Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 30, 1995 TAG: 9505310035
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
``We did it because it was his 100th victory and his first in the region,'' Knights left fielder Kari Whitney said after Cave Spring rallied to defeat Albemarle 9-6 in a first-round Group AAA Northwest Region softball game.
Cave Spring (18-3) will host a Wednesday semifinal against Woodbridge, a 4-2 winner over Hylton.
After losing a 3-0 lead and falling behind by two runs, the Knights scored six times on just two hits in the sixth inning.
Ellen Jamison tripled in one run and Whitney doubled in another. The rest of Cave Spring's runs came on four fielder's choices and a walk.
``I didn't know if we could come back,'' said Whitney, who had two of the Knights' six hits. ``When we got that first batter on in the sixth [on a walk], I knew we could. It was a matter of us thinking we could do it.''
Princess Kemp earned the victory in relief of Mary Kallio, who pitched well until Albemarle (14-5) struck for four runs in the fifth. Kemp allowed the final two runs in the fifth, then allowed only a seventh-inning home run by Albemarle's Carrie Christiansen.
``We asked Mary to give all she's got. We just wanted her to turn it loose,'' Minnix said. ``Then we came back with Princess, who isn't that fast. They didn't hit her that hard. They were mostly in front, popping the ball up.''
Minnix counterattacked the effective pitching of Albemarle freshman Jess Vanderploeg by having the Knights bunt, a tactic that threw off the Patriots' defense.
``[Vanderploeg] threw some good changeups and it took us awhile,'' Minnix said. ``But these kids never think they're out of a game.''
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB