Varsity Nine Ties Tufts in Opener; Game Called Because of Darkness

The Crimson opened its regular baseball season yesterday on a note of frustrating indecision, as 12 innings on a chilly diamond at Tufts resulted in a 2-2 tie. The game was called at this time because of darkness.

The varsity's pitching was the only bright point in what was otherwise an afternoon of rather dismal baseball. Starter Dave Brigham worked a full nine innings and allowed only five hits, striking out five and walking four. Herb Schenier was equally impressive in finishing up the game.

Each team scored its runs, however, in ways that dramatized the sloppier aspects of the game. The Crimson attack featured 14 walks among five scattered hits; the varsity erupted for a rally of five free passes in the seventh inning to push across two runs.

The Jumbos, who could only muster up six hits of their own during the entire game, took advantage of one of the Crimson's six fielding errors to knot the score with two unearned tallies in the eighth.

Almost Lost in Tenth

A lacrosse game intervened to save the tie for the Crimson in the tenth. Jumbo clean-up hitter Joe Crowley blasted a long drive far out into centerfield and into the midst of an adjacent lacrosse match. The hit, which ordinarily would have been as easy home run, was limited to a ground rule double, and Scheiner retired the side without any scoring.

The same technicality robbed the varsity's Frank Saia of a triple in the third, but it was just as well for the Crimson because Saia overran third base and was tagged out before being sent back to second.

The Crimson nine plays its first home game this afternoon at 3:45 p.m. against Brandeis. Right-hander Byron Johnson is scheduled to start for the varsity.

The J.V. team also played to a tie yesterday. Its season opener against Suffolk College was called because of darkness at the end of 11 innings, with the score even at 6 to 6.