Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 8, 1994 TAG: 9404080164
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Among the survivors were the Frederick Keys, who outslugged the Salem Buccaneers 11-8 in a game that consumed a numbing 3 hours, 16 minutes.
"It was miserable, miserable for both teams," said Salem manager Trent Jewett, not referring to any on-the-field activities. "But I don't know what you're supposed to expect in this part of the country at this time of year. I think some of our guys were surprised, though."
The only surprise was that the bats on both teams weren't moving at glacial speed. The teams combined for 21 hits and five home runs, four of them by the Keys.
"We didn't really start swinging the bats well until the last week of spring training," said Mike O'Berry, Frederick's manager. "We hit well tonight."
Frederick won with a string of big innings, the largest being a four-run seventh off Damon Allen, an aspiring baseball player after flinging footballs as a quarterback in the Canadian Football League for nine years.
That put the Keys up 10-5, but the Bucs were never out of it, countering with two runs in their half of the seventh. Billy Owens smacked a homer NEXT UP: Salem right-hander Gary Wilson vs. Frederick right-hander Calvin Maduro at Municipal Field. Game time is 7 p.m. Ticket prices: $5 (box); $4 (reserved); $3 (general admission); $1 off for children 12 and younger and senior citizens. for Frederick in the ninth and Salem's Jeff Conger retaliated in the bottom of the inning, but that was the extent of the Buccaneers rally.
"Both teams swung the bats pretty good," Jewett said. "We were never out of the game. I'm pretty pleased for the first game of the season in that kind of cold."
Owens and first baseman Bryan Link were a combined 6-for-8 with two homers, a double and six runs scored.
"The only time I really hit the ball hard was the home run," Link said. "One other one was off the end of the bat and the other was a bunt."
Link said it took him awhile to start rolling in spring training.
"I was in Nashville this winter and I don't know how it was here, but the weather was terrible there," he said. "I didn't get a chance to get outside much to work out."
Only one Buc had as many as two hits, designated hitter Jason Kendall, who had a couple to go with two RBI. Juan Segura, hidden at the bottom of the lineup, drove in three runs with a double and a fielder's choice. Conger, back for another season in Salem, scored four runs.
Salem was down 3-0 after two innings but rallied to lead 4-3 after four innings.
But the Keys could not be restrained, and Salem played catch-up the rest of the way.
\ BUCSHOTS: Allen, the brother of Marcus Allen of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs, led the Edmonton Eskimos to the Grey Cup (Canada's Super Bowl) a year ago. . . . Kendall is the son of former big-leaguer Fred Kendall, now the manager of the Class A South Atlantic League's Hickory (N.C.) Crawdads. . . . Frederick's Clayton Byrne, who went 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBI, is Australian. . . . The Bucs are sponsoring a "Field of Dreams" promotion in which Little League and Dixie Youth teams are invited to come to games, in uniform, as the Bucs' guest. Teams will take the field during pregame player introductions to be recognized. Reservations must be made with the Anthony Marek of the Bucs front office, who may be reached at 389-3333.
by CNB