Newspaper Page Text
12
THI WIST GEORGIAN MHO AY ANN >O. I*7
Bill Pennington
High
and
Low
This column started out to be
my impressions of this year’s
West Georgia baseball team.
But, the way the Braves have
been playing, it is nearly im
possible to make a concrete,
judgment on their per*
formance.
The Braves are 26-9. Looks
impressive? But, a few of their
games have been far less than
that.
On the other side of the card,
West Georgia has played some
excellent ballgames along with
some great individual per
formances.
Here’s a look at the highs and
lows after three-fourths of the
1979 season.
Low - losing three games to
conference rival Valdosta
State:
High - Tim Spivey, in the third
game of the series, pitching
brilliantly except for one high
fastball to Andy Miccachone.
Low - West Georgia getting
only five hits combined in two of
the games.
High - finally coming back to
West Georgia College.
Low - getting back too late to
buy beer.
High- Braves beating div. 1
power Birmingham 4-2 behind
the four hit pitching of Lynn
Ayers.
Low- dropping behind
Augusta by nine runs.
High- coming back with seven
in the seventh, two in the ninth,
and one in the eleventh to win
11-10.
Low- the expectations the
fans had for the six foot three
200 pound Ted Williams. He has
been hitting about .220 since the
second week of the season.
High • Clay Wood still per
forming like an All American.
He has to be the Braves number
one clutch hitter.
Low - Tim Williams, who was
the all conference second
baseman, hitting 150 points
below his average from last
season.
High • Tim still playing like
he is hitting .350.
Low - the Braves catchers
still unable to get on track at the
plate.
High * everytime he steps to
the plate, the five foot six Mark
Rothstien, getting a walk.
Low • Archie White’s wind
shield getting hit by a foul ball.
High • a good chance to get a
regional bid.
Low • a good possibility the
regional will be in Valdosta.
High - the play of Skip
Williams • batting .300 and
winning his way into the
starting line-up.
Low - poor fan turnout for
recent games.
High - Braves beating Albany
State 14-2 after the Rams
arrived ten minutes before
game time.
High • Braves manager
Bobby (Low) Goldston
providing me with statistics.
High - former West Georgia
star Barry Evans, starting for
the San Diego Padres.
Lowest - losing two of three to
Armstrong State and Ed
Aenchenbacher.
■ . , ' -9 _
Third baseman Clay Wood, who leads the Braves in RBl’s with 38, connects with a double in the Braves 6-3 win over Shorter. The
Braves host Georgia Tech Tuesday.
Spivey gets no support
West Georgia drops to 4-5 in SAC
BY DON ROSE
When asked what caused the
West Georgia baseball team to
drop two of three at Armstrong
last weekend, Coach Archie
White responded simply, “No
hitting.” The record bore him
out as the Braves were out
scored 14-8 in the three games.
In Friday’s opener, the
Braves found themselves in a
hole to the tune of 3-0 after eight
innings. However, the troops
managed another of their
miracle finishes with Cris
Criswell doubling home what
proved to be the winning run.
West Georgia starting pitcher
Lynn Ayers went the distance in
recording his eighth victory
against only two defeats,
allowing three earned runs on
seven hits with three strickouts.
Saturday’s first game turned
into the Ed Aenchbacher Show
as the Armstrong senior hurled
a two-hit 5-0 Cutout of the
Braves. Only twice previously
this season have the Braves
been held off the scoreboard.
West Georgia hurler Tim
Spivey allowed only three
earned runs on seven hits with
six strikeouts and one walk.
... If you have lost your driver's license be
cause of a D.U.I. conviction, you might be eli
gible for re-instatement without SR22 insur
ance. Call West Georgia D.U.I. School.
258-2211
SPCIFitB
Spivey is the Phil Neikro of
the West Georgia staff in that
his teammates seem hard
pressed to score runs for him.
The big senior encountered the
same problem at Valdosta State
where he was beaten 3-0.
Saturday’s nightcap once
again saw the Braves paint
themselves into a corner early.
Thanks to a couple of early
errors, West Georgia trailed 5-0
after two innings. Ricky Jones
tried to lead a Brave comeback
in the fifth by drilling a three
run homer, but Aenchbacher
came on in the ninth to stomp
out the fire and the West
Georgians died, 6-4. Daryl
Fleming was the victim,
allowing three earned runs on
11 hits.
White’s crew returned home
Sunday but was off to Atlanta
Monday to attack the Mercer-
Atlanta Hawks. This time the
club trailed 5-1 after five, but
after a Sid Sprewell single, two
walks and three consecutive
doubles in the sixth by Jones,
Criswell and Ted Williams, the
Braves and Lowery Robinson
hung in for an 8-6 triumph.
Robinson, coming off a 10-day
rest, gave up three earned runs
on six hits (eight strikeouts)
enroute to this fifth win against
two setbacks.
Back at the ranch on Wed
nesday the Shorter Hawks
came to call, sporting a 19-8
record and a 14-13 triumph over
West Georgia in Rome earlier
this year. Spivey, West
Georgia’s hard-luck hurler,
once again was the victim of
poor offensive support as he
allowed two earned runs on six
hits. Skip Williams took him off
the hook by singling in the
winning run during a four-run
sixth inning. Ayers came in to
nail down the verdict,
surrendering only four hits in
four innings and no runs.
VOLKSWAGEN SERVICE
CENTER
of Carrollton OFFER GOOD THRU APRIL
TUNE-UPS, BRAKE SERVICE. /
ENGINES REBUILT \
SCAT £ THUNDERBIRD
HI-PERFORMANCE
PARTS. if jfilK
10% OFF ALL (fxyCfll
PARTS WITH AD
JIMMY HARRIS 218 Vs NEWNAN ROAD I
404-834-2561 ( Next to Carroll Mattress)
After Wednesday’s game
White cited the lack of offensive
production as the major con
tributor to the 26-9 Braves’
plight. “We couldn’t buy a
clutch hit at Armstrong, and we
had problems today. We had
plenty of chances to score but
we didn’t cash them,” stated
the West Georgia boss.
However, the coach is satisfied
with the team’s showing at this
point. “Considering the per
sonnel we have, I think this has
been a good year so far. I mean
after all, we don’t have any
Fites or Campbells or Naves
like we had last year and it’s
hurt us.”