d..... _ err _ __#. __ !w ! r t t il A W a i w a i W r. f a r Page Twelve THE MICHIGAN DAILY Friday, July 29, 1977 Expert looks at Big 10 race By BO SCHEMBECHLER Michigan Football Coach ANN ARBOR (UPI) - Winning in the Big Ten will be more difficult this sea- son than at any time since I've been in the league. Just looking at last year, it's evident that overall improvement in competition is here. Iowa proved this early in the season, ripping Syracuse, then shocking Penn State. Illinois followed by overpowering a fine Missouri team and Minnesota nearly upset Ohio State. Then of course, Michigan did not escape untouched, los- ing to an inspired Prdiie team. MICHIGAN OPENS THE 1977 season against Illinois at Champaign and the head coach there has been scouting us for eight yeard. We know Gary Moel- ler will have the Illini ready. And when we travel again to Purdue, Coach Jim Young is not unfamiliar with what we do. There are other coaches around the league who are convinced they can win and they're working at it. Yes, the balancing is here. A limit of 95 scholarships by NCAA regulation, the fifth year option for players, scouting restrictions, all serve to promote this balance, not only within the Big Ten, but on a national level as well. College football is healthy. There just aren't any sner powers who will dominate every- 'b'(iv as in past years. PERSONALLY I'M LOOKING forward to the 1977 season. A year ago I wasn't sure I'd be coaching and it was a thrill to be on the sidelines when the season did start. We had a tremendous season, winning the conference title and going to the Rose Bowl. Many of the players who contributed to that success are re- turning, but we did lose half our offense with the graduation of tailback Rob Lytle and wingback Jim Smith. We are counting on tailback Harlan Huckleby and fullback Russell Davis to have fine junior seasons. They both were starters at times last year and gained more than 1,500 yards between them. RICK LEACH BEGINS his third sea- son as a starter and if he improves as much this year as he did from his fresh- man to his sophomore year, we'll have an outstanding quarterback. As a sopho- more he threw 13 touchdown passes and that tied a Michigan record. Michigan's offensive line matches up with anything in college football. Bill Dufek and Mike Kenn return at tackle, Mark Donahue was an All America guard as a junior, and I know of no cen-- ter in the nation any better than Walt Downing. Our losses by graduation were most pronounced on the defense, You have I feel the loss of Calvin O'Neal, an A America, linebacker and our co-captain and tackle Greg Morton. BUT JOHN ANDERSON returns outside linebacker and heis not only s of the finest defensive players wew had at Michigan, but ranks as one the premier punters in football. Dom nic Tedesco was an academic All Bi Ten end, as was Jim Pickens asa de fensive back. There are several opet ings to be filled, but with youngste like Jerry Meter and Ron Simpkins linebacker still improving, I think we' be okay. Since 1973 only one team has goa through the conference schedule undt feated. It is becoming more difficult t win in this league, but we go into ever season expecting to win the champion ship. This season is no exception. YANKS WIN-AL EAST TIGHTENS Unsinkable Cubs edge Reds 16-15 CHICAGO - Pitcher Rick Reuschel singled with two out in the 13th inning and scored on singles by Steve Ontiveros and Dave Rosello Thursday to give the Chicago Cubs a 16-15 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in a game featuring a re- cord - tying 11 home runs. Reuschel, coming on in re- lief in the top of the 13th as the Cubs' seventh pitcher, boosted his major league leading record to 15-3 after having blanked Cincinnati Tuesday on five hits. Jack Billingham, 8-8, took the loss. The Reds took the lead in the 12th when George Foster dou- bled and scored on Dave Rose- ilb's error to give Cincinnati a 15-14 lead, but the Cubs tied it in the bottom of the 12th on George Mitterwald's - second homer of the game. It was the 11th of the game and tied a ma- jor league record. Foster doubled and Johnny Bench walked to open the 12th. Cesar Geronimo flied out. Dave Concepcion tapped to the mound and Pete Broberg threw to second only to have the ball get through Rosello for an er- ror as Foster scored. The Cubs had tied the game in the bottom of the ninth when Bobby Murc singled, went to second on a walk to Jerry Morales and scored on Steve Ontiveros' single to left. The Reds smashed five home runs - three in the first inn- ing - and the Cubs had six - two in the first. The five hom- ers in one inning by both teams also tied a major league re- cord. Ken Griffey, Pete Rose,, Bench, Mike Lum and Cesar Geronimo homered for the Reds. Bill Buckner and Mitter- wald had two each for the Cubs with Murcer and Morales hitting one apiece. Speaking of slugging NEW YORK - Thurman Munson, Graig Nettles and Roy White walloped home runs in a 15-hit attack, and Mike Torrez hurled a four-hitter to lead the New York Yankees to a 14-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles Thursday.' Munson's 14th homer of the year leading off the third inn- ing triggered a three-run \New York rally and Nettle hit num- ber 23, a two-run shot in the fifth, as the Yankees exceeded their biggest run production of the season. Nettles, who also had a run- scoring single that knocked out loser Rudy May, 11-9, in the third inning rally, had three RBI for the day along with White and Chris Cham- bliss, who was perfect at the plate with two singles, a dou- ble and two walks. White capped the Yankees scoring with a two-run blast in the eighth inning, the left field- er's eighth home run of the sea- son. , The powet show was , more than enough for Torrez, 9-10, who breezed through the first five innings without allowing a Baltimore hit. He gave up a run in the first inning on a sac- rifice fly by Eddie Murray and another on Doug DeCinces' 11th home run of the year in the seventh. Torrez walked four and struck out six as he won for the first time since June 25 Dozen does it B O S T O N - R o o k i e Mike Paxton pitched a four-hit- ter in his second major league start and Jim Rice, Bernie Car- ho, Butch Hobson and Denny Doyle belted home runs Thurs- dav, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 12-0 victory over the Milwa',kee Brewers. The Brewers, who mauled Roston pitching for 20 hits Wednesday night, were hand- cuffed by Paxton, a 23-year- old right hander called up from the minors May 22. Mil- waukee managed~ just four ground singles, , two each by Von Joshua and Jim 1%ynn. Rice, the American teag. home run leader, doubled hoi a run in a six-run Boston thir and then led off the fifth wit his 27th homer. Carbo cappe the Boston third again.t Mi waukee starter Sam Hind-, O with a two-run homer, i ninth. Carbo also got a s c fice fly and a single. Hobson, who had three hits lined'his 20th homer high into the screen in left center wtith, one out in the eighth. then after singles by Carbo anc4 Rick Miller, Doyle lined his' second homer just inside the foul pole down the right liel Walking to win LOS ANGELES - Relieae Gene Garber issued a bas loaded walk to pitch hi ter Reggie Smith with nobod out in the ninth inning, forcis home Bill Russell with th winning run and giving 1, Angeles a 2-1 victory over Phi adelnhia Thursday. Russell led off the ninth with a triple off losing ,itch, er Jim Kaat, 4-6, only th fourth Dodger hit. Garber re olaced Kaat and intentinnal lv walked Steve Garvey an Ron Cey. Then he Walke Smith on a 3-2 count to force in the winning run. Majo, Leaguue Shuuudinis AMERICAN LEAGUE NATIONAL LEAGUE East East w L Pet.GB w L Pet. G Balitmore 57 43 570 - Chicago 59 39 .602 - Boston 55 43 .561 1 Pittsburgh N 58 42 .580 ; New York 55 45 .550 2 Philadelphia 57 42 .576 2 Detroit 45 53 .459 11 St, Louis 53 46 .535 1 Cleveland 43 52 .453 I1'- Montreal 48 51 485.1 Milwaukee 44 56 .440 13 New York 41 57 .418 ii Toronto 34 64 .347 22 west . west Chicago 59 37 .615 - Los Angeles 63 38 .t24 - Kansas City 54 40 .574 4 Cincinnati 49 49 -594 1 Minnesota 56 45 .554 51 Houston 4 56 .451 1 Texas 52 44 .540 7 San Francisco 46 56 .451 1 California 47 49 40 12 San Diego 44 60 .4?3 Seattle 45 59 .433 18 Atlanta 36 63 .357 Oakland 41 57 .418 19 Late Games Not inetuded Late Games Not Included Yesterday's Games Yesterday's Games Boston 12, Milwaukee 0 Chicago 16, Cincinnati 15, 13 inn. New York 14, Baltimore 2 Los Angeles 2, Philadelphia 1 Seattle 5, Minnesota 2 . - Montreal 5, San Diego 4 . Texas 3, TorontO Pittsburgh 9, Houston 4 Today's Games Minnesota (Goltz 12-6) at Cleve- Today's Games' land (Bibby 9-7), n Los Angeles (Rau 11-7) at Milwaukee. (Travers -3-5) at Tor- treal (Rogers 11-8), a onto (Jefferson 6-10), n San Diego (Shirley 6-11) at . ansas City (iassler 6-3) at Chi- York (Koosman 7-10), .n cago (Kravec 7-2), aSan Francisco (Haiid ll t-)