Andy Luther Throws Four-Hitter As Baseball Team Tops Columbia

Solid Harvard pitching and two helpful Columbia catchers gave the varsity baseball team a 5-1 win Saturday over last year's Eastern League co-champions.

The Lions pulled a surprise by starting mammoth right-hander Ron Bohaboy in place of Neil Farber, who beat the Crimson last year. Bohaboy had been the surprise of the year for Columbia; he had registered two of their three wins and hadn't lost a game. He might have made it closer this time with a little help from his teammates.

The pattern was set in the first inning when George Neville walked and took off for second. Catcher Pete Riley's throw was at least ten feet off the bag, and Neville made it with ease; he scored promptly on Tom Stephenson's single.

In the second John Dockery walked and stole second, beating Riley's throw easily. He died at second. Neville drew his second walk an inning later, took off for second, and never stopped running as Riley's throw soared into center. But Tom Bilodeau and Stephenson left him on third.

In the fourth the Crimson finally broke through. Dockery walked for the second time. Bohaboy, knowing what was up by now, threw five pickoff throws to first, trying to hold the speedy sophomore close to the bag. When he finally threw to the plate, Riley dropped the ball. Dockery zipped down to second and scored on Bobby St. George's single a moment later.

Riley went out in favor of Joe Gertz as the sixth started. Jim Tobin singled and promptly stole second as Gertz's throw took two bounces to arrive. Dockery got on on a fielder's choice while Tobin went to third; a passed ball scored Tobin and Dockery came in moments later on Luther's sacrifice fly.

The Lion catchers' exercise wasn't finished. Neville singled to start the seventh, went to second on a groundout, and to third on Gertz' third passed ball. Stephenson brought him in with a squeeze bunt.

Columbia finally got going in the ninth after relief pitcher Jack Strauch had plunked Luther in the side with a fast ball. All-around hero Archie Roberts got his first hit of the day, a broken-bat wrongfield single to left. Farber, playing right field, singled him to second and Reggie Maton walked. Harvard catcher Gary Miller promptly picked Maton off first, but Tom Stephenson dropped the ball in the rundown. He recovered in time to tag Maton out, but Roberts scored.