Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • Page 372

El 2 THE HARTFORD COURANT: Sunday, May 6, 1990 Minor league report DiBartolomeo is in control of future in Cubs organization AB 2B 3B 2 4 SB 1 0 0 1 MR Bl 0 7 0 0 0 1 1 2 4 BB 12 6 6 12 60 7 2 2 37 9 70 5 GS 7 0 3 3 4 0 0 0 0 6 IP 16.1 14.0 9.2 30.2 3.0 11.2 17.2 8.2 11.0 By DOM AMORE Courant Staff Writer As with all successful pitchers, location is important to Steve DiBartolomeo. That's why he's pitching at Winston-Salem (N.C.) in the Carolina League the Cubs' top Class-A 24 9 4 3 11 9 11 9 7 8 11 5 21 13 so 12 14 9 11 2 7 18 6 17 17 SB 0 0 0 17.2 7 2B 3B HR Bl Statistics of ar. Collaga Dartmouth (N.H.) Hartford New Haven Hartford New Haven Collage New Haven Connecticut New Haven Connecticut Ouinnipiac New Haven Connecticut New Haven Housatontc CC Ouinnipiac Homatown Watertown Meriden Old Lyme Stratford East Windsor Manchester Simsbury Norwich Ridgefield Bridgeport Norwalk West Haven Homatown Berlin Meriden Shelton Southington Norwalk Manchester minor kagua player of rata through Friday: Player Po Taam CL Ausmus. Bred Pr William A Bagwell, Jell 3B New Britain AA Ferguson, Jim 3B St. Pete A Hedge, Pat OF Frederick A Wallin, Les IB Lynchburg A Pitcher Taam CL DiBartolomeo.

Steve Winston-Sar A Malley, Mike Chston-Wv A McAuiiffe. Dave Cedar Rapds A Nagy. Charles Canton-Akrn AA O'Neill, Dan London AA Raczka, Mike Las Vegas AAA Shea, John Syracuse AAA Stone, Brian Arkansas AA Vancho. Robert Belolt A Wendell, Turk Greenville AA Player Po Taam CL Brogna, Rico 1B London AA Carr, Ernie PH San Antonio AA Fordyce. Brook Columbia A Ktngwood, Tyrone OF San Berndno A Laga, Mike 1B Phoenix AAA Masse, William OF Albany AA McCormick, Glenn 1B Madison A McPhail, Merlin 3B Vancouver AAA Merullo, Matt Birmingham AA Olah, Bob 1B St.

Lucie A Vaughn. Mo 1B Pawtucket AAA Wearing, Melvin 1B Wausau A Pitcher Taam CL Gozzo, Mauro Syracuse AAA Massicotte, Jeff Winston-Sal A McCarthy. Greg Clearwater A Meier, Kevin Shreveport AA Morton. Kevin New Britain AA Stanford, Larry Ft.Laudrdle A a 18 21 4 13 20 Era 2.20 4.50 3.72 2.35 3.00 7.71 1.02 1.04 4.09 4.08 21 15 24 18 2 13 11 9 22 22 18 13 Era 5.14 3.38 4.02 5.32 5.61 .71 Avg .877 .275 .500 .243 .214 W-L 0-1 0- 0 1- 0 3-1 0- 0 1- 0 1-0 0-1 0-1 0- 3 Avg .216 .200 .277 .314 .250 .275 .200 .222 .250 .213 .166 .316 W-L 1- 1 1- 0 0-1 2- 2 2-2 0-0 Org Yankees Red Sox Cardinals Orioles Red Sox Org Cubs Reds Reds Indians Tigers Padres Blue Jays Cardinals Brewers Braves Org Tigers Dodgers Mets Mariners Giants Yankees Athletics White Sox White Sox Mets Red Sox Orioles Org Blue Jays Cubs Phillies Giants Red Sox Yankees 2 0 AB 74 12 25 2 83 6 51 14 4 1 2 11 2 7 2 0 0 0 2 0 8 4 1 1 2 1 5 2 4 1 40 7 30 4 27 4 84 8 80 3 70 7 38 6 GS 5 4 1 3 1 6 1 8 4 10 4 6 BB 2 1 0 0 0 SO 19 7 13 20 27 9 8 4 13 9 31 13 28 12 IP 28.0 8.0 15.2 23.2 25.2 12.2 24 12 O'Neill finally gets his wish: playing in Red Sox country Eastern League notebook was placed on the disabled list for a week. O'Neill said his arm was fine.

But Tigers officials wanted to send him to Fayetteville for some rehabilitation, anyway. "For me, that would've been a step backward," he said. O'Neill played in Fayetteville in 1987, where he went 4-2 with a 2.49 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 72 'A innings. He was promoted to Lakeland of the Florida State League and spent the next season there, going 1-6 with a 2.31 ERA. Last season began in Lakeland, Minor leagues "This was the move I wanted to make," DiBartolomeo, of Trumbull, said.

"My girlfriend INicola Rig-gione is down here at the University of South Carolina. "The Cubs had planned to send me to Peoria in the Midwest League, but I was confident. I left my car in South Carolina." DiBartolomeo, "DiBo" to his friends, was at the center of the University of New Haven's drive to second place at the NCAA Division II World Series last year. He would start one day, relieve the next, then start again 32 'A innings and 500 pitches in eight days. Scouts were impressed by his willingness to take the ball, but worried about his arm.

1 DiBartolomeo left New Haven with career records for wins (41-5), appearances (66), saves (10) and innings (348Vc). He signed with the Cubs in June and struggled at Charleston (S.C.) of the South Atlantic League (27 walks in 48 innings). "I told them I knew I had control trouble, but my arm was tired," DiBartolomeo said. "In spring training, they would see me throw strikes and I would have my velocity back." The Cubs eliminated one of their Class-A teams, which meant 20-30 fewer jobs, so spring training at Scottsdale, was a game of survival, not advancement, for DiBartolomeo. But he had his location, pitching 16 innings without a walk.

"My first seven or eight innings I threw maybe five balls," DiBartolomeo said. "Then I cut it loose and I found velocity I hadn't had in three years." Two days before camp broke, DiBartolomeo was told his car could stay put. "The Cubs) were kind of surprised," he said. "Here I went from having to make the Peoria club in their eyes to becoming the closer at Winston-Salem." In seven games through Friday, DiBartolomeo, 23, has three saves and an ERA of 2.20. He has walked six, struck out 12 and allowed 12 hits in 16'p innings.

He throws mostly fastballs, but has recently rediscovered his changeup. "They've talked about making me a starter," DiBartolomeo said. "But I don't know if I can handle the life of having four days off. Life on the road might really be tough. This way, I come to the park every day knowing I have a shot to pitch.

That's the way I like it." Riggione, from Milford, chose South Carolina because DiBartolomeo will likely spend much of his minor league career in the Southeast. If he keeps pitching this way, he could relocate to Double-A Charlotte, just an hour's drive from Winston-Salem. "During the winter, I got the feel- Richard Messina Special to The Courant Former University of New Haven pitcher Steve DiBartolomeo is making a name lor himself as a relief pitcher in the Cubs' farm system. By VIV BERNSTEIN Courant Staff Writer Dan O'Neill grew up as a Boston Red Sox fan. It's difficult not to when your hometown is Chicopee, Mass.

Now he finally is a Red Sox player. Not in Boston, mind you. O'Neill is the most recent addition to the Double-A New Britain Red Sox. And though Beehive Field is no Fenway Park, it beats playing in Fayette-ville, N.C. O'Neill, a pitcher who started the season with Double-A London and pitched against the Britsox Opening Day, had been reassigned by the Tigers to Class-A Fayetteville of the South Atlantic League.

He balked, asked for his release and received it last week. It took a day to get on the phone with the Britsox. Monday, O'Neill had a try-out and was signed. He fills the roster spot left open when reliever Paul Kuzniar was released April 25. "I called them from London the day after I asked for my release," said O'Neill, a lefthander who played for Quinnipiac College in Hamden.

"I didn't know they had a spot open at the time. I just started to get on the phone early enough before the season got too far. "It's a nice feeling. I'm living at home and playing for the team I always wanted to play for." For now, pitching coach Rich Gale said O'Neill will be a long reliever. He has not yet made his debut.

"I don't know a lot about him," Gale said. "He's a finesse kind of guy. He's got good control, his fastball moves. His best pitch is probably his slider." O'Neill hasn't pitched since April for the team lead with five saves. "The guys were joking that nobody' ever went a whole season without giving up a run," Walters "Why? Why not?" Asked if that was his goal, he said, "I'd be nice.

Somebody would hav.e,' to notice." It wasn't a bad April. The Britsox finished 10-8 and one game the defending Eastern League champion Albany Yankees. "Anytime you can be over 1 I'm happy," manager Butch Hobson said. But the first month probably isn't a good indicator. The Britsox 10-10 in April last season.

They fia-'i ished 60-76 and last in the Eastern League. 1 Hobson has his sore spots, "I'm a little disappointed in the defensive play," he said, "but I it'll get better." Hobson didn't name names, but rookie third baseman Jeff Bagwell of Killingworth had six errors in 18 games. iu He hasn't started out well in May, ei ther. Bagwell has four errors in the past two games to lead the team with 10 in 21 games. At that pace, he will have 66 errors in 140 games.

The team has 30 errors in 21 games. Another sore spot has been hitting? Aside from Mike Kelly's .419 only Bagwell (.294) and Bob Zupcic (.270) finished the month better than .240. 1 The Britsox hit. 241 for the month: The team is winning because of its pitching staff. And though Gale' raved about the starting rotation goJ i ing into the season, the relief pitching has been the strength.

"The bullpen has been really good," Gale said. "Especially Walters and Plympton." ing I might make it to Charlotte this year," DiBartolomeo said. "Right now, I'm still riding the wave from spring training. Things have worked out very well." I I Mo Vaughn's rapid rise through the Red Sox organization came to a halt Wednesday when he was hit by a pitch and sustained a broken right hand. Vaughn, of Norwalk, was hitting .186 with four home runs and 10 RBI before the injury.

He will be out 4-6 weeks. i I Followers of the old West Haven Yankees franchise, in the Eastern League between 1972-79, surely have memories of Jerry Narron, manager of the EL's Hagerstown Suns. Narron, a catcher later called upon to replace the late Thurman Munson in the Yankees lineup, hit 28 home runs for West Haven in 1977. At Beehive Stadium this week for a series against the Britsox, Narron recalled the short right-field wall at Quigley Stadium. "That ballpark got me to the big leagues," said Narron, who also played for the Mariners and Angels.

"We had a heck of a team in West Haven. The guy I thought was the best player was center fielder Gary Smith, and he never made it to the big leagues except for maybe a month." After Munson died (Aug. 2, 1979), Narron shared the catching duties with Brad Gulden. A big left-handed hitter, Narron was expected to hit for power in Yankee Stadium, but like so many prospects, was never given a full opportunity. Narron was traded to the Mariners the next season in a deal that brought Ruppert Jones to New York.

Narron finished his career in the Orioles' farm system in 1988. Then Orioles farm director Doug Melvin also a former West Haven Yankee hired Narron to manage at Class-A Frederick (Md.) last season. Narron's rapid rise to Double-A shows promise. "I'm really enjoying it," he said. "Managing is definitely what I want to do long-range." but after going 4-1 with a 0.98 ERA and 10 saves in 21 games, he was promoted to London.

O'Neill finished the season there and was 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 26 innings. He also had one save. "I was a little upset at that," he said of the reassignment. "When they said Fayetteville, I said, no thank you." "I didn't feel they treated me as well as you'd expect." Ed Kenney, Boston's director of minor league operations, had said Kuzniar who was on medication for an irregular heartbeat was a victim of the numbers game and was released to make room for other pitchers in the organization. The signing of O'Neill within a week of Kuzniar's release would indicate otherwise.

Britsox reliever David Walters has not allowed a run in eight appearances. In 14 innings, he has given up four hits, four walks and struck out nine. Walters is tied with Jeff Plympton 10, when he went two innings and allowed no runs in a 9-3 London victory. The cold weather apparently caused some elbow stiffness, and he Eastern in the '80s Reese breaks record in Yale's 25-12 victory Baseball State colleges Coach: Bill Holowaty Record: 343-136 (overall record of 647-234-2 represents the most victories in Division III in New England and second-highest total in Division III history). Notables: Qualified for NCAA Division III Northeast Regional every year (team has reached tournament in each of Holowaty's 21 years as coach).

Won Northeast Regional title in 1982, '83 and '87, finished second in '81 '84, '85, '86, '88 and '89 Won national title in 1982 and finished fourth in '83 and '87. Had five first-team All-Americans and 16 players sign pro contracts. Ranked No. 2 in Northeast Regional and No. 7 nationally and possible host for regional tournament May 17-19.

This year's leaders: Average: Brian Mercado, .495, Basilio Ortiz, .457: RBI: Mercado. 49; Home runs: Mercado, Ortiz, Runs: Ortiz, 47; Stolen bases: Pete Daniels, 21 Victories: Steve Boskus, 6-0; ERA: Pat Murphy, 1 .40. Softball Coach: Clyde Washburne (1980-'87) and Jeff Anderson ('88-present) Record: 229-75 under Washburne, 96-19 under Anderson. Notables: Qualified for postseason tournament every year Won AIAW Division III national title in 1981 and NCAA Division III national title in '82, '85 and '86. National runner-up in 1989.

Won Northeast Regional title in 1982-89. Had 10 first-team All-Americans, including Christla Mohan, Lynn Rocheleau and Leanne Shoop last season. Ranked No. 1 in final Northeast Regional and national polls released Thursday and probable host for regional tournament Friday-Sunday. This year's leaders (not including Saturday's game): Average: Shoop, .421, Brigitte Raczkowski, .408.

RBI: Denise Lamontagne, 24; Home runs: Raczkowski and Shoop, 1 Runs: Dawn Snyder, 28; Stolen bases: Shoop, 1 1 Victories: Mohan, 15-1; ERA: Mohan, 0.26. Christla Mohan, a pitcher for Eastern's top-ranked Softball team. There's room at the top for Eastern Continued from Page El portrait of the players wearing dresses. But Holowaty and Anderson admit you can't compare their teams, which have been vying for attention while winning five national titles and 12 regional titles (nine in a row for the women) the past nine years. They'll begin quests for more recognition and national honors later this month, when both hope to be host teams for the Northeast Regionals.

"We're in an entirely different situation. We want to win, but it's not as all-encompassing," said Anderson, whose team came within a victory of a fifth national title last spring. "Both teams help each other do better, and that's good," Holowaty said. "Title IX makes us equal, but it's not fair (to compare programs." At ECSU, everything starts with a cooperative administration and the coaches, whose duties have included more extensive recruiting, helping raise $300,000 for the first lighted, on-campus fields in New England and scheduling tougher competition. Although Holowaty and Anderson were fierce competitors in their playing days, they have contrasting outlooks on coaching.

Holowaty came to ECSU from UConn in 1967 as a basketball assistant and baseball coach, succeeding Washburne, now a hands-off assistant Softball coach. He was athletic directorbaseball coach from 1974-88 before deciding coaching was where he'd do the most good. In 22 seasons, Holowaty has guided ECSU to the playoffs every year and never has had a losing season while becoming the second-winningest Division III coach (647-234-2, 25-6 this year). "I've always been an aggressive person, one who loves competition and thrives on work," Holowaty said. "I liked.being AD but cot tired of on people, feeling like a Staff reports Senior midfielder Jon Reese scored four goals to set a national collegiate goal-scoring record as Yale (15-1) finished its regular season with a 25-12 victory over Adelphi (8-6) Saturday in New Haven.

Reese's goals gave him 72, surpassing the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association record of 70, set by Syracuse University's Gary Gait in 1988. Josh McHugh led Yale with six goals. Bowdoin 14, Trinity 3: Tom Ryan scored three goals and assisted on another as Bowdoin (12-2) defeated Trinity (7-4) in Hartford. Glastonbury's Cooper scores two for Drew: Drew University's Matt Cooper, a 1987 graduate of Glastonbury High, scored two goals and tied a school record with six assists in Drew's 18-13 loss to Franklin Marshall in the championship game of the Mid-Atlantic Conference tournament at Madison, N.J. Baseball Connecticut 8, Pittsburgh 3: Sophomore Jason Fronio pitched eight innings, striking out seven, and scattered eight hits to lead UConn (22-16-1) past Pittsburgh (8-20-1) in a Big East game at Pittsburgh.

Rain forced the cancellation of the second game. Eastern 4, Utlca Winning pitcher Norm Worthington tossed a three-hitter, striking out six, and Brian Mercado had two hits, including a double, and an RBI as Eastern Connecticut (25-6), shut out Utica College (N.Y.) at Willimantic. Softball Massasoit CC 2, Mitchell Lorraine Rooney went 3-for-4 with three singles and Erin Henry pitched a one-hitter to lead Massasoit Community College (15-3) past Mitchell (19-5) in the first round of the double-elimination Region 2l7tourna- ment in New London. 3 Jen Hanrahan had Mitchell's onlp hit. Eastern 7, Worcester State Oj Christia Mohan pitched a two-bitten striking out 10 and walking none, ttr lead Eastern Connecticut (26-4) pasf Worcester State (19-8) in the semifH' nals of the Eastern Connecticut Invi-.

tational at Willimantic. The teams meet today at nopn the championship game. UConn doubleheaders canceled: Connecticut, ranked No. 15 in NCAA Division I poll, ended its regu-1 lar season 34-7 when its final regu-' lar-season doubleheaders with Adel- 1 phi (Saturday) and UMass were canceled. Track tC5Iy wln "OH" Drew Carey of UConn captured the men's shotpUt for the second year in a row with meet-record toss of 56 feet, 10 inches1 on the first day of the Big Easl-Championships in Philadelphia.

Eastern Intercollegiate New Haven's Orville Sweeney jumped a facility-record 23 feet, inches to capture the long jump atr. the Eastern Intercollegiate Champp onships at Holy Cross In Worcesterv' Mass. 1 Wethersfield native Tom Lawlof won the 1,500 meters for Eastern'' Connecticut in 3 minutes, 57.40 onds. Basketball Yak. women's eosch: Cecelia DeMarco, forme" ft etball coach at the uXl'i nlLi HamPshire, has beeri" named head women's basketbaC coach at Yale University.

easier to tone down someone than light a fire under them," he said. "There's three kinds of dogs (in athletics: puppy dog, hot dog and bulldog. I think we have a lot of bulldogs, guys who like the competition." The antithesis is Anderson, a former basketball player at ECSU and the keeper of a Softball tradition started by Washburne in 1977. Anderson became an assistant in 1981, the year the Lady Warriors won their first of four national titles ('81, '82, '85, '86). He succeeded Washburne in 1988, four years after graduating, and was named coach of the slave, and sometimes forgetting my family.

I had to go back to doing what I like to do most coach." Holowaty was aided by name recognition (he played basketball at UConn in the mid-1960s), which has enhanced player referrals. "I put a basketball recruiting philosophy into baseball, something never done before," Holowaty said. "I've always told the kids we have a baseball program, not a baseball team. I'm more concerned with what happens outside the lines than inside because, as we like to say, 'Dia-rrmndsreTrTforeveTr "If you have continuity and a good program coaching, facilities, academics winning will happen." Holowaty admits naivete and a hot temper produced mistakes. "I remember a game in Wilmington, N.C, where I got thrown out before bringing out the lineup cards," Holowaty said, smiling.

"I'vjB grown up from things like that." But his tenacity hasnji vanished. "I like aggressive peopleoecause it's knock them down, I pick them up three times," he said. "They say we're a crazy team because of me, and maybe they're right." Anderson cites singing songs, composed by the team, throughout games. "We only talk Softball on the bench," Anderson said, "and the songs are the girls' doing." Pregame activities have included anti-rain dances, singing "God Bless America" and driving a railroad spike into the ground. "The spike symbolizes building a new road to success," said Anderson, whose team will be host to the 1991 nationals.

The spike and much of the team equipment was stolen April 11, Anderson's 31st birthday. Anderson had another spike but needed several days to find three Easton SX10, 33-inch, 25-ounce bats, which cost $100 each and are the only bats used in games by the Lady Warriors. "Everyone loves her bat," he said. Almost as much as Anderson and Holowaty enjoyed building winning traditions in distinctive manners. year his first two seasons.

"Clyde was successful at every level by stressing having fun. I went by the old adage if it's not broke, don't fix it," said Anderson, who has a 97-19 record, 26-4 this season. "I'm very laid-back, maybe too much sometimes." Anderson does have his moments. "I've been known to throw, a temper, but the girls know for evtry I.