University of Virginia Library

Baseball Squad Splits At ECU

By BILL BERNO

Neither here nor there was
the performance of the
Cavalier baseball team this
weekend as the squad opened
its schedule by splitting a pair
of games at East Carolina.

Coach Jim West used the
games as a tuneup for his
players, using seven pitchers
and giving many ballplayers a
chance to get in on the action.

5–2 Saturday Loss

Saturday afternoon the
Cavs dropped a 5-2 decision to
the Pirates. John Cunningham
got the starting call and the
southpaw gave an erratic
performance. In three innings,
Cunningham struck out five
ECU batters but gave up three
runs.

Second-year man
Cunningham was followed by a
pair of fourth-year veterans.
Steve Brindle, the team
captain, threw for three innings,
and Dave Lacross finished up.

In the end, the Pirates had
scored five runs on just six hits,
while the Cavaliers had
managed to get only a pair of
runs from their seven hits.

Pallota Blasts Homer

Providing the Virginia
power were Steve Sroba, with a
single and a double, and Dean
Pallotta, who blasted a fifth
inning bases-empty home run.

7–4 Revenge Victory

Virginia responded Sunday
with a solid performance to
gain a split of the series. Brian
Hilburn opened in the 7-4
victory, and was followed by
Scott Gardner, better known
for throwing a pigskin, and
Harry Thomas, another
first-year gridder.

Thomas received credit for
the win when the Cavaliers
rallied from a 4-4 tie to score
three runs in the top of the
ninth.

Steve Sroba, who again had
two hits, led off the inning and
was hit by a pitch. After Dave
Bratt popped up, Jonathan
Williams singled, as did Gene
Pallotta and Peter Anderson to
knock in the winning runs.

Cavs Pound Out 14 Hits

Joey McMahon came in to
get the final two outs of the
game in the bottom of the
ninth and preserve the win for
Thomas.

Paced by Sroba's pair of
singles, the Cavs pounded out
14 hits to register their seven
runs. Dave Bratt and Duval
White also had two hits.

Pitching Unpolished

Pitching, which Mr. West
says will be the strength of the
team, was a little ragged. The
combined totals of the seven
pitchers show nine Pirate runs
and 14 hits. However, the Cavs
have had limited time to
practice outside, and the
early-season showing didn't
disappoint anyone. Gardner
and Thomas were impressive in
their first action on the
mound.