Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 12, 1995                   TAG: 9507140012
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

TECH HIRES FIRST SOFTBALL HEAD COACH

Thomas, who has coaching experience on the high school and college level, steps into the new position after having served as Tech's assistant equipment manager since 1992.

Thomas played baseball and football at Blacksburg High and later was a member of the baseball team at East Tennessee State University. He also served as an assistant women's basketball coach at ETSU.

Thomas played one season of semipro baseball with the Greensboro (N.C.) Brewers and has 10 years experience as a softball player.

Since returning to Blacksburg, Thomas served one year as varsity baseball assistant at Blacksburg High in 1992 and has been the Indians' head coach the past three years.

In other sports in the region:

Roanokers Brandon LaCroix and Lee Taylor, who both captured the qualifying medals in their respective divisions on Monday, each posted victories in Tuesday's first round of match play at the 21st Bobby Bowers Memorial junior golf tournament at Springfield Golf & Country Club.

LaCroix, a 5-handicapper at Roanoke's Hunting Hills Country Club, routed New Market's Troy Copenhaver 6 and 5 in his first-round match in the 14-15 age group.

Taylor, a 13-year-old rising eighth-grader at James Madison Middle School, advanced with a 6 and 5 triumph over Steven Doerrer of Mitchellville, Md., in the 12-13 division.

Eric Reynolds of Lexington nipped Andy Dofflemyer of Earlysville 1-up and is Timesland's only other entry left in the 14-15 division.

Galax's Russ Johnston remained alive in the 12-13 class, downing Neal Ritchie of Winchester 2 and 1.

Of the eight Southwest Virginia players to make match play in the 16-17 division, only Jason Orlando of Roanoke was able to make it through two rounds of match play Tuesday. Orlando beat Richmond's John Selbach 4 and 3 and Earlysville's Shane Foster 4 and 3.

Bedford's Lee Fisher joined Roanokers Jacob Jarrett, Justin Young and Brian Whitaker as second-round losers Tuesday. Chris Boswell and Marty Stanley, both from Martinsville, and Roanoke's Joshua Mattox lost in the first round.

The Virginias team leads the Carolinas squad 17-16 after the first round of the annual Virginias-Carolinas women's team golf matches at Hermitage Country Club in Richmond. The Virginias squad is attempting to snap a seven-year losing streak to the Carolinas in the matches that continue today and conclude Thursday.

Brent Cochran had two goals as the Roanoke Star Under-15 boys' soccer team defeated the Pittsburgh Eagles 5-0 in the Upper Austria Cup tournament in Wels, Austria.

The Star lost its first game 3-0 to a team from Athens, Greece, and play a team from Austria today. There are 150 teams representing 16 countries in the event.