Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 26, 1995 TAG: 9504260128
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
William Byrd gave a clearer picture of its baseball capabilities to the rest of the Blue Ridge District on Tuesday.
The host Terriers came back to beat Salem 9-6 to move into first place in the district after introducing a heretofore unknown slugger and closer.
Brian Jones, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound junior in his first year as a starter at catcher, creamed a line drive three-run homer - the first of his varsity career - to the deepest part of the park in center as the Terriers pulled it out in the bottom of the seventh inning.
That was after suffering the indignity of blowing a two-run lead to allow a tie in the top of the frame. If it hadn't been for C.D. Polumbo, a senior making the first pitching appearance of his career in relief of the suddenly wobbly Ryan Caya, Byrd could well have been trailing.
Polumbo came on with two down, two in and a man on second. He started shakily with a walk to R.J. Beckwith, the ninth batter in the order. But then he struck out Greg Harrison to end the threat.
``I hadn't pitched since Junior League three years ago,'' Polumbo said. ``If I can get it across the plate, they'll have a hard time hitting it.''
It was a nice time to try out a new relief pitcher, even one who throws as hard as does Polumbo, the regular third baseman.
``Well, you wouldn't want to go to a guy who hasn't pitched in three years unless you really needed to,'' Polumbo said.
Next time, Byrd coach Rodney Spradlin will have fewer questions about his bullpen.
``Polumbo might see some more action on the mound,'' Spradlin deadpanned.
Caya had retired seven hitters entering the seventh. Polumbo went on to go 2-for-3 with a run batted in and two scored but Caya was on his way to being the Terriers hero after he had bailed out wild starter Mike McGuire (eight walks and one hit batter but only one hit). Down 4-1 after one inning, the Spartans rallied to tie by the fourth and usher McGuire from the mound.
``I don't know what the problem was; I guess I just never got loose,'' said McGuire, who didn't bother to mention removal of warts on the index finger of his pitching hand the week before.
Then in the fifth, Caya's two-run single gave Byrd a 6-4 lead.
Which is where it stood before Salem chased Caya with a tying two-run single by freshman Scott Carter in the top of the seventh. That left it up to Harrison, in relief of starter Kevin Feazell since the previous inning.
Caya walked, Polumbo ripped a single off the shortstop's glove, and Jones socked the homer that ended it.
``It was a fastball right on the meat of the plate,'' Jones said.
Byrd improved its district record to 3-0-1 (5-3-1 overall) to move past Salem into first place. Salem lost its first of the season and is 7-1-1, including 3-1 in the league, but there was more to it than that for the Spartans.
``We aren't going to be where we want to be until we beat this team,'' Spartans coach Scott Atkins said. ``That's just the way I see it.''
Salem has beaten the Terriers once in the past 10 years.
``That was the first time in four years that we've been out of first place in the district,'' Spradlin said. ``It's good to be back on top again.''
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB