Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 31, 1994 TAG: 9405310086
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROCKY MOUNT LENGTH: Medium
A two-out, run-scoring drag bunt by Chad Foutz. Defensive heroics from catcher Riley Hodges. The complete-game five-hitter pitched by David Webster.
Those things turned into a 1-0 victory for the Eagles over Gar-Field in the first round of the Group AAA Northwest Region tournament at W.W. Naff Jr. Field.
Franklin County (17-4) will play host to the winner of Monday's Halifax County-Woodbridge game in a semifinal game Wednesday night at 7. Semifinal winners advance to the state tournament.
The loss ended the season for the Indians (10-11), who defeated Franklin County 5-1 two years ago in the regional semifinals en route to a state title.
Foutz provided the offense for the Roanoke Valley District champions in the second inning. With two outs and runners on first and third base, Foutz squared and bounced the ball between third and the pitcher's mound. John Sawyers sprinted home from third while Foutz beat out the throw, and the Eagles had their run.
"I was trying to get to first base, that's what I was trying to do," Foutz said. "They weren't expecting it. They were playing back."
First-year Eagles coach F.L. Slough confirmed that scoring the run was not the purpose of the bunt - just a fortunate byproduct.
"We just wanted to get their defense in motion and see what they would do," he said. "Sawyers is a fast runner. Chad placed it perfectly, and he beat it out."
Then Franklin County made the run stand.
Leading off the fourth inning, Tad St. Clair reached when shortstop Foutz overthrew first base. But Hodges was backing up the play and threw perfectly back to Foutz to catch St. Clair at second.
"On that play I was just backing up like I'm supposed to," Hodges said. "The ball got past first base and the runner took off when he shouldn't have. And I made him pay for it."
That play became more important when a one-out single and a two-out walk gave the Indians two runners. But Webster worked out of the jam, then retired the side in order in the fifth and sixth innings.
"My adrenaline kept me from getting tired," said Webster, a right-hander who struck out seven. "I felt like I got stronger as the game went along. When I struck out [batting in the third inning] that really got me going."
In the seventh, the defense went back to work. Hodges picked pinch runner Thomas Wallace off first base after pinch hitter Mark Hernandez missed a bunt attempt. And Foutz started a game-ending double play.
"We've lost five games by one run, two of those in nine innings," said Gar-Field coach Tony Labozzetta. "We're just not hitting the ball well right now." \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB