Yardling Batsmen Beat Thaye, Academy With 18 to 1 Runaway Win

Behind the spectacular two-hit pitching of Les Pitchford, the 1942 edition of Harvard baseball blusted its way to an over whelming 18 to 1 victory over Thayer Academy yesterday afternoon at Soldiers Field.

With the Yardling ace setting the boys from Braintree down in order for the first five innings, it was not until the seventh frame that a Thayer man finally beat out a hit and reached first base. Even after this, Pitchford did not weaken and went on to finish up the game with a total of only two safeties and three walks charged up against him. In addition he whiffed 8 enemy batters.

Yardlings Hit

In the meantime, his mates let loose a heavy barrage of thirteen bingles, hitting easily all that two opposing hurlers had to offer. Captain Mike Rice led the Yardling barrage, pounding out three singles and a two-bagger, in five trips to the plate. "Big Bill" Parsons, with a triple and a single, and Bud Finegan and Ed Buckley with two singles apiece also figured prominently in the hitting.

It was the sixth triumph out of seven starts for the Samborski-coached nine which tackles Worcester Academy Saturday afternoon. The Yardling outfit showed a marked improvement over last week's Tufts game, especially in the fielding and bade-running departments. Speedy Mike Rice gave a sparkling exhibition on the sacks and Ed Reddy turned in the fielding gem of the day with a running back hand stab.