Untangling the Skein

With time running out on the Eastern Inter-collegiate Baseball League (EIBL) schedule, five members of the 10-team league have a shot at the title. Only one weekend of regularly scheduled games remains, but it may be 10 days until a champion emerges from the pack.

Three teams now have four losses or fewer, with 12-3-1 Harvard a game up in the loss column on second-place Navy (11-4-1) and third-place Dartmouth (8-4). Harvard plays a doubleheader at Dartmouth Saturday, while Navy battles Cornell and Dartmouth hosts Brown in Sunday twin bills.

Yale and Brown both sport six losses, but each has an outside shot at the league crown. The Elis' split with Cornell yesterday virtually eliminates them from the championship picture, and Brown's playoff hopes are slightly dimmer.

The darkness-created tie between Harvard and Navy April 17 at Annapolis, Md. cannot play a part in deciding the league champion. So if a win in that game would tie either Harvard or Navy for the title, the schools would play a tiebreaker game, a nine-inning contest at a neutral site.

There are well over a dozen possibilities. Here are some of them, with the simplest and most likely listed first:

1. Harvard sweeps Dartmouth

*Navy loses one or more to Cornell; Harvard wins the title.

*Navy sweeps Cornell; Harvard and Navy play at a neutral site. If Harvard wins, it takes the title. If Navy wins, the teams play a second game right after the first and the winner takes the title.

2. Harvard splits with Dartmouth

*Navy sweeps Cornell; Harvard and Navy play one game for the championship.

*Navy splits with Cornell; Harvard and Navy play out their tie. If Harvard wins, it takes the championship. If Navy wins, Navy and Harvard wait for Dartmouth to finish its games. If Dartmouth doesn't lose, it joins the other two in a three-way playoff. Otherwise, Harvard and Navy play once more for the title.

*Navy loses twice to Cornell; Dartmouth finishes its schedule, and Harvard wins as soon as Dartmouth drops a game. If that doesn't happen, then Harvard plays out its tie with Navy. If Harvard wins, then it plays Dartmouth for the title. Otherwise, Dartmouth takes the crown.

3. Dartmouth sweeps Harvard

*Navy sweeps Cornell; if Dartmouth goes unbeaten and Harvard wins its tiebreaker with Navy, Dartmouth wins the title. If Dartmouth loses one and Harvard wins its tiebreaker with Navy, the three teams play off for the title. If Dartmouth loses two or more and Harvard wins its tiebreaker with Navy, Harvard and Navy play a second game for the championship. If Dartmouth loses one or more and Navy beats Harvard then Navy gets the title. If Dartmouth goes unbeaten and Harvard falls to Navy, Navy and Dartmouth play for the laurels.

The other two situation get complicated beyond belief, with Yale and Brown entering the picture. Don't try to figure it out; just pray it doesn't happen. EIBL Standings   W  L  T  Pct.*  GB HARVARD  12  3  1  .781  -- Navy  11  4  1  .719  1 Dartmouth  8  4  0  .667  2 1/2 Yale  10  6  0  .625  2 1/2 Brown  7  6  1  .536  4 Pennsylvania  7  9  0  .437  5 1/2 Princeton  7  10  1  .417  6 Columbia  6  10  0  .375  6 1/2 Cornell  3  9  0  .250  7 1/2 Army  3  13  0  .187  9 1/2 *Ties count 1/2 win, 1/2 loss

Remaining Games

All dates are doubleheaders.

May 14--Harvard at Dartmouth

May 15--Navy vs. Cornell at Penn State, Brown at Dartmouth

May 18--Penn at Dartmouth

May 21--Army at Cornell

Postponed, no dates set--Cornell at Columbia, Yale at Brown.

Remaining Games

All dates are doubleheaders.

May 14--Harvard at Dartmouth

May 15--Navy vs. Cornell at Penn State, Brown at Dartmouth

May 18--Penn at Dartmouth

May 21--Army at Cornell

Postponed, no dates set--Cornell at Columbia, Yale at Brown.