Nine Faces Boston College Today

Having completed its finest southern tour in six years, Harvard's varsity baseball team will open its Greater Boston League season against Boston College today at 3 p.m. at Soldiers' Field.

The Crimson compiled an 8-2 record last week, developing a strong defensive team and a deep pitching rotation. The highlight of the trip was a sweep of a three-game series with Fairfield, a team which advanced to the NCAA playoffs last year and is returning its entire starting line-up.

Harvard also successfully opened its Eastern League schedule last weekend, losing in the ninth inning a single game with Navy, 2-1, and sweeping a doubleheader from Penn, 5-2, 4-2. "I had told the team that if we could come back north winning two out of three Eastern games, we'd be in business," coach Loyal Park said yesterday.

Pitching Strength

Both the pitching staff and fielding line-up were strengthened during the trip. Five hurlers gave strong starting performances during the tour. Bill Kelly went the distance twice but was the victim of a hitting slump against Navy, Phil Collins and lefthander Roz Brayton pitched six strong innings against Penn Saturday.

Southpaw J.C. Nickens and sophomore Sandy Weissent also showed promising material. Nickens is scheduled to start against the Eagles today. But since Nickens was throwing in the bullpen for both Penn games Saturday. Weissent will take his place if he is tired.

'Good Speed'

Park has strengthened the team's one fielding weakness, the outfield, by moving sophomore Hal Smith from shortstop to left field. Outfielder Dave Ignacio has taken over in centerfield. "We have good speed in all the fields now," Park said.

Although Harvard has a potent batting line-up on paper, the most discouraging aspect of the southern tour was the team's hitting. "We know this squad is going to be a strong hitting team, so we're in good shape to have a far better ball club than last year," Park said.