Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 10, 1994 TAG: 9406170107
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: |By RALPH BERRIER JR.| |STAFF WRITER|
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
That hardly was enough to beat the Highlanders, however, as the game of softball again was played on Layman's terms. The freshman phenom pitched a one-hitter and had three hits in the Highlanders' 7-1 victory in a quarterfinal of the Group A tournament at the Moyer Sports Complex in Salem.
It was the ninth consecutive victory for Layman (12-4) and for Glenvar (17-7-1), which is host to the winner of the James River-St. Paul game Tuesday in a state semifinal. Layman, who has given up two earned runs in her past 39 innings, struck out eight and walked four.
Twin Springs (10-11), the Region D runner-up, may have used up its best strategy early in the evening, when it appeared the Titans had decided not to show. Their bus broke down near Wytheville, delaying the start for nearly 50 minutes.
``That didn't have any effect on the ballgame,'' said Terry Roberts, the Twin Springs coach. ``That girl [Layman] pitched great.''
The only hit off Layman came in the fourth inning, and it produced the Titans' run. After Susan Lawson led off with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch, she scored on Ellie Hillman's line drive up the middle.
``I wasn't thinking about a no-hitter today,'' said Layman, who pitched four perfect innings last week against James River before finishing with a three-hitter. ``I was hyped up, then [the start of the game] was postponed. I warmed up, cooled off, warmed up again. I wanted to pitch.''
Layman had faced the minimum nine batters through three innings, although one batter reached on an error in the first inning and another walked in the third. In both innings, Glenvar turned double plays - the first when first baseman Amanda Rydell snared a line drive and doubled Lawson off third, and the second when second baseman Ingrid Moldenhaur nabbed Joy Marshall off first after catching a pop-up.
``We got our heads together out there,'' Layman said.
Glenvar scored three runs in the first and never trailed. Layman led off with a single, designated hitter Amy Maxwell, who had two hits, reached on a bunt and Stacey Shelor brought in both with a single. Shelor was doubled home by Jennifer Dennis.
The Highlanders ran roughshod over the Titans, stealing 11 bases - three by Moldenhaur. Many of the steals did not draw a throw.
``We do some things early on to see how the other team reacts,'' said Spike Harrison, Glenvar's coach. ``Their catcher only made a couple of throws. We didn't have a lot of hits [10], but we had a bunch of total bases.''
Jennifer Collett (0-1) started and finished it for Twin Springs, but she didn't pitch a complete game. Ellie Hillman pitched the second through fourth innings, Collett pitched the fifth, Hillman started the sixth, then Collett finished.
``We did okay once we figured out which pitcher was in there,'' Harrison said.
by CNB