Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 27, 1992 TAG: 9203270289
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-12 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Last year, for example, there was a three-way tie for the regular season title. Then the undisputed No. 4 team, Blacksburg, won the tournament.
Was Blacksburg the best team? Probably not. Certainly over the course of an extended regular season the Indians weren't.
But what can you figure out from the regular season? Not much when teams play only one game a week.
"That means everybody's a contender," said Carroll County coach Bill Worrell.
Once upon a time, a district champion was decided by the depth of its pitching staff. That's still the case in most places around the state.
Not in New River. You don't need as much pitching depth.
"When you play only once a week, that means everybody can use their best pitcher," Worrell said.
Should make for some good games, though.
A look at the teams:
\ BLACKSBURG is getting off to a fresh start behind new coach Jim Shockley, who has been wildly successful as a basketball and football coach at Blacksburg Middle School and for the high school junior varsity.
Shockley's baseball resume includes 15 years of umpiring, among other things.
"I'm here to develop a program that will be consistently successful year after year, much as the other sports we have here at the high school," Shockley said. "This is not a one-shot deal."
Baseball has been among the least successful of the high school's programs over the years. Yet it may not be fair to compare it to perennial Indian powerhouses on the regional and state level such as football, basketball, soccer, tennis and track as well as the girls' sports. Outside of Carroll County, New River District baseball teams hardly ever compete favorably at the regional level and almost never at the state level.
Blacksburg may have the district's best player in Matt Smith, who will play shortstop and pitch. Smith, who batted .458 with three homers last year and compiled a 1.80 earned run average (but an 0-5 record for a 4-14 team that was winless in the district), can do it all.
He gave an idea of that when the Indians beat Northside 3-2 in a game shortened by darkness this week. Smith's contributions: two home runs - in the Indians' park, with it's distant fences, any homer is a news flash - and a save.
The trick will be to find some additional pitching help. Wayne Caldwell, the regular third baseman, is being considered, as is second baseman Brian Davis and first baseman James Shealor, who hasn't played baseball in several years.
The infield looks solid, especially now that Neal Richards has moved from the outfield to behind the plate. Davis is a good player who ought to hit better than he did a year ago.
Another couple of good hitters are outfielders Brad Epperley and Brian Brotherton.
"We play a very good schedule, so we may end up with a good team that has a bad record," Shockley said. "We should be good defensively, have some good team speed, and we'll be able to hit a little. But I'm going to have to be patient."
\ RADFORD has been a solid contender for several years and should be one again.
The Bobcats have one of Timesland's best hitters in second baseman Brody Smith, a senior who hit above .500 last year. They also have one of the area's most hard-nosed competitors in Wayne Lineburg, who will pitch and play the infield.
Another of the Cats' assets is speed. Duane Pierson could be a top-notch base-stealing threat. Pierson also has surprised his coaches with some new-found pop in his bat.
More speed comes from new recruit Tommy Edwards, who will spend most of his time with the track team when he isn't moonlighting for the Bobcats' nine as a designated runner. Another speedster is Brandon Viars, a senior moving from the outfield to shortstop.
Radford also boasts a veteran catcher in Andy Arnold, who also will be called on to pitch some.
However, Coach Wayne Pridgen's ball club still has some questions. One of them is in center field, where Mark Franklin has been assigned. Franklin has talent, but he's a freshman and untested. Similarly untested is third baseman Jess Shull, who hasn't played baseball for years.
Another question is the pitching depth behind Lineburg. Yet another question involves the hitting. Aside from Smith and Lineburg, there are no bats that have been consistently reliable so far.
"I really like the attitude of this team," Pridgen said. "If attitude and effort count for anything, then we're going to be all right."
\ CHRISTIANSBURG is really high on its pitching.
Jason Basham and Charlie Shrader are seasoned performers and relatively hard throwers. Denny Self, a left-hander, and Toby Duncan are expected to offer an immediate boost to the staff after toiling for the junior varsity a year ago. Duncan figures to be the center fielder.
Coach Kirk Litton is counting on a three-man rotation with Duncan being used exclusively in relief. Shrader had three saves to go with a 3-0 record and 1.94 earned run average in 1991, but he'll be converted to a starting role this year.
"We have the potential to have a real good staff," Litton said. "With three pitchers like we have, one of them could have an off day and we could just bring in one of the other two."
Christiansburg isn't without hitting, especially from catcher Toby Akers, who batted .586 with 11 doubles, two homers and 32 RBI last year. Infielders Ryan Trueblood, Mike Sweeney and Jamie Gillespie didn't hit much last year, but better things are predicted of all three this year.
"The key will be how our outfield develops," Litton said.
The Blue Demons will have new starters at all three positions.
\ CARROLL COUNTY is the New River favorite, in large part because it has a couple of the best batteries around. The combinations of Daniel Easter and catcher Kevin DeHaven, and James Phillips and DeHaven are most imposing.
Worrell said the 5-foot-6 DeHaven is the best catcher he's ever had, which is a mouthful from the dean of district coaches.
Easter, who fanned 68 batters in 42 innings, is big and strong and could be the area's best pitcher. He's yet to live up to his potential, though.
He has never played a full season. Last year he sprained an ankle in an intramural basketball game just before the season. On another occasion, he wrenched a shoulder arm-wrestling. Yet another time, he punched somebody and broke his hand.
But Worrell doesn't want people to get the wrong idea.
"He's really a good kid."
by CNB