Nine Plays Dartmouth Here; Groper Is Probable Pitcher

The varsity baseball team plays the first of two consecutive home games this afternoon at 3:45 when it meets powerful Dartmouth on Soldiers Field. The Crimson faces Navy tomorrow here.

The Green brings down the nucleus of the team that swept a double bill from Harvard last year, 6 to 3, and 3 to 0. It took a southern trip earlier, playing service teams.

Harvard, which lost its first three games, bounced back with a decisive 6 to 2 victory over Bowdoin Wednesday, but still has shown a definite lack of power. Stuffy McInnis' team collected three hits off Polar Bear pitching, to bring its season total to 15 for the year. But Crimson pitchers, except for temporary wildness, have been almost equally stingy, allowing 16 hits.

McInnis will probably start righthander Pat Groper today, and use sophomore Andy Ward tomorrow. But junior John Arnold, who hurled a fine game against Northeastern, may be used in place of either.

Groper relieved Bob Ward in the team's opener against Amherst, and pitched fine ball, allowing the strong Lord Jeffs four runs and five hits the rest of the way. Groper depends a lot on his control, and despite the cold and the early date walked only three Jeffs while fanning two.

The rest of the Crimson lineup will probably be the same. Bill Chauncey will start in centerfield, with Don Butters in right and Bob Gremp in left. Butters, a sophomore, has yet to get a hit at Soldiers Field, but hit two balls very hard to centerfield against Bowdoin.

Clasby Will Catch

Dick Clasby, who had his best day at bat this season with two for two, including a line triple against Bowdoin will catch. Captain Russ Johnson, battling a hitting slump like most of the regulars, will play first.

Walt Greeley will be at second, and Ed Krinsky, who fielded very well in his last game, will play short. Third baseman Tim Wise again played a fine defensive game against Bowdoin and will start there. Wise went back deep into foul territory to make a fine catch against the Polar Bears.