Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 7, 1993 TAG: 9304070039
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-7 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FLOYD LENGTH: Medium
FLOYD SOFTBALL TEAM WILL BE ON ROAD A LOT
There were quite a few things known about the softball team at Floyd County High even before the season began.The team has experience. Co-captains and four-year starters Dawn Underwood and Robin Gallimore are the two senior returnees and provide leadership. Also, three other starters from last year's squad return.
The team has depth. Twenty-two girls came out for the softball team - two more players than there are uniforms. So first-year coach April Underwood plans on rotating her reserves to give her talented freshman and sophomores valuable playing experience.
The team will have to travel a lot. None of Floyd County's Mountain Empire District foes play softball, nor does any other school in the New River Valley. So the Buffaloes will play away games in New Castle, Roanoke, Daleville, Buchanan, Hillsville, Cana and Warm Springs.
And the team will be in the Region C tournament in mid-May. Since the Buffaloes are the only team in the Mountain Empire playing softball, they are automatically the district champion. And with that title comes the regional berth.
What isn't known about Floyd County is whether it can improve on last year's 7-9 mark and go further than the regional semifinals where it lost last year to eventual state Group A champion Glenvar.
To make it past the first game of the post-season, two things appear crucial for the Buffaloes - communication and hitting.
Communication should be easier.
"We're all helping each other out," said center fielder Dawn Underwood. "We're all talking to each other [in the field] so we know who has the ball."
Added pitcher Gallimore: "If someone does something wrong, we [the co-captains] can explain to the players what they did wrong so they can do better. No one gets mad when you do that. And that hasn't always been the case."
Hitting may be another story. The uncooperative late-winter weather cost the Buffaloes one full week of practice as well as their pre-season scrimmage. It also often forced to team to work out indoors, making batting practice impossible.
"Our hitting needs some work," Underwood said. "We were just getting our rhythm when we missed that week. And we haven't hit much off pitching. We've hit mostly off of the pitching machine."
Underwood and the players were confident, though, that the hitting would come around in time.
One reason for optimism is the return of Gallimore. She led the Buffaloes in virtually every offensive category last year.
Meanwhile, players like Underwood, junior catcher Shannon Shockley, junior infielder Jodi Cromer, sophomore shortstop Tangie Thomas, and junior first baseman Lynette Nolley have had plenty of game experience hitting and should round into form as the season progresses. All but Nolley started last year; Nolley did not play last season but started two years ago.
In addition, many of the newcomers to the Buffaloes have played on all-star teams for Floyd County's youth sandlot program. So they bring to the team more polished skills - including hitting - than freshmen did when Gallimore and Underwood were freshman, according to the co-captains.
So while some crucial things remain unknown, the Buffaloes have a good feeling about 1993.
"We're going to do better all year long," said Gallimore.'
Said Dawn Underwood: "We'll have fun while working on winning."