Crimson Freshman Nine Features Balance, Depth at Crucial Positions

Coach Adolph Samborski has a versatile and well-balanced squad with which to work in Freshman baseball this spring. Although there are no standouts that "carry" a team, the Yardling nine shapes up as very effective in the field, at the plate, and in the pitching department.

The team plays its second game of a 12-game schedule against M.I.T. at Soldiers Field this afternoon at 3. On the mound for the Crimson will be tall righthander Paul Ronka, second man on the team's pitching staff. This season, in addition to Ronka, Samborski will rely lefty Tom Boone. Boone, the best hurler on the squad, compiled a 10 to 2 record in Missoula, Mont., American Legion ball last year and gained credit for a win in a pre-season practice game. Behind these two are pitchers Roy Williams, Al Yarbro, Bill Hyland and Jon Silverman.

After shuffling his infielders around to smooth out weaknesses and to fill a gap at first base, Samborski now has a regular quartet of players, all from Massachusetts. The key man in the infield is Mike Drummey, of North Andover, a peppy little player now settled at second base. His partner in the double-play combination-and it's a good one--is Dave Morse. A former Vermont Academy athlete from Hingham, Morse will start at shortstop today.

Fred Karp, of Brighton, has shown considerable versatility in the outfield, at third, and at short in the early season and has just recently been moved to the first pase position. Jim Dwinell, former Choate hockey and baseball player, is Samborski's choice for a starting role at third base but is able to fill in equally well at any of the infield positions.

In the outfield, there has also been plenty of switching. Only Phil Bernstein managed to secure his position in center field at the start and hold onto it. Right field will be filled by Seth Singleton, a very successful batter and fielder, who is sometimes too reckless.

Williams, pitcher-outfielder from Oklahoma City, will play in left, except when he takes his turn on the mound. Switch-batter Williams is a long-ball hitter and will bat cleanup. Also very strong at the plate is Drummey, left-handed lead off man, who hits to all fields. Morse and Bernstein, who bats from the left side, are also expected to compile high averages this spring.

Starting behind the plate for the Crimson will be Chris Norris, Dwinell's teammate at Choate. Although hampered by a leg injury, Norris is a good hitter and a strong catcher. His job is threatened, however, by Bob Selling.

Samborski has said that this year's team has good depth, although "the first team this year is not quite as good as last year's." But, with plenty of talent to draw from on the bench, he would not be at all surprised if the 1959 Wardling were bettered last year's 12-2 freshman record.

The squad has practiced since early March and has been narrowed down from an original 50 candidates. After preseason sessions in Briggs Cage, the team began to take shape after vacation. Since then its performances in practice games have given rise to considerable optimism for the season. The team outscored Cambridge Latin on a rainy and cold Friday one week ago and easily out-played Somerville High School last Tuesday, giving much promise for the future in both games.