AIAA COLLEGE BASEBALL UPDATE
April 15, 1929
It is no secret as to how the Rainier College Majestic are putting together such a great season. The Majestic won 3 of 4 games last week including a 7-0 whitewashing of Golden Gate yesterday, to improve to 12-5 on the season, good for a first place overall tie with St. Patrick's and Chicago Poly. It is pitching and defense that is the key to the early success of the school that was runner-up a year ago in the Western Collegiate Division. Rainier, led by the pitching trio of senior Charlie Stout (4-0, 0.88), junior Karl Moore (2-2, 1.80) and freshman Walt Smith (2-1, 1.52) has allowed the fewest runs this season of any AIAA team and are also rated number one in defensive efficiency. The pitching totals are even more surprising when you consider senior lefthander Stan Merendino, who was 6-1, 0.81 a year ago and touted as a possible first round draft pick, had an awful start to the season. He has been moved to the pen, and his era is 7.84 but that is due to a pair of rough outings to start the season. Merendino has settled down a bit of late, but likely won't get an opportunity to start as long as the other 3 keep pitching the way they have.
Here is a quick look at the 5 college divisions.
WESTERN COLLEGIATE: Rainier College won 6 of their last 8 including a split of 2 games with second place Golden Gate over the weekend. The Grizzlies, at 10-7, are 2 games behind the first place Majestic and have a rookie pitching sensation of their own in Ken Bliss. The 18 year old lefthander is 4-0 with a 0.31 era, tops in the entire AIAA.
MIDWESTERN COLLEGIATE: Chicago Poly is 12-5 and has opened a 3 game lead on 3 teams atop the division with two others just half game behind those 3. The Panthers have scored more runs that any other AIAA team and are led by 6 seniors who may all hear their names called in next December's draft. The big one is pitcher Tom Blalock (4-0, 1.47), who is enjoying another great season, but infielders Ralph Napoli (.379,0,19) and Steve Clarke (.349,3,25) along with the outfield trio of Jim Behnke (.324,1,11), Earl Fischer (.311,1,12) and George Pumphrey (.304,3,11) have all been key contributors.
SOUTHERN COLLEGIATE: Opelika State has been in a free fall since starting the season with 8 straight victories and threatening to run away with the division. Since then, the Wildcats are 2-7 but only a game out of first in a tight Southern race. Maryland State leads the way with an 11-6 record, a half game out on Georgia Baptist and a game ahead of Cumberland and Opelika State. Georgia Baptist star Tom Barrell hit two more homers last week and drove in 8 runs (.387,6,24 on the year) but went 1-1 on the mound (4-2, 2.49 overall) and got beat up pretty good in a 9-6 loss to Opelika State on Saturday.
NORTHEAST COLLEGIATE: With 4 straight wins last week, St Patrick's College vaulted past Commonwealth Catholic and into top spot in the Northeast Division. The Shamrocks are 12-5 but the big story in the division remains the 3 dominant outfielders in Liberty's Joe Jones (.406,11,28) and a pair of Commonwealth Catholic sluggers in Vic Crawford (.362,9,28) and Dan Fowler (.358,9,25). St. Patrick's may lack the big hitter but they make up for it with a solid pitching staff led by freshman Horace Dill (3-0, 1.87). St Patrick's has won 5 of his 6 starts this season.
ACADEMIA ALLIANCE: The Brunswick Knights stumbled over the weekend, dropping a pair of games to Dickson and now find themselves at 11-6, and trailing first place Ellery by a half game. The Bruins have won 7 of their last 9 and the two clubs will have a 2-game showdown next weekend.
Here are the updated top 10 rankings:
Code:
TOP TEN RANKINGS REC LW
1- Rainier College Majestics 12-5 2
2- Chicago Poly Panthers 12-5 6
3- St Patrick's Shamrocks 12-5 10
4- Commonwealth Cath. Knights 11-6 4
5- Maryland State Bengals 11-6 7
6- Ellery Bruins 12-6 NR
7- Brunswick College Knights 11-6 1
8- Georgia Baptist Gators 11-7 8
9- Golden Gate Grizzlies 10-7 NR
10-George Fox Reds 10-7 NR
DROPPING OUT OF TOP 10
Opelika State Wildcats 10-7 3
Wisconsin State Brewers 9-8 5
College of San Diego 10-8 8