Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 15, 1994 TAG: 9406150014
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Bubba Scarce.
Usually, that's not a good thing for Tunstall's opponents, but the Terriers, while not scratching completely back from a 6-0 deficit, threw a scare into the unbeaten Trojans in the final inning before bowing 6-4 in the semifinals of the Group AA baseball tournament Tuesday night.
After being shut down for most of six innings by Tunstall's Khris Law and watching the Trojans score all six of their runs in a disastrous third inning, Byrd scored two runs in the sixth and added two more in the seventh off the gas-throwing Scarce before leaving the tying run at second base.
"This was as good a game as you'll see," Tunstall coach Owen Shields said, "from my point of view."
Shields admitted things didn't look good in the seventh, when the Terriers raked Scarce for three hits. Through the first five innings, Byrd had just three hits off Law (6-0).
It was the hardest Scarce, an 11th-round pick by the Oakland A's in the amateur draft, has been hit this season.
Byrd (21-3) got on the board when Jason Porter ripped a two-run double that chased Law, who was also drafted by the A's in the 28th round.
After Chris Carr, who ended his fine Byrd career with an outstanding relief performance, retired Tunstall (25-0) in order in the seventh, the Terriers mounted a rally.
Shannon Gray led off with a line shot that bounced off Tunstall rightfielder Eric Lovern's glove. Rich Ellis followed with a single to score Gray from third and make it 6-3.
After Scarce caught Carr looking at a 2-2 curve, C.D. Polumbo singled. Mike McGuire then followed with his second double of the night to make it 6-4.
"It seemed like their hits were contagious," said Scarce. "I was surprised that they hit my fastball that good."
That was the end of the rally, though, as Scarce struck out Porter and John Bradberry to end the game and record his second save to go along with a 12-0 record.
"They were sitting on his fastball and they did a tremendous job," said Owens, whose team plays the winner of Broad Run-Tabb for the championship on Friday. "They were one pitch away from tying or winning the ball game."
Law allowed five hits and two runs in 5 innings. He struck out five, Scarce fanned four.
McGuire (8-2) started for Byrd and he labored from the beginning. He didn't have his best stuff, evidenced by the five walks he issued in two-plus innings of work.
Carr struck out the first two batters he faced - Matthew Scarce and Chris Martin - but leadoff man Law laced a shot down the first base line that scored two runs.
It was the biggest hit of the night because it made the score 6-0, with both runs charged to McGuire. It was also the only hitr off Carr, who struck out nine in five innings.
by CNB