Chicarello Fit and Ready to Hit

Two trips to the hospital after his last hit. Paul Chicarello lined a single into right field yesterday on his second real swing of the season.

Granted, the pitch was a batting-practice slowball from Assistant Coach Barry Sullivan. But after spending five days in a hospital had wondering if he'd ever hit again last month, nobody was happier than the senior captain to be swinging a bat on this first outdoor workout of the spring.

Just five weeks ago--February 19--an overthrow caught Chicarello in the lower left eye. "Since then," he said yesterday, "I've finally learned patience "Chicarello added. "I couldn't do anything for a month, and watching everyone else work was the worst part, but I waited like the doctor said I started hitting again Monday and I'm pretty pleased so far."

He's been over the rehabilitation route before, including an injury to the same eye four years ago and off-season wrist surgery this summer Ironically, he had just rehabilitated the wrist when he got hit

"I was an excellent shape. I had been working out all month," he said. "That was another frustrating thing about keeping still--it realty set me back."

Yesterday, Chicarello played a lot of pepper, did his usual hollering around the cage and took a regular turn at bat. After fouling off Sullivan's first offering, he made contact two or three times, closing with a long drive to right-center

"I'm seeing the ball well, but my timing s just a little off," he said "There's still an element of fear that I have to overcome, but that will come with time and some more batting practice."

The practice should come during the squad's eight-day, nine-game junket to Florida that begins tomorrow After spending his first two seasons as an infield handyman with the junior varsity and varsity. Chicarello found a home last year as Harvard's designated hitter, and for the first time he heads for Florida with a spot in the lineup just about sewn up.

"Obviously, Chico's a little behind," Coach Alex Nahigian said yesterday, "but he's hitting with the team now, and I'm extremely pleased to have him back." Nahigian added that "his timing's off, but it was off for all our hitters at first, and they had to work into it.

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Lefthander Jim Curtin of Burlington will open Harvard's spring season Saturday afternoon when he faces the Chicago White Sox minor league squad in Sarasota. The following evening, the Crimson opens its intercollegiate schedule with a doubleheader against the University of South Florida in Tampa, and juniors Greg Brown and Billy Doyle will be the starters. Three freshmen pitchers, lefty Jeft Musselman and righthanders Charlie Marchese and Cecil Cox, will make the trip, along with Doyle, Curtn, Brown, and seniors Mike smercznski and John Sorich.

Nahigian will take a look at some different combinations for his infield on Florida, Returnees Gaylord Lyman and all-Ivy selection Brad Bauer will start the trip at second and short, with freshman Tony DeCesare getting a look at short stop later on and Bauer moving to second. The edge at third base belongs to freshman Scott Vierra, with another freshman. Elliot Rivera, chipping in around the infield

Harvard returns home Saturday, April 3, and opens the regular season the following Tuesday against MIT at home. The EIBL, campaign kicks off April 17 with a home doubleheader against powerful Navy.