Can the student teach the teacher?

That's what baseball coach Joe Hindelang will find out this afternoon, when he coaches against his alma mater, Temple, and his former coach, Skippy Wilson. The game is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Beaver Field, weather permitting.

Hindelang was one of Wilson's top pitchers at Temple from 1965-67. Now, Hindelang has to prepare his pitchers for one of the craftiest offensive teams in the East.

"His teams put great offensive pressure on you," Hindelang said. "Pitchers have to limit the base runners and hold them close to the base, otherwise you're playing into his hands."

The Lions have already seen their first eight games of a 10-game homestand cancelled due to the weather. The team has not played since March 16 when it split a doubleheader at LaSalle.

The team is 3-9, and starts its Atlantic 10 Western Division schedule Saturday at West Virginia. The lack of games could hurt the team when it begins divisional play.

"It's real frustrating," Hindelang said. "We wanted to play. You can't stay sharp if you don't play."

That is why the games with Temple today are important. Hindelang has called Wilson his mentor, and tries to incorporate Wilson's philosophies into his own team.

A key for the Lions is keeping the Owls off the base -- something that has been hard for the team to do this year, already giving up almost one walk an inning.

The task of keeping the Owls from running rampant goes to a couple of sophomores, left-hander Randy Geis and right-hander Jeff Burris. Geis is 0-2 with a 4.26 ERA. With a 3:1 walks-to-strikeouts ratio, he knows he has to have good control today.

"I'm concerned about throwing strikes, and cutting down the walks," Geis said.

Burris is 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA. Burris has also suffered control problems so far this year, giving up 15 walks and throwing three wild pitches.

Another key will be for the Lions to get off to a good start. They have been outscored 14-2 in the first inning, which makes life even more difficult for the pitchers. If the team has the lead late in the game, it can go to its ace in the bullpen, freshman right-hander Eric Fischer.

"It's tough pitching from behind," Geis said. "We have to be more mentally prepared in the game."

Wilson's team will provide a good test for the young pitching staff, one that should prepare them for the divisional schedule.

"When you coach against him he makes the opposing coach uneasy in the dugout," Hindelang said."I always look forward to playing against his teams, because they are so talented and disciplined."