Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 25, 1994 TAG: 9408250076
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M. J. DOUGHERTY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
A: Each is the only team in the history of its respective league to finish the regular and post-season unbeaten and untied.
Athletes Choice accomplished the feat last week with a 17-7 win over the Outlaws in the championship of the Pulaski Men's Softball League Major Division Tournament.
AC finished the season 29-0. It is 85-2 over the last three years - each of which culminated in the league title.
STEVE ALLEY blasted two home runs in the title game. MATT DEAN, DAVID BISHOP and TOMMY SHEPPARD each added a homer of their own.
The five round-trippers gave Athletes Choice a league-record 180 for the season. It bettered the 1977 total of Rutherford by three.
Alley was the star of the playoffs, going 12-for-16 with five home runs. He was named co-MVP of the tournament. Sharing the award was A-Choice manager CRAIG HARRIS, who became the first manager to reserve MVP recognition.
Athletes Choice took the lead for good in the bottom of the first inning. Back-to-back home runs by Alley and Dean tied the game at 2. Then RANDY OLVESON had an RBI single to make it 3-2.
AC took command with a with a six-run second inning. A three-run shot by Bishop and two errors by the Outlaws fueled the uprising.
Then a five-run fifth inning which included Alley's second blast and removed any chance of a Outlaws' comeback.
JEFF REYNOLDS and CHARLES CUTLIP each went 4-for-4 for Athletes Choice and Cutlip scored a game-high three runs.
CONLEY HICKS collected his 26th pitching win of the season and for the 22nd time this season did not allow a walk.
LES AYERS and WILLIAM WOLFORD hit home runs and DOUG MABRY went 3-for-3 for the Outlaws. Despite the loss in the final, the Outlaws finished 25-5 in their first season in the league.
All Sport proved to be all right after an opening round loss in the Minor Division Tournament. Seven straight wins later, All Sport was celebrating the tournament title.
All Sport stopped the Warriors 12-2 in the final game as DALE MATUSEVICH went 3-for-4 with two home runs from the lead-off spot.
Matusevich, the tournament MVP, had two doubles and two runs scored in a 6-3 victory over the winners' bracket winner Warriors to force the final game.
In the final game, RONNIE HAMBLIN, JOHN THOMPSON and JUNIOR AKERS each had four hits for All Sport. One of Hamblin's hits was a home run, a three-run shot in the sixth inning that put the game out of reach.
All Sport finished 18-15 while the Warriors ended up 13-18.
FORE AND NET: Montgomery County Parks and Recreation is offering golf and tennis lessons for youths (ages 12-17) and adults.
Registration for these classes begins Aug. 22 and ends Sept. 9.
The golf classes will be at Cox's Driving Range in Christiansburg and Grip-It & Rip-It in Christiansburg. Classes will consist of six one-hour sessions with Monday-Wednesday and Tuesday-Thursday cycles beginning Sept. 12.
Youth classes will be at 6 p.m. and cost $15. Adults classes will be at 7 p.m. and cost $20. Also, students will be expected to purchase range balls.
The tennis classes will be at Christiansburg High School. Classes will consist of six one-hour sessions with Monday-Wednesday and Tuesday-Thursday cycles beginning Sept. 12.
Youth classes will be at 6 p.m. and cost $15. Adults classes will be at 7 p.m. and cost $20.
For more information on these classes, call TIM COONEY, the athletic supervisor, at 382-6975.
MORE NET NEWS: Sunday is the last day to sign up for the World TeamTennis recreational league in Radford.
The entry fee is $15.
A WTT match consists of five or six no-add sets includes men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and one or two matches of mixed doubles. Scoring is cumulative and the team winning the most games wins the match. The Radford league's 10-week season begins Sept. 4.
For more information, call GENE HURST at 980-0855.
SWIMMING SUNFISH: The Blacksburg Sunfish Swim Team will hold registration for the fall season Sept. 12-16 between 4 and 5:30 p.m. at the Blacksburg Aquatic Center.
The Sunfish have been offering a competitive swim program to school-age youth for over 25 years. During the fall and winter season, the Sunfish compete as part of the areawide Southwest Aquatic Team in YMCA and United States Swimming meets.
Practices are held after school at the town aquatic center and at the Virginia Tech War Memorial Gym on weekends.
For more information, leave a message on the Sunfish hotline at 953-2987 or call 951-0734 or 951-9144.
RUGGERS RESUME The Blacksburg Rugby Club has stated fall practice.
The sessions are Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6 p.m. and Saturday mornings at the club field behind Gables Shopping Center.
For more information, call coach BOB URBAN at 552-2419 (home) or 552-6052 (work).
SPORTS CLUBBING IT: The Blacksburg Sports Club will begin 1994-95 with its annual "Kickoff Luncheon" at noon on Aug. 31 at the Custom Catering Center at 902 Patrick Henry Drive.
Featured will be Virginia Tech football coach FRANK BEAMER and Blacksburg High School football coach DAVID CRIST.
Reservations must be made before Aug. 29 by calling DEAN FARMER at 953-0388. The hot luncheon buffet is $6.50. The optional garden salad is $5.
Annual dues for those wishing to join the sports club are $15 and will be accepted at the luncheon.
RUNNING WORLD: The Eleventh Annual Cheryl M. Quigley Memorial Run will be Sept. 10 at 8:30 a.m. in downtown Christiansburg.
Registration is $10 through Sept. 7 and $12 after that and on race day. Registrations may be sent to Quigley Memorial Run, First National Bank, P.O. Box 600, Christiansburg 24073.
For more information, call WANDA JOHNSON at 382-0242.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS:The Blacksburg YMCA has a hike scheduled every weekend into December. Upcoming hikes include the following:
Sunday at 1:30 p.m.: Mountain Lake Scenic Area. Call EMILY STUART at 552-2258 for more information.
Sept. 3 at 9 a.m.: Tinker Cliffs. Call BARRY ANDERSON at 639-1018 for more information.
Sept. 11 at 1:30 p.m.: Alta Mons. Call JAN MCGILLIARD at 552-1366 for more information.
Sept. 18 at 1:30 p.m., Audie Murphy Memorial. (Late-ending hike). Call DAVID JENKINS at 552-3747 for more information.
Sept. 25 at 1:30 p.m., Bald Knob/Bear Cliffs. Call JOHN ROACH at 951-1965 for more information
Hikes leave from the YMCA parking lot at 403 Washington St. and are scheduled to return by 5 p.m. unless noted. Hikers are advised to bring water, a jacket, sturdy shoes and snacks for longer adventures.
M.J. Dougherty covers racing and community sports for the Roanoke Times & World-News' New River Valley bureau.
by CNB