Evening star., 1944-04-14
BIuege's Men Feeble
Al Bat as Cutters
Clout Leonard
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

Still unsteady at the plate, the
Mats were to wind up their condi-
tioning work at College Park today
in a game with Buffalo's Bisons.
Unless there was improvement over
night in attack, Os Blueges charges
were likely to find runmaking a
tough task. They made little head
way yesterday in this branch of the
game as they dropped a 6-l decision
to the Coast Guard Cutters at Cur
It's Bay
1t might have been the weather.
cool and windy--that took the edge
off the Washington club, but what
ever it was the outfit in no way
resembled the one that for several
days had given promise both in
pitching and batting departments
Of making hot start in the cham
pionship race that gets under way
next Tuesday.
There was nothing about the
weather that affected the Cutters
however. They flelded in fine fash
ion, swung their bats freely and
gave Dutch Leonard great going
over in the six innings he remained
on the hill,
Leonard Found for 10 Hits.
In all, they collected 10 safeties
off the knuckle-ball specialist who
didn't often resort to his favorite
pitch. Two of the hits were doubles
and one triple. Four were COM
bined with a base on balls and an
error in the third-all coming after
two were QUITO roll up four runs
and enable the Cutters to tuck away
the game.
Leonard certainly didn't resemble
a pitcher who might be selected to
go for the Mats against Philadel-
phia's Athletics in the season in
augural.
Santiago UlIrich of Venezuela
went the last two rounds for the
Mats and gave up one hit, a home
run by Mickey Witek. 1t was a
tainted homer, though, for Left
fielder George Case, who thought
the drive in his direction was foul
made no break for the ball until he
finally realized it was dropping just
within the line. Then 1t bounded
past the sailors barracks bordering
the field and Witek had an easy trip
around the bases.
Case Will Be on Job.
But the Mats opposition needn't
expect Case to do any guessing OF
that nature once the clubs get to
playing ball for keeps.
There was nothing to enth sSe
over in the seven hits the Mats
cleaned of a pair Of Coast Guard
hurlers. For five innings they faced
Ray Fansell, a 22-year-old, who
was Washington property before 60
ing into Uncle Sans service. The
best they got off this former Or
lando pitcher of the Florida League
was Bob Ortiz's triple after two
were out in the first. Two singles
and as many passes came their way
in the remaining four sessions.
Chuck Bohning chucked the next
four innings and after George Ny
ats double and Ortiz's single pro-
duced a tally In the sixth, the Mats
got just two more one-basers.
: What fielding honors there were
also went the way of the Cutters
OF the i've double-plays ID the
game they made three. It simply
wasn't the Mats day.
Mats Play Here Tomorrow.
After their toll at College Park
today the Mats will shift activities
to their home field and the Orioles
diamond in Baltimore. The Balti-
more club will be met in Griffith
Stadium tomorrow afternoon in a
game starting at 3 o'clock and in
Baltimore the next day. Mondays
practice for the Mats will be held
at Griffith Stadium.
There's speed in the Cubans.
Among the fastest men of the Nat
squad is Jose zardon, young out
fielder from the island. Jose has
Boss Clark Griffith with
his fleet foot and probably will land
a good minor job.