Crimson Nine Beats Cadets, 6-5, For Fourth Straight League Win

Heads-up, aggressive baseball alone enabled the varsity nine to roll up its third consecutive Eastern Intercollegiate League victory, as they took advantage of four Army errors, five stolen bases, two wild pitches, and a balk to eke out a 6 to 5 win over the Cadets.

As it was, Army gained seven hits off the combined offerings of starter Bob McGinnis and reliever Dave Brigham, while its ace Jack Shepherd limited the hard hitting varsity to only four. However, among them was a bases-empty home run over the left field fence by Bob Hastings, and a run-scoring double by John Simourian.

The varsity opened the scoring in the top of the first, when leadoff man Tom Bergantino worked Shepherd for a walk, the first of four he gave up. After Bob Cleary struck out, Bergantino stole second, and scored on Simourian's double. Simourian, who had advanced to third on Hasting's long sacrifice fly, scored on a single by Matt Botsford.

In the second, Walt Stahura led off with a single, stole second, and scored on an Army error. The Crimson added a fourth tally in the third on Hasting's home run.

During this span, McGinnis had been breezing along, having allowed the Cadets only one hit, a single in the third. In the fifth, however, the roof caved in, as Army tallied four times on two walks, three singles, a sacrifice fly, and a costly Simourian error on a double play ball. Brigham relieved McGinnis to get the third out of the inning.

With the score tied four-all, Simourian walked to open the sixth and promptly stole second. After Hastings walked, they worked a double steal. Botsford drove in Simourian with a fly to center.

In the bottom of that inning, Army tied the game at five-all, as the second pass of the inning by Brigham forced in the final Army run.

The varsity had to wait until the top of the eighth to score the winning marker, again without the benefit of a hit. After Cleary walked, Simourian tried to sacrifice him to second, but the Cadet first baseman muffed the throw, advancing Cleary to third. Hastings drove him across with a tremendous sacrifice fly to center.