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

DATE: MONDAY, May 2, 1994                   TAG: 9405020053
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BASEBALL-W. CAROLINA OUSTS VMI FROM TOURNEY

In Charleston, S.C., Western Carolina's Alex Tolbert hit a double with the bases loaded as the Catamounts broke upon a close game and eliminated VMI 7-1 in the Southern Conference tournament.

Western Carolina (45-12) was leading by one run in the sixth inning when Tolbert followed a singled run by Roy Hurst.

The Keydets (21-29), seeded seventh in the tournament, scored their only run in the bottom of the seventh on a double by Chris Cofer and an RBI single from catcher Marlin Ikenberry.

In Radford, Denny Van Pelt drove in two runs as Radford stayed in the Big South Conference race with a 5-2 victory over front-running North Carolina-Greensboro.

The Highlanders (26-20 overall, 17-7 in the Big South) won two of three games in the series and have three league games left May 14-15 at Maryland-Baltimore County. UNC Greensboro (35-15, 18-5) plays three games May 14-15 at home against Campbell. If necessary, the Spartans will make up a rainout May 16 against Winthrop.

In Blacksburg, George Mason grabbed a 7-0 lead after two innings and held on for a 10-9 victory over Virginia Tech at English Field.

George Mason (16-26-1) scored three times in the first inning on a two-run homer by Bryan Phillips and an RBI groundout by Jamie Rookwood. Phillips added an RBI double in the second as the Patriots scored four runs.

The Hokies (26-20) came back with two runs in the third, fourth, sixth and seventh innings and one run in the fifth. Tech's Sal Colangelo had a home run in the third, and Popeye Smith had three hits to lead the Hokies at the plate.

by CNB