Tigers granted reprieve, get NCAA bid ' By Joel Goldberg the dressing room. Then he broke the news. The Cypret "I can't come back now." the hitters lunging and taking feeble cuts at his of the eighth to give him a two-ru- n cushion, Missourian sports writer Tigers had received a berth in the Mideast But the standout shortstop and the rest of his pitching array. Kranitz hit his stride in the ninth, hitting the Regionals starting Friday at Ann Arbor, Mich., teammates will indeed come back after being on ' Meanwhile the Cowboys had nicked ace Rob outside corner with called third strikes to the Back and forth paced Missouri players joining Eastern Michigan, 35-2- 5, Texas A&M, 37-1- 4, the doorstep of the Big Eight tournament title Pietroburgo for two infield hits, a bloop, and a first two batters and getting Hightower on a two-ou- Monday afternoon in their Simmons Field and Michigan, 26-1- 5. and then dropping two in a row to upstart line-driv- e single to jump to a 2-- 0 first-innin-g grounder after a t error. locker room. Looking more like expectant Missouri will open against Eastern Michigan champion Oklahoma State. lead. As it began to rain harder, OSU doubled its The loss capped a feeble .189 hitting week by fathers than baseball players, they nervously at 1 p.m. Friday. During the regular season the After beating the Cowboys Wednesday, 3--1, lead in the fifth on four more singles, the last a the Tigers, who hit .314 during the regular

Ten-champi- 10-inni- ng awaited the telephone call from the NCAA Tigers lost two out of three to Big on and edging Oklahoma Thursday in a perfect safety-squee- ze drag bunt by cen-terfiel- der season. In contrast the Cowboys' pitching staff, selection committee that would tell them Michigan in Lakeland, Fla., and did not play thriller, 4-- 3, Missouri already was fitting itself Dan Townsend. which had a 4.58 earned run average entering whether their season was over or the committee Southwest Conference runner-upNTex- as A&M or for the championship ring. Finally in the eighth, as the Tigers' dugout the tournament, hurled a 2.36 ERA in its five had granted them a reprieve in the form of an Mid-Ameri- ca champion Eastern Michigan. "I thought the tournament was in the bag awoke with chatter as if the players sensed it tourney games. at-lar- ge bid. "We got the break we needed," McArtor told after we beat Oklahoma," pitcher Tom Heck-ma- n was their last chance, Evans faltered and issued "We kept waiting for one hitter to ignite the "I'm afraid it's going to be a miscarriage," the players. "I didn't hold out much hope. Now admitted. a pair of one-o- ut walks followed by Al team," Heckman said. "It just never hap- second baseman Jim English said. we need to try and take advantage of it." Instead, the Cowboys nipped the Tigers, 3--2, in Hightower's RBI-singl- e, only the TigersT second pened." "Everybody's nerves are shot," outfielder Jim With that, the players started celebrating, a rain-shorten- ed seven-innin- g affair Saturday, hit. At that point first-ye- ar Cowboys Coach Gary When' asked Sunday whether Missouri' Leavitt said. "If they say yes, I'll hit the slapping each other on the. back, yelling and then polished them off Sunday, 5-- 3, behind the Ward waved in his ace Kranitz, who handcuffed deserved an at-lar- ge bid, Ward said, "The Big ceiling." honking their car horns. "I can't believe it," brilliant pitching of right-hande-rs Randy Evans Missouri Wednesday until his own throwing Eight deserves an at-lar-ge bid every year. The phone rang and Coach Gene McArtor English said, echoing the thoughts of most of his and Rick Kranitz and airtight defense. error led to three unearned runs. Certainly Missouri, with a 35-- 16 record and the went into his office. Several minutes later, he teammates. "We better win that damn thing." For seven innings Evans, pitching with just Kranitz had difficulty adjusting to the soggy type of schedule they play, deserves it. I don't emerged. A suppressed but definite smile Seniors like Greg Cypret, Rob Pietroburgo two days rest after tossing a complete-gam- e six-hitt- er mound and yielded RBI-singl- es to Curt Brown care if it's Portland or Ann Arbor they've crosed his lips. The seniors bidding goodbye and Curt Brown who assumed that their college Thursday, used side-ar- m curves, sliders and Tim Laudner before retiring Rick Hereth earned it." stopped in their tracks. careers were over had instead been granted a and fastballs to keep Missouri's batters off with the bases loaded to preserve the 4-- 3 lead. Ward turned out to be not only a coach, but a McArtor waited for the players to gather in reprieve. "I've said my goodbyes," joked balance. He owned the outside corner and had After receiving an insurance run in the bottom prophet as well. nmaiBiHBiaHinimiH

1L JLJP (Ji T 5 Page 6-CO- LUMBIA MISSOURIAN, Tuesday, May 23, 1978

Marshall spells relief for Twins From our wire services Reliever Mike Marshall gained his fourth save since being signed by the Minnesota Twins one week ago, giving up no hits in 1 innings and pitching out of an eighth inning jam as the Twins shut out the Texas Rangers, 2-- 0, Monday night in Bloomington. Geoff Zahn, 4-- 2, worked 7 innings and gave up seven hits before yielding to Marshall, who retired the hot-hitti- ng Jim Sundberg on a groundout with runners on second and third. Sundberg managed two singles in earlier at-ba- ts to extend his hitting streak to 22 straight games, the longest in the majors.

BOSTON 5, TORONTO 4 at Toronto Carl Yastrzemski's three-ru-n homer with two out in the eighth inning lifted the Red Sox over the Blue Jays and put Boston in a virtual tie for first place in the American League East with idle Detroit. Toronto, threatened in the ninth off Beaver Tom.Burgrpeier,.,but..Bob Stanley cainein to earn his .third save. . John Mayberry accounted for three Blue Jay runs with his sixth and seventh home runs of the season, while Jim Rice belted his 14th round-tripp- er for Boston. Raymond K. Gehman MONTREAL 5, PITTSBURGH 2 at Montreal Steve Rogers tossed no-h- it to ball for 1V3 innings and Ellis Valentine Dave Watson, No. 34 above, tries to keep a runner while infielder Mike Hall, left, attempts throw doubled home two runs in the first in- close at first base during this weekend's tryouts out one at home. Hall was selected for a position ning to help the Expos beat the Pirates, for the American Legion team at Legion Field, on the team; Watson was not. snapping Montreal's four-gam-e losing streak. Rogers, who picked up his fifth victory in nine decisions, yielded the Pirates' first hit with one out in the It's back to basics in local Legion tryouts eighth when Rennie Stennett singled for his 1,000th career hit. ByJimMonahan Maupin showed any favoritism toward any player school they want me to play shortstop and when I uniforms. Missourian sports writer during the three-da- y tryout. There were Hickman come out here, Cookie likes to have me at third The moment of truth came early Sunday mor- CINCINNATI 10, ATLANTA 0 at players, Rock Bridge players and former Legion base." ning too early for some. Maupin and Whitesides Cincinnati Ken Griffey hit a two-ru- n An onlooker at last weekend's American Legion players competing for the 18 positions on the team. For Watson, an 18-year-- old catcher-firs-t instructed their players to sit in the dugout while homer, Ray Knight added a three-ru- n baseball tryouts easily could have been reminded In the eyes of Maupin and Whitesides, all were baseman for the Kewpies, the pressure was of a they conferred on those who would be cut. It was blast and Bill Bonham notched his fifth of an old story about Casey Stengel. equal until they proved otherwise. different nature. Watson never played for the agreed that Maupin would read a list of names. straight victory Monday night as the It is reported that on Stengel's first day as "I judge 'em on whether they're gonna help the Legion team. Less than a week ago, he was struck Those hearing their name had made the team. For Reds bombed the Braves. manager of the New York Mets in 1962 he team," said Whitesides, a short, rugged man who on the jaw by a ball in a game against Rock , the rest, there is always the new Babe Ruth league Bonham combined with Pedro assembled his players, scratched his chin and starred for the same Legion team 28 years ago. Bridge. The mouth injury required three stitches. team being sponsored by Red Weir Sporting Borbon on a five-hitt- er as the Reds asked, "Now does anyone here know how to play For several players such as Mike Hall of Rock Watson's problems were compounded by a pulled Goods, which also sponsors the Legion team. blanked Atlanta for the second straight this game?" Bridge and Dave Watson of Hickman, tryouts are groin muscle which slowed him in the field. As Maupin headed for the dugout to bring the game. It marked the first time Reds' In much the same way, Coach Cookie Whitesides nothing new. Back in March, both underwent the Neither injury, however, deterred him from trying good and bad news, silence replaced the chatter pitchers have posted back-to-ba- ck of the Columbia American Legion Post 202 team same type of drills. Hour after hour of hitting, out for the Legion team. ' that had been mere only moments before. Tension shutouts since June 1975, when they approached the 30 young players who came out for fielding, running and throwing. Both had survived "It's kind of tough," Watson said through half of filled the air as the players listened for their also performed the feat against the first of three days of tryouts on a cloudy Friday roster cuts. Now, however, the competition was his swollen mouth. "You have different coaches names. Atlanta. afternoon. much stiffer. Each would have to prove himself and you have to show them what you can do. You "Smith, Cockriel, Scott, Hulett," Maupin said, Although Whitesides never posed the question again. have to show them you can really play ball." pausing between names to allow each player to LOS ANGELES 8, SAN DIEGO 1 at and never spoke in "Stengelese," he employed the Hall, 17, played shortstop this season for the Both Hall and Watson said they went out for the walk from the dugout and stand by his side. San Diego Pinch-hitt- er Manny same philosophy as one of baseball's most beloved Bruins. Each of the last two summers, he played team because they like the competitiveness of the The next to emerge was Hall. For the third year, Mota's three-ru- n double with one out in managers : start with the basics. for the Legion team where Whitesides switched league and the many games that are scheduled. he had survived a cut on the Legion team. His the eighth inning touched off a seven-ru-n "I don't care what you fellows did in high school, him to third base. Hall says he felt no pressure "It feels like the major leagues," Hall said. "It's friend, Watson, never heard his name called. And inning that carried the Dodgers to this is a whole new ballgame now," Whitesides trying to make the team, although he says he still a long season and there's good competition." when all 18 players were selected, Watson calmly their victory over the Padres. 18-year-- said as he studied the 16- - to old faces had to play well enough to retain his starting Competition, though, can be both enjoyable and left the field, head still high. Mota's pinch hit was the 125th of his before him. position. painful. All of the Columbia athletes knew that by "I think I could've done a little better,". Watson career, second on the all-tim- e list When Whitesides said it was a "new ballgame" "The hardest thing for me to do," the muscular the June 4 opener, 12 of their friends and former said from behind his bandaged face. "I'm not behind Smokey Burgess who collected he meant it. Neither Whitesides nor coach Harvey infielder said, "is to make the switch. In high teammates would not be wearing Legion going to make any excuses." 144. Playoffs Canadiens9 path not so smooth Will Bullets fall in four again? MONTREAL (UPI) - For the first confidence even playing in the said tersely. "We have to take the LANDOVER,-Md- . (UPI) The playoff series hurt the Bullets? Will down the stretch and the "Big E" time in three years, the Montreal Forum, because of the way we almost Bruins to the attack by shooting the Seattle-Washingto- n NBA Cham- Seattle's Paul Silas be able to shut off scored just two of his 21 points in the Canadiens are under pressure in the won the second game there. puck in and keeping it out of our own pionship Series switched coasts Elvin Hayes as consistently as he did final 16 minutes. Dandridge was Stanley Cup Finals. With the series 'Everyone on our squad is encouraged end." Monday with the onus clearly on the in the fourth quarter? Will Bob , never in the game, thanks to Seattle's now tied 2-- 2 the Canadiens know they about Tuesday's game. We know we Bullets to prove they can, in fact, win Dandridge snap back and provide John Johnson, and wound up with must win on Tuesday night against have come this far and we're not Montreal's Guy Lafleur, who leads some of the big ones. some offense? Will Kevin Grevey's only six points. the Boston Bruins. going to let anything slip away from the playoffs in total points and who The Bullets, who suffered through ankle injury hamper him? "Once I saw JJ could handle The Canadiens, who took the us." tied the score 3-- 3 with only 33 seconds 44) championship .sweeps at the hands The answers to those questions will Dandridge, I knew Marvin (Webster) Stanley Cup during the last two Boston coach Don Cherry is pleased remaining in regulation time Sunday of Milwaukee (1971), and Golden' have to wait until Thursday night could help me with Elvin," said Silas. seasons by winning the final round by the attitude of his team. "We have after the Canadiens lifted goalie Ken State (1975), vowed that things would when Washington hosts game two "Freddy Brown also did a great job of both times in four straight, have proven that we can skate with the Dryden, looks at Tuesday's game as be different this time. The early with game three to follow Sunday ' playing the passing lanes." dropped the last two games in this Canadiens and that we are definitely the start of a brand new season. returns are in, and their fans must be afternoon at the Capital Centre. ' And when the game lapsed into a ' year's series to Boston. in their league," Cherry gloated. muttering a collective "you could've Washington coach Dick Motta run-and-g- un duel, Brown took over. "Now for a change the pressure is "Attitude will once again decide "What passed is behind us," said fooled us." hopes Sunday's disaster can be He scored 16 of his 30 points in the last on Montreal," said Boston forward who will win on Tuesday night. I Lafleur. "We have to forget about our Seattle, Conference converted intoa positive lesson. long-rang-e the Western quarter, many of, them . Bobby Schmautz, who scored' the always say the team with the best record during the regular season and Champion, fell behind by 19 points "It was our fault," he said. "We jumpers, as Seattle outscored ' on 6 : 22 of the up for a even this year's playoffs because now 33-- game winner Sunday at attitude wins' If a team is with 2:30 remaining in the third just got outhustled. Maybe it was a Washington 18 to pull off the near first overtime period to give the game they'll win, and if they're not up it's down to three games. We know quarter of Sunday's opener but little too easy for us for three periods. impossible." Bruins a 4-- 3 win.' for it, theyll lose." that if we want to win it will only be rallied to win its 21st straight home 'Maybe we were just a little too "We're not quitters," said Brown. "The Canadiens haven't been in a Canadiens coach Scotty Bowman from hard work. We beat the Bruins game, 106-10- 2, and take a 1-- 0 lead in "satisfied." "Some teams get 12 or 15 ' behind and position like this in a long time," isn't taking anything away from the in the playoffs last year by working fiie best-of-sev- en series. ) .The favored Sonics, led by the 34-- they quit. We play basketball until the ' ' Schmautz said. "They know we have Bruins. "They checked us," Bowman hard." Did eight-da- y layoff year-ol- d Silas, ganged up on Hayes' , the between buzzer goes off." '.,..