Crimson Batmen Confront MIT Today

Weather permitting, the Crimson batmen will open their home season today when they face cross-town rival MIT at 3 p.m. on Soldier's Field.

Last Tuesday's official opener with Boston College was rained out, and there is a possibility of thunder-showers this afternoon. It will at least be warm, however, as temperatures are expected to reach the low 70s.

Harvard should be well rested after a weekend of mixed results in Philadelphia and Annapolis. The Crimson lost a close game to Penn on Friday but then came back the next day to sweep a double-header from Navy.

Successful Trip

Those contests put Harvard's Eastern League record at 2-1. The team's overall Spring record, with an incredible successful southern trip, is 15-1.

MIT is not in the Eastern League, but the Engineers have shown considerable strength in compiling a 4-1 mark so far. They have beaten Brandeis, Middlebury and St. Anselm's and surprised a favored B.C. team with a 9-6 victory. MIT's only loss to date came at the hands of Lowell Tech.

Harvard Coach Loyal Park said yesterday that MIT would be no pushover for his team. "They have a good ball club," Park said of the Engineers. "They've got a lot of veterans back who can hit the ball."

Park has given junior hurler Mike O'Malley the nod for today's game. Ric LaCivita will play second base, giving Larry Barbiaux a rest.

The remainder of the Crimson lineup should be intact, unless Dave St. Pierre is bothered too much by a pulled hamstring muscle. Joe Sciolla will fill in for St. Pierre in right field if necessary.

Coach Francis O'Brien of MIT said yesterday that his squad would have to rely on defense to beat the Crimson. "We feel that Harvard is probably the number one team in New England," O'Brien said, "and if not, they're very close to it."

O'Brien said he would not decide on his starting pitcher until this morning. It will be either sophomore David Youch (2-1) or freshman Mike Royal (2-0). It was Youch, combined with some relief help from Royal, who recently stopped B.C. for the first MIT win in that series since 1956.

Park said he was happy with the Crimson's performance over the weekend and blamed Friday's loss to Penn on the week-long layoff caused by Tuesday's rain. "They were three great games," Park commented. "We damn near came back and won the first one." Harvard's late rally fell just short as the Quakers triumphed, 3-2.