Joe “Spanky” McFarland is not a happy coach after his team split two doubleheaders against Valparaiso University and Chicago State University this past weekend.

If you look at the Huskie’s record of 8-16, you would figure a split would be adequate for the team. However, McFarland doesn’t see it that way.

“The main thing I’m looking for is consistency. When you play eight top-30 teams tough and you can’t do that (play tough) with someone not quite up to that level, it doesn’t look good,” McFarland said.

McFarland said the team has improved on not allowing the opponent a big inning in recent games, but this is an area that he is not as concerned with as before.

The main thing on McFarland’s mind now is the concentration of his players for two games and not just one.

“Doubleheaders are hard because you’ve got to concentrate for so long. Good teams can do it,” McFarland said.

There is no single player McFarland is disappointed with thus far. The real problem is that the guys play well one day and lose some of their zip the next day or in the second game.

The thing McFarland would like to see more of to alleviate this problem is for the older guys to take charge and keep the team’s intensity up for a full six hours of baseball.

All is not sour grapes on the field, however. Certain individual play has been more than up to par—as the current statistics reflect.

Dan Colucci (.275) and Mark Mershon (.313) are the two players McFarland saw as most improved since the season began. The Huskies have also gunned down a greater percentage of base runners which also has McFarland smiling.

The Huskies will start Paul Schimbke (2-2) and Jesse Richardson (1-1) in their 1 p.m. doubleheader today at Bradley University.

“They’re (Bradley) in the Missouri Valley Conference, which I consider one of the top four or five college baseball conferences in the country. They play tough competition all the time, so they’re a good club,” McFarland said.