Varsity Nine Tops BC, 5-1 To Gain GBL First Place

The varsity played its most impressive nine innings of baseball to date in defeating Boston College, 5 to 1, yesterday, to take over first place in the Greater Boston League. Ken Rossano, supported by sharp fielding and timely hitting, went all the way, allowing just four hits.

Only a game against Tufts June 10 now stands between the Crimson and the league title. The Crimson can also back into the championship before then should B.C. lose any of its remaining five league games.

Rossano started shakily, giving up two hits and one run in the first inning, but steadied down, allowing only one man to reach third thereafter. B.C.'s most serious threat came in the fifth when a single by first baseman and a walk to pitcher Ed Buckley opened the inning. Rossano got Eddie Miller to pop up to the catcher and the inning ended two pitches later when shortstop Bill Cleary went far into the hole to start a double play.

The Crimson scored an unearned run in the first and catcher George MacDonald's 360 foot triple clinched the game in the second.

Dick Hoffman walked to open the game and was advanced to second on a bunt by John Simourian. He reached third on a force play at second and came in when B.C. catcher Paul Carey, trying to catch Don Butters stealing second, threw into center field.

In the second, MacDonald's triple, a long blow between the center and left fielders, knocked in Bob Hastings, who had reached first on a walk. MacDonald scored himself a few minutes later when Ken Rossano poked a single into short right field. Hoffman walked to keep things going, but Simourian forced him at second and Cleary hit straight to the second baseman to end the inning.

The Crimson picked up an insurance run in the fourth when Bob Hastings doubled to left and then scored on a wild pitch and passed ball. The team's final run came in the eighth. Matt Botsford singled to center and reached third when Bill Chauncey singled to right. Botsford scored on the catcher's second throwing error of the day.

Yesterday's win was the varsity's fifth straight since losing to Holy Cross two weeks ago. If the team can continue the pace it will rate a good chance of entering a play-off to determine the northeastern states' representative in the four-team NCAA championship at Omaha. Other teams in the running are Holy Cross, Colgate, and Yale.

Over 1,000 Boston College faithful turned out to see the Eagles' first league loss. . . The Crimson has been averaging less than 200 attendance a game, one of the weakest records in that department in the league. . . Eight of the nine varsity starters got hits. Hoffman, the only regular who fail to hit, reached first base safely three tmes, twice on walks, and once on an error. . . From now until the Tufts game on June 10, all the Crimson's competition will be against Ivy League teams.

Ward to Face Dartmouth

Coach Norm Shepard will start Andy Ward this afternoon against a mediocre Dartmouth team as the varsity goes after its sixth straight Ivy League win. Ward's record is currently four wins and no defeats. Bob Feltman, a righthander with a three and one record is scheduled to pitch for the Green.

The game will start at 3:45 at Soldiers Field.

Dartmouth has split six games in Ivy competition, beating Columbia, Penn, and Navy, while losing to Princeton, Brown, and Cornell. Overall, the Indians have won eight, lost nine. A predominantly sophomore team, the squad has been especially weak in hitting.

The B.C. game summary:

    ab  r  h  po  a  eHoffman, 1f  3  1  0  1  0  0Simourian, 1b  4  0  1  8  0  0Cleary, ss  4  0  1  0  5  0Butters, 3b  4  0  1  2  2  1Botsford, rf  4  1  1  4  0  0Chauncey, cf  4  0  2  4  0  0Hastings, 2b  2  2  1  3  2  0MacDonald, c  4  1  1  5  0  0Rossano, p  4  0  1  0  0  0    --  --  --  --  --  --Totals  31  5  9  27  9