Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 22, 1993 TAG: 9309220017
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR.
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
RADFORD - In basketball, it's up-tempo. In football, it's the run-and-shoot.
Baseball, however, has never really had a term that describes a wide-open offensive game plan. A new term may have to be added to baseball's lexicon, thanks to the Radford Highlanders.
For the past two years, Radford University's baseball team has played what head coach Scott Gines calls "fastbreak baseball." The Highlanders have defined that term with a unique blend of speed on the basepaths and power and patience at the plate.
Throw in the fact that Radford has been solid in the field, especially up the middle, and it's easy to see why the Highlanders have set school records for wins in each of the past two seasons, including last spring's 29-19 record.
"Really, what we've done offensively and defensively has been key to our success," said Gines.
During his first four seasons as coach, from 1988-91, Gines usually had strong pitching staffs built around gassers like Phil Leftwich, now a rookie with the California Angels.
By 1991, the pitching was like a Vogue cover girl - young and thin - but not nearly as pleasant looking. In fact, fans averted their eyes when Highlanders hurled.
After back-to-back losing seasons, Gines hit upon an answer while watching Ron Bradley coach an undersized Radford basketball team to a 20-win season.
"We revamped our style of play," said Gines. "I tried to do what Ron Bradley did. We didn't use four guards, of course, but we took the idea of using what we had and played to our greatest strengths. That's what the basketball team did that year.
"We began stealing a lot more bases and using the hit-and-run more often. It's a fastbreak-type offense."
The fast break worked, even without a 3-point line. The Highlanders have been ranked among the nation's top 30 in four different statistical categories in the past two years.
In 1993, Radford was seventh in the nation in double plays (1.13 per game), 15th in batting average (.317), 15th in fielding percentage (.961) and 23rd in stolen bases (2.11 per game).
In 1992, Radford was 11th in double plays (1.16 per game), 19th in scoring (7.9 runs per game), 21st in batting (.316) and 21st in stolen bases (2.08 per game).
Last year, Radford leftfielder Duane Filchner's .401 batting average was 38th in the nation and his school-record 57 RBIs were 18th-most. The record number of double plays resulted chiefly from the play of shortstop Tom Curran and second baseman Rob Amos.
"Hopefully, this success can piggy-back to next year," said Gines.
\ EXTRA BASE: Chris Khoury has joined the baseball program as a volunteer assistant coach. Khoury, who had been working as a fitness instructor in Alexandria, will handle the Highlanders' strength and conditioning program and work with the outfielders. He was an assistant coach at Frostburg State from 1989-90, at Georgetown from 1991-92 and at Wakefield High School in Arlington last spring.
\ SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABLE: It appears as if the men's basketball team will play with 12 scholarship players this winter, one below the NCAA-allowed maximum.
Radford was left with the extra scholarship when Thomas Treadwell, a 6-5 forward from Good Counsel High School in Wheaton, Md., failed to meet admission requirements after signing during the summer.
The Highlanders were almost without another scholarship player, but sophomore forward Eric Bowens decided not to have knee surgery, which would have forced him to miss this season.
In other basketball news, junior forward Antoine Dalton has a broken right hand. He should be ready for the opening of practice.
\ NO KICKS: In getting off to a worst-ever 0-7 start, the men's soccer team has been outscored 22-1, the one goal coming on a penalty kick by Matt Bennett.
\ IN RADFORD: Men's soccer - Sept. 22, UNC Charlotte, 7 p.m.; Oct. 1, Shepherd, 7 p.m. Women's soccer - Sept. 23, Virginia Tech, 7 p.m.; Sept. 25, Georgia Southern, 7 p.m.; Oct. 2, Towson State, 2 p.m.; Oct. 3, UMBC, 2 p.m. Field hockey - Oct. 2, alumni game, 3 p.m. Volleyball - Sept. 24-25, Radford University tournament. Women's tennis - Sept. 29, Charleston, 3 p.m. Men's and women's cross country - Oct. 2, Highlander Invitational.
Ralph Berrier Jr. covers sports for the Roanoke Times & World-News' New River Valley bureau.
by CNB