Batmen Take GBL Title, Split in Weekend Games

The Crimson baseball team closed out a super season, the best in Harvard's history, in fact, on a sweet and sour note Saturday. The disappointing side was its loss to Springfield, 6-4, in the opener, but the win over Brandeis to clinch the Greater Boston League title, 6-0, was sweet indeed.

The match with Springfield was the tortoise and the hare bit revisited. The Crimson raced out to a good lead, but Springfield collected a run here, a couple there, and before the hare's started eyes, walked off with the victory.

To go with its tortoise routine, the Chiefs displayed an elastic defense that just would not let the Harvard hitting barrage bust the game open. Pitcher Dave Schopp rebounded in similar fashion, as after allowing four runs in two innings, stymied the Crimson for the victory.

"Springfield didn't look real good yesterday afternoon," coach Loyal Park said. "Our guys were just tired, more mentally then physically. Not to take anything away from Springfield, but with a schedule as long as ours [35 games], a letdown like this is almost to be expected. I'm just glad it didn't come in the playoffs."

The Judges, who had been watching Harvard sink in the first game, came onto the field appearing more confidence than ever of avenging their 3-2 loss at the hands of the Crimson earlier this month. Their hopes were soon dashed as Harvard combined a steady hitting performance behind the sterling, as usual, pitching of ace Roz Brayton virtually to walk off with the game and the GBL 1973 crown.

Four of the first five batters to face Brandeis's pitcher reached base as Ed Durso, Kevin Hampe, and Jim Stoeckel all walked, Joe Sciolla then lined a single over the second baseman's head bringing in Durso and Hampe.

Two More Runs

Harvard tallied two more runs in the third inning as Leigh Hogan singled, Stoeckel reached on an error, and Sciolla again brought the runners home with a line-shot single.

Brayton pitched six innings of shut-out ball to pick up his sixth win against a single loss this season. Sandy Weissent and Norm Walsh also got into the game as pitching coach Bob Lincoln gave most of his staff a good workout in preparation for this weekend's NCAA District I playoff action.

Sciolla carried the big bat for the Crimson as he picked up two singles and four RBIs against the Judges. Durso reached first base six times Saturday as he got five walks in the two games.