Searching for some runs

By Albert Chen

They say that pitching and defense win baseball games. Over break, the Elis learned that it isn't that simple. During its 11-game trip that took them to Washington, D.C., Tennessee, and Kentucky, the squad struggled to produce runs, batting just over .250 and averaging a little over three runs a game. Yale won just three contests.

If the Bulldogs want to make a serious run at their first league title in four years, they'll have to produce more runs. Still, the team got solid performances from Tony Coyne, BK '00, the team's best hitter a year ago, and backstop Todd Kasper, PC '99.

Coyne is expected to be one of the team's offensive leaders again, and Kasper stands to be the season's most pleasant surprise if he continues his solid play. In addition to batting a team best .323 on the trip, Kasper gunned down several runners on the basepaths. Kasper was expected to share time with the injured Jimmy Bryan, MC '98, but will now be an everyday player. "[Bryan's] leadership and experience will be missed," Kasper said. "Right now, I need to concentrate on helping the younger pitchers and doing the best I can to help us win."

The bright spot in the trip was a 3-2 win over Western Kentucky on Wed., Mar. 18, as Eric Gutshall, TD '98, a 1997 first-team All-Ivy selection, pitched a complete game. Gutshall gave up only six hits while strking out six. Coming off a stellar season where he recorded a 2.97 earned run average, 82 strikeouts, and just 36 walks in 66 innings, Gutshall looks to lead the pitching staff again this season.

--Albert Chen

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