Tea m Overcomes Multiple Injuries

I heLU Flamesbaseballteam faced a rebuildingyearin 1992 aftera successful1991season.

Expecting to lead the team, the pitching staff was plagued by injuriesto itsstarters Todd Martin, ChrisMorton and Toby Toburen.

"Wefeltlikewe'dhaveachance totaketheconferencetitle, but afterthefirstweek, when three startingpitchersarmswerehurt, wewereintrouble,"Head Coach Johnny Hunton said.

Pitchingwas notthe only injuryproblemsfacedbytheteam intheirfirstBig South Conference season. Infielders Scott

Harmsen broke his hand, and SheldonBream'sshoulderwent bad.

The offensewas paced byseniorDannyBrahn,whoknocked in 52 runs and hammered 12 homeruns.SeniorMikeKreider, theteam'sMostValuablePlayer, alsoignitedtheteam bybatting .346 while collecting a team leading66 hits and chippingin 35 RBIs.

BeauMartin(beforebreaking his leg midway through the season), Sheldon Bream, Dan McGinnis, Charlie Kim, Joe Bonadio and ScottHarmsenall helped LUs offense by batting

.315orbetterfortheseason.

The Flames pitching staff was led by Rich Humphrey, eventhoughhefinishedwitha 3-7record. Humphrey had a 2.89earned-runaverage, and was Hunton's most dependablepitcher, leadingtheteam with84inningspitched.

Rodney Ashby and Tim Collinsledthepitchingstaffin victories with five each,althoughbothrecordedearnedrun averages above 5.50. Bream, Kim, Harmsen and Jeremy Tully allreturned to theFlames 1993 squad, fa

By Mike Gathman

a broken hand.