Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 27, 1993 TAG: 9305270125
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
William Byrd's Chris Carr and Mike McGuire hurled back to-back complete-game shutouts as the Terriers beat Lord Botetourt 5-0 and upstart Salem 7-0 to win their second straight Blue Ridge District championship Wednesday on their own diamond.
Carr hurled a three-hitter in the first game and McGuire, a sophomore breaking-ball specialist, followed that with a four-hitter as Byrd (17-2) snapped a two-game season-ending skid.
McGuire was shaky the first two innings, walking three and giving up three hits, but he was solid as the Federal Reserve the rest of the way. McGuire faced two over the minimum the last five innings.
"I was real nervous at first," he said. "This was my first district championship game."
The turning point for him may have been some wise words from veteran Byrd assistant coach Doug Pence.
"He said I was working too fast," McGuire said. "He told me to slow down and watch each pitch. It worked."
Byrd didn't exactly rattle neighboring windows with its offense - it only had eight hits in the two games - but it did execute in a timely fashion. Gary Wiggins homered in both games and ended with four runs batted in in the second game after a sacrifice fly plated the seventh run in the sixth inning.
Wiggins, a senior shortstop, has six homers for the year. The second one, which came off Salem's Kevin Feazell, broke open a four-run third.
Salem (11-9) had shown its pluck by reaching the final. The Cinderella Spartans had upset Northside to get to the semifinals then required 11 innings to subdue No. 2 Alleghany 8-7.
The Spartans scored three runs in the 11th, the big blow being a two-run homer by Ryan Blevins, then hung on in the bottom half of the frame.
The Mountaineers had led 4-1 before the Spartans rallied in the sixth to score four runs. Charlie Hammersley hit a two-run shot to punctuate the comeback.
The Mounties tied it in the seventh but could never score the go-ahead run despite several chances.
Both the Terriers and the Spartans advance to the Group AA Region III tournament that starts June 2 at Liberty University.
"[The Alleghany game] definitely took a lot out of us," said first-year Salem coach Scott Atkins. "We had a lot of tired swings in that second game. But I've always thought there was potential on this team if it played with confidence and that's what it's been doing late in the season."
Salem had a four-game winning streak snapped with the loss to Byrd. The Spartans had won five of their past seven district games.
Byrd did the little things right against Salem. It had only one error and it got a lot out of the lower portion of the order. Chuck Spraker, batting ninth, went 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored. John Bradberry, batting sixth, walked twice and scored, and McGuire, the No. 7 batter, walked and added an RBI double. He also scored.
by CNB