Baseball Triumph Over Bulldogs Would Give Varsity League Title

Crimson teams usually think of a victory over Yale as a welcome end in itself, but when the varsity baseball squad meets the Elis in New Haven tomorrow, a more historic objective will hang in the balance.

For by beating Yale, the Crimson would virtually assure itself of the first Eastern Intercollegiate League championship it has ever won alone in league history. The only previous Crimson first-place finishes were ties in the late 1930's.

On paper, the varsity must be rated a strong favorite in tomorrow's game. Figured to have only a mediocre year in pre-season predictions, the Crimson has won an amazing string of six straight league victories without a defeat, culminating in Wednesday's 5-4 trimming of second-place Dartmouth. The Elis, now in fourth place, have won four and lost three in the league.

Psychological Factors Considered

The greatest danger to the Crimson's chances at New Haven may well be the psychological let-down after the Dartmouth game, which was regarded by many as virtually a match for the league title. Overconfidence or a don't-care attitude could seriously weaken the varsity against the Blue, which always seems to muster up its best effort for the Harvard game.

For the Crimson, either Gerry Emmet or Byron Johnson will probably start the game on the mound. Lefthander Emmet's strong relief pitching has saved two games for the varsity, notably on Wednesday when his no-hit hurling staved off a late-inning Indian rally. Johnson, a righthander, has a 1-0 record in the league, beating Penn 8 to 7 in relief.

Yale coach Ethan Allen has assigned southpaw Pete Higuchi to handle the Elis' pitching. Featuring a slow curve-ball delivery, Higuchi triumphed over Princeton 3 to 2 last Saturday and has a 2-1 league record.

Clay Heads Yale Hitters

For its hitting strength, Yale relies on Captain Derry Clay, leftfielder Ron Cheney, second baseman Len Hassler, and Tom Molumphy, who plays short-stop.

Late-season injuries have taken their toll on the Crimson lineup. Centerfielder John Getch suffered a badly sprained ankle sliding into third in the Dartmouth game and will be unable to play again this spring. Kent Hathaway will probably move to center in his place, with Mo Balboni filling in at right field.

Captain Bob Cleary, moreover, still has a painfully bruised finger on his left hand which hurts him at bat. Normally one of the varsity's strongest hitters, the second baseman never got his bat on the ball against Dartmouth's Art Quirk Wednesday.

The contest will start at 2:30 p.m. at the Yale Field. The freshman team also plays the Eli freshman at New Haven tomorrow in a game beginning at the same time