COVINGTON KNOCKS OFF CRAIG COUNTY IN BASEBALL

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

DATE: FRIDAY, April 9, 1993                   TAG: 9304090115
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B7   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: From staff reports
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
COVINGTON KNOCKS OFF CRAIG COUNTY IN BASEBALL
At New Castle, Jeff Tucker slammed a home run and pitched effective relief as Covington rallied twice for a 13-9 baseball victory over Craig County on Thursday.
Tucker pitched the final 5 innings, allowing two hits and three unearned runs, striking out nine. At the plate, he went 2-for-4 and scored four runs.
Craig County led 6-1 and 9-6. Andy Lambert helped out the Cougar comeback with three hits, three runs scored and a key bases-loaded triple.
Ben Boardwine went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and Johnny Crawford had a double, single and two RBI for the Rockets. Numerous errors led to 10 unearned runs in the game.
In other baseball:
At Rocky Gap, Ben Basham's three-run homer highlighted Shawsville's six-run second inning as the Shawnees rocked the Eagles 13-0 in a game shortened to five innings. Basham finished with four RBI and Jason Booth added three hits and two RBI for Shawsville (5-1). Tony Maxey limited Rocky Gap to two hits. It was the Eagles' first game of the season.
Skip Copenhaver drove in four runs and Randy Blevins and Eric Sayers combined on a four-hitter as George Wythe beat Holston 8-3 in a Hogoheegee District game in Wytheville. George Wythe is 1-3 overall, 1-3 in the district; Holston 1-2, 1-1.
Floyd County exploited seven errors to beat host North Cross 13-5 in the second of two games Thursday and Mike Hylton twice pitched out of bases-loaded jams, once with the bases full and just one out, as the Buffaloes won 8-5 in the opener. North Cross fell to 3-4.
At Tazewell, the Bulldogs used two errors to push across an eighth-inning run in a 4-3 win over Giles. Jason Compton had a solo homer for Tazewell in the fifth inning. For Giles, Stevie Steele had an RBI double.
Altavista snapped a five-game, season-opening losing streak after a Jefferson Forest rally fell short and the Colonels hung on for a 4-3 Seminole District victory. The Cavaliers (3-2, 3-2) scored two runs in the seventh innings before Altavista pitcher Ryan Bennett foiled their hopes. Bennett also went 2-for-4 with three RBI for the Colonels (1-5, 1-5).
Seven players combined on eight hits as Alleghany (5-0) won a 10-7 non-district game at Parry McCluer. Shaam Wheeler had two of nine hits for the Fighting Blues (1-1).
Gary Tyree pitched a five-inning no-hitter, striking out seven, and went 2-for-2 with three RBI as Rockbridge County pasted guest James River 15-0 in a non-district game shortened because of the slaughter rule. Joe Wood went 2-for-3 with two RBI for the Wildcats (2-0). James River is winless in three starts.
Kelly Dampeer went 4-for-4 with a solo home run and Ben Taylor had a two-run homer as Northside beat host Christiansburg 8-4 in a non-district game. Alan Christian pitched a six-hitter, striking of seven for the Vikings (2-0-1). The Blue Demons (2-3) squandered two home runs by Jason Basham and one each by Denny Self and Brock Whitlock.
\ SOFTBALL: At New Castle, Covington's Nancy Shawver had four hits, as many as all the Craig County players could produce, as the Cougars outlasted the Rockets 21-14. Covington won despite allowing 23 walks.
At Lord Botetourt, Floyd County and the Cavaliers split a doubleheader. The Buffaloes won the first game 3-1 behind Theresa Gallimore's five-hit pitching. Floyd took advantage of 11 errors and a wild pitch to score three unearned runs.
Lord Botetourt took the second game 15-3. Ashley Moore hit a single, double and triple. Moore, Denise McNitt, Mandy Sowers and Shabnam Gideon each drove in two runs.
Stephanie Rhodes extended her hitting streak to nine consecutive at-bats with two doubles and two singles as Parry McCluer beat visiting Alleghany 18-10. Rhodes also drew a walk and drove in five runs. Heather Worley went 4-for-4 with five RBI. Tracy Shaffer and Michelle Hemp were a combined 6-for-8 for Alleghany (0-2). Parry McCluer is 3-2.
\ BOYS' SOCCER: Nathan Gessner of Pulaski County booted the game-winner on a direct kick from 50 yards out with about 10 minutes left as Pulaski County edged William Fleming 2-1 in a Roanoke Valley District game at River's Edge. Kelley Graham staked Fleming (2-2, 0-1) to a 1-0 lead before Aaron Quinlan tied it up for the Cougars (1-0, 1-0).
Rockbridge County (1-3) knocked off winless Alleghany 6-2 in a Blue Ridge District match behind Nikola Janjic's two goals and an assist. Josh Brown scored both Alleghany goals.
\ LACROSSE: St. Anne's-Belfield, the No. 2-ranked team in the Tidewater Invitational poll, slipped past Rockbridge County 8-7 to stave off an upset bid. The Wildcats (3-2) are the poll's eighth-ranked team. St Anne's-Belfield is 5-0.
\ GIRLS' TENNIS: Salem won all but the No. 1 singles match as it beat Radford 8-1 to hand the Bobcats their first regular-season loss in four seasons.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB