THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 19, 1996 TAG: 9605170238
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 21 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
DATELINE: WINDSOR LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
The good news for three teams in the Tri-Rivers District baseball tournament is that Windsor has a young team made up mostly of sophomores. The bad news is that the Dukes' sophomores made it to the state quarterfinals as freshmen last year and are joined by a dynamic duo - seniors Parker Ramsey and Jerome Ricks.
Windsor (15-1 overall, 6-1 Tri-Rivers) is assured of a berth in the district tournament, which begins Monday at Windsor, and could have clinched the top seed with a win Friday against Surry County. Other teams that qualify for the district tournament were determined in games Friday.
The Dukes will be one of the top two seeds in the tournament and have built on experience their younger players gained last year, according to coach Tex Murray.
``We started five freshmen last year and they struggled before we did well at the end,'' Murray said. ``We got a wealth of experience last year. They played a lot of games in pressure situations. Now, we've got a strange combination of youth and experience together.''
Strange, maybe, but definitely effective. Seven Dukes are batting more than named district and region player of the year last season, has picked up where he left off, batting .306 with 17 RBIs. And three sophomores - catcher Matt Brock, second baseman Jason Leonard and outfielder David Szymanski - are hitting more than .300.
``We've gotten a lot better since last year,'' said Ramsey, who is also 4-0 pitching. ``Last year sometimes the top of the lineup would hit, other times the bottom of the lineup would hit. Now, from the first batter through ninth, we know somebody's capable of coming up with a clutch hit.''
Ricks, who missed last season because of a knee injury, has provided solid defense at shortstop and is hitting .412 in the leadoff spot. He leads the team in runs (25), stolen bases (20) and has committed just four errors.
``We were already a very good defensive team,'' said Ricks. ``I've just come in and helped out.''
``(Jerome) coming back made us solid up the middle,'' said Murray, whose team has turned 15 groundball double plays. ``He's as good as anybody in the area.''
Junior Cory Herrala (6-0) is the likely starter for Windsor in the Tri-Rivers tournament opener. Szymanski (4-1) or Ramsey are the other Dukes starters.
The Tri-Rivers softball tournament also starts Monday at Windsor. The Dukes, seeded fourth, take on No. 1 Sussex Central, which went undefeated in the district for the second straight season. The Tigers swept Windsor in a doubleheader last week 2-0 and 6-0. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Senior Parker Ramsey pitches for Windsor.
by CNB