took over at third, Morton moved to center field, Wohler was shifted to right, and Simon was benched temporarily in an effort to add speed where it has been lacking.

Morton is fast and has a good arm and might prove a shot in the arm to Berg's lethargic outfield. As things formerly stood, he had two men working there who are pitchers by profession, merely to utilize their hitting power. Pitching has been one of Berg's lesser worries. Jim Gabler and Emmons have performed creditably, the latter hurling a three-run, eight-hit job against the Jayvees. Roy Meears has been valuable as a reliefer against B.U. and Milton, and should merit a starting assignment soon, perhaps against Governor Dummer Academy this afternoon at South Byfield. Although Pete Webber is a good prospect, he is overweight (over 200) and this has affected his control. Berg needs effective pitchers--"When you have games every other day and you can't count on your regular pitchers, it puts you in a hole." Relliy, a pitcher at Roxbury, will probably be pressed into mound service before long. The squad, which includes several prep schoolers who haven't had a great deal of experience, has, according to its coach, "a lot of spirit but it's not entirely gifted. Things look lean now, but they might improve." They'll have to.