Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 1, 1994 TAG: 9406010025
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: By BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"I'd like to keep winning, but if we were to lose, there's nothing I can do," said Phillips, after pitching a two-hitter in the Red Devils' 1-0 first-round victory over Salem in the Region III softball tournament at Moyer Complex on Tuesday.
In the other first-round game, Amherst County made it a sweep for the Seminole District by bombing Magna Vista 17-0. The Lancers will play Blue Ridge District champion William Byrd on Thursday at 5 p.m., with a berth to the Group AA state tournament on the line. Rustburg plays Tunstall in the other semifinal at the same time.
Rankin, a junior, didn't take Salem's loss as she came on in relief after Pam Glosser had given up one unearned run. Rankin, who might get another chance to beat Phillips next year when the latter is a senior, also got Salem's first hit, an infield single to short in the fifth. Last year, Rustburg beat Salem 5-0 for the Region III championship, then whipped the Spartans 2-0 in the Group AA state semifinals.
Phillips is 47-1 the past two years and 22-0 this season. Only a regular-season loss to Appomattox a year ago mars her record.
"As long as she's throwing the ball like that, there's not much you can do. But we're getting closer," said Jim "Shorty" Wright, Salem's coach.
Wright started Glosser to give Rustburg (22-0) a slower pitcher to look at, then inserted Rankin with runners on first and second in the third. Glosser gave up a run in the second when Rustburg's Jennifer Daniel doubled, went to third on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly by Kim Callahan.
Phillips had a perfect game until Rankin's hit. She had eight of her 12 strikeouts when Rankin reached. On the first pitch to Salem's Shannon Ritter, Rankin was running. Ritter was bunting and the ball was popped back to Phillips, who doubled Rankin off first for a double play.
In the next inning, Salem put runners on first and second with two outs. Crystal Whitlock led off with a single. After Stephanie Edwards flew to left and Brennan Newman struck out, Whitlock moved to second on a two-out walk to Delinda Holliday. But Erica Lokey struck out to end the threat.
"I think our best chance to score was in the fifth when Ronda led off with that single," said Wright. That was because Salem had its fifth- and sixth-place hitters up with none out as opposed to the eighth- and ninth-place hitters following Whitlock.
So why has Salem failed to score in three games against Phillips?
"I think everyone's scared of her and won't scoot up closer in the batter's box," said Rankin. "She throws a riser and you have to move up on her. I was up in the box when I got the single."
Every Salem player except Ritter and Edwards struck out against Phillips.
In the other game, Amherst County used the big inning to eliminate Magna Vista (17-5). The Lancers (17-5) scored six runs in the second inning and 10 in the fifth to put the game away. Erin Johannes went 3-for-5 as Amherst County pounded out 13 hits. Salem 0000000-022 Rustburg 010000x-160
Glosser, Rankin and Whitlock; Phillips and Callahan. W - Phillips (22-0). L - Glosser (5-3). Magna Vista 0000000-019 Amherst Co. 0610(10)0x-17130
Robertson and Rollison; S. Maddux, A. Maddux (7) and Mayes. W - S. Maddux (11-4). L - Robertson (17-5).
Memo: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.