Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 17, 1991 TAG: 9104170335
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Salem whipped butterfingered Blacksburg 7-0 Tuesday despite being exiled from the green grass of home for almost a week because of wet weather and scheduling difficulties.
The Spartans (6-0) didn't exactly whack the laces off the baseball with their seven hits, but they did play reasonably proficient defense, and they did get sound pitching from right-hander Corey Epperly.
Epperly (4-0) doubled his victory output for all of 1990 by scattering three hits and striking out nine. He walked one.
"I thought I did all right since that was the first time in a week I've thrown the ball," he said. "I didn't get into my groove until late in the game."
After Brian Davis blooped a single into the gap between second and first in the sixth inning, Epperly struck out the last four batters, including the side in the seventh.
"Their first three hitters are real good, so I had to give them the curveball - my best pitch," Epperly said. "The rest of them are pretty good, too, but I set them up with the curve and came back and got them with the fastball. I'm most effective when I can change speeds."
Blacksburg (2-6), which blew a five-run lead in an 11-9 loss to the Spartans earlier in the season, was ineffective with bats and gloves. The Indians got just three hits and made six errors.
"For the second straight game, my defense has let me down," Indians coach Steve Price said. "I couldn't believe that. Defense had been our strong point."
Salem coach John Hinkle, whose team had two relatively harmless errors at third base, said, "We've played much better defense this year. When you play good defense, then you can wait for the other team to make the mistakes."
In other baseball:
Robbie Sarver pitched a two-hitter, striking out 11, and went 3-for-3 with three RBI as Pulaski County crushed William Fleming at 10-0 in a Roanoke Valley District game at Pulaski's Calfee Park shortened to five innings because of the slaughter rule.
Sean Grinnell singled in the winning run with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning and picked up the victory in relief as Glenvar (7-0 overall, 1-0 Pioneer District) defeated visiting and previously undefeated Bath County 5-4.
At Patrick Henry, three consecutive doubles and a wild pitch in the bottom of the fourth inning carried Patrick Henry to a 3-2 victory over Cave Spring (5-4, 3-2) in a Roanoke Valley District game.
The Patriots (1-6, 1-1) scored two runs on doubles by Kevin Gabbert, Tim Witten and Wo Lawton to go ahead 2-1, and the eventual winning run came on a wild pitch.
Gabbert, a senior left-hander, pitched the complete-game victory, striking out 10 and walking two. With a runner on in the top of the ninth, Gabbert struck out Cave Spring slugger Dee Dalton, who had tripled and scored a run.
Chris Taylor had a 10-strikeout six-hitter to lead Roanoke Valley Christian to a 6-3 non-district victory against North Cross.
\ SOFTBALL: At Daleville, Franklin County's Shelley Bowles pitched a three-hitter, striking out 10 and walking one as the Eagles beat host Lord Botetourt 4-2 in a non-district game.
\ BOYS' SOCCER: Rodney Burnett booted three second-half goals for Glenvar, but the Highlanders went scoreless in overtime to settle for a 3-3 tie with host Pulaski County.
Jay Sandy had a shutout and Mike Sessions scored the only goal as Salem beat visiting Christiansburg 1-0.
Thad Gilmer scored two goals as Cave Spring defeated host Patrick Henry 3-1 in a Roanoke Valley District game.
North Cross ran its record to 9-1-1 overall and 3-0 in the Virginia Independent Conference with a 7-1 rout of host Massanutten (1-3). Seven players scored for the Raiders.
\ GIRLS' SOCCER: Chanda Ingram scored three goals as Cave Spring (5-1-1) beat winless Salem 7-1 at the Knights' field.
by CNB