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The Red and Black. Wednesday, February 22. 1978
It’s that time again...
Baseball opens Saturday with a doubleheader
By CHUCK THOMPSON
Bill tor up'
Thai's right sports fan Once
again it's time to break out the
hats and halls, chalk the foul
lines, and strap down the
bases. Baseball season is upon
us.
As the Braves. Yankees, and
Dodgers head for spring
training camps in Florida and
Arizona along with the rest of
the pro teams, college baseball
squads around the nation are
beginning their 197H cam
paigns
The Georgia Bulldogs are no
exception They open their
season with a doubleheader at
home against Tennessee Tern*
Umstattd. beginning his
third season here, is trying to
build a winning baseball
program at Georgia
“For the first time since I've
been here I feel that we have
enough depth that if we lose a
player or two. no matter who.
we will lx* able to replace them
and the difference won't lx 4
like night and day." the coach
said "Of course, we'd still
hate to lose anyone."
The team hopes that the
number of injuries that pla
gued it last year (especially
the pitching staff) will be
significantly smaller and less
serious.
Umstatta predicted a close
pie on Feb. 25 at 1 p.m.
The baseball Dogs' 1978
schedule lists 50 games—33 of
which are at home Twenty-
four of the encounters are
Aithin the tough SEC Fast
Also included on the slate
are contests with ACC cham
pion Clemson. Southern Con
ference winner Western Cali
fornia. eastern power St
John's of New York, and NAIA
region champ Columbus Col-
Il’tlC
The Georgia players have
been working out in the
Coliseum since the beginning
of January in preparation for
their opener.
Though cold weather has
limited the team’s practice to
mainly throwing and condition
ing and a little hitting. Bulldog
head coach Hoy Umstattd
doesn't feel his squad will be
handicapped when season play
begins
“Sure it would be nice to go
out to practice every day. but
we've been able to get outside
eight or nine times.” the coach
'.ud
He went on to explain
Georgia wouldn’t be at a
disadvantage because all of the
Bulldogs' early opponents were
having to contend with as bad
or worse weather.
The coach added that his
team was shaping up real well.
We’re as far along as can be
expected right now. consider
ing the cold.”
Women lose
In their final dual match ol
the season the Georgia wo
men’s swimming team lost to
South Carolina in a match with
few highlights for the Bulldogs
Beverly Lange qualified
for the regional championships
in two events by getting a
2:24 78 in the 200 yard
individual medley and scoring
a 1 07 84 in the 100 yard
individual medley Also, qual
ifying for the regionals was
Michelle Wilkes who raced to a
26 47 time in the 50-yard
freestyle
Four in national 4 .
The University Judo club
qualified four members for the
National Championships at the
AAU state judo match held in
Atlanta this weekend
Barbara Gentry won her
division (138 lbs ). Bill Wynck
took second in the 143 lb class
while Tom Buckner and Lynn
Lindsay each took fourth place
in the 172 lb and the 124 Ih.
classes respectively.
race in the SEC-F.ast this
season, with all of the teams
being pretty well even in
strength
“I can see no weak sisters on
our SEC schedule and l hope
our opponents don't look at us
as the weak sister." he said.
"Vanderbilt lost only one
starter (from their 1977 squad.
Tennessee lost only two.
Kentucky just three, and
Florida lost four but they
signed the four best junior
college pitchers in Florida to
replace them."
"And we didn't lose any
starters except for pitchers."
Umstattd added. "So the east
side of the conference is very
experienced."
Even so. the coach said he
felt his team would be
improved this season. "For the
first year since I've been at
Georgia I feel we can really
compete with the other confer
ence teams." he commented
"I'm not saying we re going
to tear them all up. but we re
not going to lay down for
anyone either." Umstattd went
on.
"It takes growing pains to
build a winning tradition at a
school. That's what we've been
goihg through." the coach said
"The talent, experience, and
depth is there for us to
compete The attitude this
team takes and the perfor
mance of our pitching staff will
dictate the type of season we
Red and Black file photo
I 'mstattd is starting third year at helm
will have." explained Um
stattd
Georgia returns all eight
starting fielders and the top
two reserves from last year’s
team, which finished loth in
hitting in the nation with a .325
batting average.
This season’s infield will lx*
the same as 1977’s except at
first base. There junior college
transferee Don Keener has
edged out last year's starter
Kandy Gilbert. Gilbert will be
used as a designated hitter as
well as back-up first saeker.
Senior Lonnie Morris, one of
the three team captains this
year, returns behind the plate.
Back at second base for his
senior year is another of the
captains. Don Clatterbuck.
Bubba Kizer returns at short
stop for his junior year.
Sophomore David Lanning is
back at third base for the
Bulldogs.
In the outfield are five
players who will see consider
able playing time: seniors
Brad Pager and Joe Stewart,
juniors Gil Mende and Joe
Monroe, and sojihomore Bubba
Chrismer.
Those outfielders not starting
in the field will lx* used along
with GiIImtI as the designated
hitter and as pinch hitters.
Other outfielders on the
squad are senior Bo Sorrells,
last year’s right fielder, and
sophomore Jefl Pyburn. who
also plays quarterback on the
Georgia football team. Py-
burn's status.)he's recovering
from a knee operation), is
questionable at this time.
Reserve infielders for the
Bulldogs this year are Gilbert
and sophomores Wade McKin
ney and David Sweat Fresh
men Eric Thiel and Bob White
are the backup catchers.
"Pitching is 75 percent of
baseball." Umstattd said. With
that in mind the coach has
been trying to build a strong
stall that will have a winning
attitude.
"The pitchers that want the
iKiseball and want to win are
the ones who'll do well,"
Umstattd explained. "I hope
all of them will really want to
(win)."
The only hurler returning
who has considerable exper
ience from last year is senior
Alan O'Neal, the squad's third
captain.
Challenging O'Neal for the
top position on the pitching
staff is returning junior Ken
Rabun
Other moundsmen Umstattd
is counting on heavily this year
are Chris DiLorenzo. senior;
Ron Keener, junior, and Greg
Morris, sophomore.
Two hurlers who could
become top men on the staff
according to the coach are
Scott Bell and Jeff Hipp Hipp.
a sophomore, is also a member
of the football team. He is
presently working to regain his
form after being out of
baseball for a year
Bell, a junior transfer
student from Cleveland State
Community College, was the
number one draft pick of the
Boston Red Sox in 1976. he is
only now getting back into top
shape following an arm injury.
"He (Belli could be the
stopper on this staff,” Um
stattd stated.
The rest of the pitching staff
for the Bulldogs this season
includes juniors Mike Finke.
Greg Garner, and Gene
Richie, and freshmen Bud
Gray. Steve Green. Mark
Harris. Scott Maughon. Peyton
Mosher, and Matt Walton.
Aiding Umstattd coach the
team this year are pitching
coach Earl Fales. in his third
season with the Bulldogs, and
two student assistants: Bill
Taylor and Tom Dupree
Taylor, who spent four years
in the California Angels
organization, works with the
outfielders.
Dupree helps coach the
catchers and is the base
running instructor He played
for the University of Tennessee
at Chattanooga.
Well, the weather will be
turning warmer soon; so,
stuff your hair up under your
cap. roast you some peanuts,
and head on out to the ball
park
It’s lime to PLAY BALL
again.
TUESDAY NITE
$1.30 PITCHERS ALL DAV
WEDNESDAY NITE
$1.00 FOR I PITCHER
U)ITH A PIZZA Oft SANDWICH ORDERED
|S0frl£30Prs|
CORNER Of LUMPKIN AND CLAVTON STREETS
FAST 0EUUERV 546 0681
Grand Opening
Announcement
We are very happy to announce
the Grand Opening, of our
second store in Willowood
Square. We deeply appreciate
your continued patronage
during, the last few years and
hope you will a patronize us at
this new location. So come on
down and browse around at our
Downtown store or at Willowood.
128 College Avenue
Willowood Square
For all your affairs . . .
Foreign Affaire
FEBRUARY FINAL
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Reg. *55"
No. *20°°
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22 P ilwnr Sweater*
S3 PJover Kail Skirt*
HOWARD
SANDERS
MEN’S SHOP
228 East Glajtoa Street
Old College
food spirits friends
\ JtMI1 the
weekday*
Mjpjw Hour crowd ji <Md College
from 5 lo 7 pm Stay for dinner.
Fly the jet set.
Cruise at
185 mph and
dive at 220 in
the jet-powered
AH-1 Cobra gun-
ship
Hover in midair or shift the AV-8 Hamer into drive and
jet out at transonic
speeds
Fly Marine.
If you re in college now and want to fly we can get you
off the ground Our PLC Air Program guarantees flight
school after basic training If you qualify, we can put you
in the air before college graduation with tree civilian fly
ing lessons Contact us-now'
On campus al the
University Bookstore
February 22 24 from
2:00 a m. to 3:00 p.m.
The Few.
The Proud.
The Marines.
☆
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