Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 25, 1992                   TAG: 9203250082
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-10   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

EX-PITCHER FINDS NOVEL REMEDY FOR SORE ARM: A MURDEROUS BAT

The Virginia Tech senior wasn't supposed to stockpile at-bats this season. The pitching-thin Hokies needed his vibrant right arm, and if he could be an occasional designated hitter, great.

Then Jennette had shoulder surgery and was scratched from the mound. Much to the Hokies' delight.

"I guess I wasn't meant to be a pitcher," Jennette said. "I just love hitting with runners in scoring position, and I think it shows."

Indeed. In Tech's first 18 games, Jennette has driven in 40 runs. That's an average of 2.2 per game, a pace that would set the NCAA Division I record. Current Houston Astro Pete Incaviglia set the record in 1985 at Oklahoma State with a 1.91 average (143 RBI in 75 games).

At that absurd pace, Jennette will break former Hokie Billy Plante's single-season RBI record of 88. It should happen in the Hokies' 41st scheduled game this year - Tech, which already has had three rainouts, is scheduled to play at least 56 games. And Jennette could break George Canale's career RBI record of 227.

"I definitely don't expect to keep it up," said Jennette, from Richmond.

Tech coach Chuck Hartman also realizes Jennette is getting away with murdering the ball. He has seen Jennette's bat sprinkle magic dust on his teammates. Tech, currently 16-2-1, began the season 10-0-1 - its best start since 1915 - and is hitting .356 as a team.

"We've even hit some balls for two or three RBI in 0-2 [ball-strike] situations, and that's incredible," Hartman said. "It's frightening, but I'll take it."

Hartman got spooked in preseason when Jennette had arthroscopic surgery 10 days before the season started and didn't start hitting until four days before the season opener. Yet while he couldn't hack live pitching, Jennette hit balls off a tee and practiced his swing. By the first game, he said, "I was mechanically sound."

He didn't start, but Hartman brought him off the bench to pinch-hit. Jennette hit a grand slam home run. Three games later came three hits, a home run and six RBI. Four games later: two doubles, a home run and four RBI. Next game: three RBI. Five games later: another four-RBI effort, followed the next day by six more driven in.

Jennette is hitting .493 with 16 extra-base hits; he already has more RBI and more home runs than any Tech player had last year. Batting in the fourth spot, he has just three strike-outs in 69 at-bats.

Some players grind teeth over men left on base. Jennette can hardly remember his.

"A few times come to mind, but I really don't recall that many," he said. "Maybe two or three times. It's easy to hit when you come up with guys on second and third or the bases loaded."

A scare, however, came last Friday against Kent, when Jennette threw home from first base and felt pain in his shoulder. It was fleeting, though, and didn't accompany him to the plate.

"No pain whatsoever," he said when asked if his shoulder hampers his swing.

You might say Jennette's performance has cured his ills.

"You just kind of have to laugh about it," he said. "It's great to get off to that good start. No matter what, I'm still going to drive in 40 runs. [And] we're winning."

\ UPCOMING IN BLACKSBURG: Baseball - William and Mary, 3 p.m. March 25; Tulane (2), noon March 28; Tulane, noon March 29; Old Dominion, 3 p.m. April 2; Virginia Commonwealth, 3 p.m. April 3; Virginia Commonwealth, 2 p.m. April 4; Virginia Commonwealth, 2 p.m. April 5. Men's tennis - Campbell, 2 p.m. April 2.

Scott Blanchard is a Roanoke Times & World-News sportswriter.

Keywords:
BASEBALL