University of Virginia Library

Spigone Leads From Mound

Optimism Reigns On Diamond

As the new term begins,
those baseball fans amongst us can
look forward to another successful
season. Spring of 1970 will see Jim
West beginning his ninth season as
head coach of the Cavalier
Mittmen. This year's squad appears
to be in good supply of potential,
which only time, Clemson, and
Maryland can bring out.

Except for the loss through
graduation of Buzzy Schultz, Dave
Counts, and Joel DeBoe, this
coming spring should be even better
than last for the Cavaliers. Overall
success depends upon whom Coach
West can come up with to replace
the above mentioned Virginians.

Last year the baseballers won
more games than any other Virginia
team has won since 1951. Their
overall record read 19-11 while the
conference mark was 9-11. The
biggest win of the season came
when the Cavaliers defeated
Virginia Tech's Hokies 1-0 on
Lambeth Field. The win enabled
Virginia to capture the Big Five
title for the state, while plaguing
Tech with their only shutout of the
season.

Rick Spigone, the author of that
shutout, returns this spring to lead
a star-spangled cast of lettermen.
Last year Spigone broke the record
of games started with 13 and also
tied the complete games pitched
record with eight. In hurting 89
innings he allowed only 2.11 earned
runs a game. Teaming with Ed
, a star reliever who allowed
only 1.88 earned runs a game,
Spigone should lead the mound
corps to another fine season.

Returning to spark the sluggers
is Steve "Bear" Bryant, a
centerfielder who totaled six triples
last season, one less than the school
record.

Other players who developed
during the year into effective
hitters were Robin Marvin and Mike
Cubbage. Marvin began last season
as a pinch hitter and went six for
12 to earn a starting role. Coach
West then used him exclusively in
left field where he maintained a
flawless fielding record as well as a
.300 batting average.

Determination, training, and
talent are the key words for the
coming season, and this team
appears to have that and more.
Knowing that no one team in the
ACC has an easy hold on first place,
it should be an interesting race to
follow.

As far as the Cavaliers go, if a
little depth and a new field are
thrown in, they might just nab the
crown.