The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 69, No. 22, Ed. 1 Friday, February 19, 1982 Page: 17 of 24
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Life sifter Williams: '82Owls
% #W f.fM
The Rice baseba!! team entered
its season last year with a new
coach, David Hall, and the
prospect of finishing eighth in the
nine-team Southwest Conference.
The Owls came out with a 34-23
Owls have a strong crop of
newcomers that promise to make
this team even deeper and more
talented overall than last year's.
"This year we have good, quality
depth," proclaimed junior third
Pat "Poppy" Devine
record, the best fielding and
second-best pitching team in the
S WC, a fourth-place SWC finish,
a berth in the post-season
tournament, and coach of the year
.Jionors for Hall.
From that squad, however, Rice
lost its two best pitchers, one of
Clinton Welch
M. Gtodu
whom, Matt Williams, was the first
round draft pick of the Toronto
Blue Jays, its two best hitters, and
a second baseman who was perfect
afield in conference play. What,
then, is to be expected from the
Owls this season?
"I seriously think we can win the
conference this year," is junior
shortstop Clinton Welch's
response. When one examines the
recruiting job that Hall did and
speaks to the players, there is a
good chance that Welch is right.
Although pegged again by some
to return to being a second-
division finisher because of the
heavy toll taken by graduation, the
—M. Gtadu
baseman Dave Edwards. "Injuries
won't be a problem like they were
at times last year. Fewer people
will have to play hurt."
The department that figures to
have the most different look is
pitching. Gone are Williams, who
led the SWC in strikeouts last year,
and Rick Kelley, the staff leader in
victories with nine wins. To be
counted upon in their stead will be
senior righthanders Pat Devine,
Henry Johnson, and Doug
Watson. Devine, whose forte is
control, is the leading returning
Hurler with a 6-4 record and a 3.51
ERA, although he pitched only 5
2/3 innings in conference play.
Johnson posted a 4-0 mark with
a miniscule 1.41 ERA but saw only
one innning of SWC action.
Watson leads the group in
experience with six conference
starts last year and a mediocre 3-6
overall record, although he had a
quite respectable ERA of 3.26.
Other starting candidates
include righties junior Ronnie
Peoples, the hardest thrower on
the staff, junior transfer Don
Spivey and freshman southpaw
Norman Charlton. For depth,
sophomore squadmen righthander
David Pavlas and lefty John
Ofield are ready to step in and help
as are freshman southpaws Derek
Hoelscher and Curtis Fox, both
dual position players.
Tm sure our guys can take up the
slack (left by Williams and
Kelley)" proclaimed Hall.
"Nobody has Matt's credentials,
but then neither did Rick last year.
It's too early to tell, but they've all
been throwing very well so far.
We'll know more about a rotation
alter the pre-conference games."
"We're not dependent on two
guys this year," stated Devine. "We
have a lot more people who can do
the job. No superstars, but some
very solid pitchers."
Another area potential hurt by
graduation would be defense. The
top defensive club in the
conference last season, the Owls
lost error-free in SWC play second
baseman Chris Russ, first baseman
Frank Dishongh, who carried a
.991 fielding percentage, and left
fielder Mike McGee and
rightfielder John O'Keefe, both of
whom had but one miscue in the
field in conference games.
Replacing Russ and Dishongh
will be two freshmen, Carl
Mikeska and Curtis Fox. Of his
new double-play partner Mikeska,
Welch said, "I like working with
him a lot. He's real confident,
especially for a freshman." Devine
seemed convinced of Mikeska's
prowess as well, stating "We're
going to turn a lot of double plays
this year."
Stepping in in left field will be
Former Rice Hurler Matt Willioim works out with the 1932 Owls in
Cameron Field before reporting to spring training with the Toronto Blue
Jays on February 27. —M. Glodu
Henry Johnson
sophomore Scott Johnson who
ended up as designated hitter last
year. A righthanded swinger who
got .347 in somewhat limited play,
Scott Johnson brings the good
speed necessary for good defensive
play in the outfield. In right field,
junior transfer Jay Bluthardt, a
left-handed batter, will take
O'Keefe's place, although Rice has
other capable performers who
could press for either job.
As for infield returners, third
baseman Edwards, who led the
team in SWC hitting last year at
—M. Glodu
.284, and slick-fielding shortstop
Welch, experimenting with switch
hitting, are both fixtures at their
positions. Anchoring action in
Dishongh and McGee. Can the
Owls hit better this yea/'
"Yeah, i think we can," replied
Edwards. "We have a good core
back and one year's experience will
help everyone hit better. In
addition we have several players,
like Jay Bluthardt, who are going
to help offensively."
"Out early spring workouts
show we have more offensive
punch than last year," assessed
Hall. "I sure hope we do anyway,
so we'll have fewer nail biters. This
year we have more depth, more left
and right-handed hitting
possibilities." And as Devine
summarized, "I wonldn't want to
pitch to our lineup."
In judging the team as a whole,
Hall stated, "We're fifty-fifty with
returners and newcomers. We have
a good returning nucleus in our
pitchers and five starters from last
year. The biggest difference
between this and last year is that
last year everyone except
Machalek had played in the
Southwest Cor' -encs whereas we
have nine I .men with no
conference exj-riente this year.
Marti Mocholec
—M. Glodu
Car) Mikeska and Curtis Fox
center field is sophomore Mark
Machalec. a solid outfielder
who was named to the all-
tournament team in the SWC
tournament as a freshman. Behind
the plate are seniors Mark Ferrar,
who met with an injury last year,
and Mike Horn, the Owls' leading
overall returning hitter at .307,
three home runs and 37 RBIs. The
one who does not catch will
probably be the designated hitter.
"I'm very comfortable with our
defensive look. First and second
are going to be no problem
defensively." stated Hall.
One sore spot that carries over
from last year is hitting. Rice
finished last in team batting
average at .236 and last in home
runs with five in SWC play last
year, although they did hu .273
overall on the season. Still, iney
lost their top two hit' rs in
M. Gtodu
Overall, we have very good
defense, good, good team speed
and more depth. We have more
flexibility in pitching and our staff
has developed quickly in early
spring. We also have better
hitting."
This year's Owls are a blend of
youth and experience that
promises to play good aggressive,
fundamental baseball. The
schedule is kind enough to bring
them more conference games at
home than on the road, but two
roadtrips that Rice will make will
be against conference favorites
Texas A&M and always-tough
Arkansas.
It will be a long, hard 58-game
season for the Owls, yet given the
job that Hall did with this crew last
year, a conference title does not
seem to be asking too much
— Dave Chilton
The Ri e Thresher, February 19, 1982, rage 17
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Grob, Jay. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 69, No. 22, Ed. 1 Friday, February 19, 1982, newspaper, February 19, 1982; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245494/m1/17/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.