Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 21, 1995 TAG: 9507210059
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS AND STAFF REPORTS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Ellertson, a 34-year-old real estate executive, lost only two holes in her two matches as she disposed of Natalie Easterly of Richmond 7 and 5 in the morning and Mimi Hoffman of Alexandria 7 and 6 in the afternoon on The Homestead's Cascades course in Hot Springs.
Hensley, runner-up to current LPGA player Donna Andrews in 1988, beat Lee Shirley of Salem 5 and 3 in the morning and Longwood golf coach Cinda Ho 6 and 4 in the afternoon.
In the Easterly-Ellertson match, Ellertson used a string of pars and two birdies to move in front by four holes at the halfway point. She did not lose a hole on the second nine, closing out the match on the 13th hole. Ellertson's match with Hoffman lasted 12 holes as Ellertson continued on her par and birdie rampage.
After falling behind to Shirley, Hensley recovered and was 2-up at the halfway point before ending the match on the 15th hole.
The Ridgeway woman started strong against Ho winning the first three holes. Ho admitted she lost control of her game on the second nine in an attempt to catch Hensley.
``When I put pressure on myself it's like a domino effect and I completely fell apart,'' she said.
Tournament medalist Chris Epperly of Virginia Beach and Lorainn Houlahan of Alexandria battled their way to the finals of the 38th annual Virginia Senior Women's championship played on the nearby Homestead course.
Epperly beat Jane Hawkins of Virginia Beach 4 and 2, while Houlahan downed Peggy Woodward of Virginia Beach 1-up.
In other golf:
Williamsburg's John Stone came to the AMF Signet Open tournament in Richmond playing well and proved it with a 5-under-par 67 for a one-stroke lead at the end of the tournament's first round.
Chasing him over the 6,684-yard Willow Oaks Country Club course was a group of four golfers at 68 that included defending champion Jerry Wood of Richmond.
``I was getting a little frustrated,'' said Wood, a 27-year-old assistant pro at Williamsburg Country Club, after a 1-under 35 on the front nine. But he played the back 3 under par with three birdies.
Also at 68 were pros Frank Ferguson of Falls Church and Jack Snyder of Palmyra, and amateur Simon Cooke of Richmond.
Pros Mark Fry of Roanoke and Rob McNamara of Charlottesville were tied at 69 with last year's low amateur, two-time State Amateur champion Keith Decker of Fieldale.
The Virginia State Golf Association and the Virginia PGA rejoined forces for the State Open in 1985, and Wood was the only previous winner since then who was under par Thursday.
Three former winners, pros Woody FitzHugh and Tim White and amateur Tom McKnight of Galax, were at 1-over 73. Pro Craig Gunn shot 74 and senior pro Bruce Lehnhard had a 75.
The field will be cut to the low 80 and ties after today's second round. The third and fourth rounds Saturday and Sunday will be televised to a statewide network by WRIC-TV in Richmond. The winning pro will get $12,000 from the $75,000 purse.
Tournament time in Salem
If you're in Salem between today and Tuesday, you'll probably be able to find a ballgame.
Five double-elimination tournaments are scheduled this weekend, with most games at the Moyer Complex. Salem will be hosting two Dixie girls' softball state tournaments, two Dixie boys' baseball state tourneys and the USSSA Men's Major NIT slowpitch tournament, a national event that usually resembles a home run derby.
The Dixie Debs (age 15-16) and Ponytail (age 13-14) softball and Dixie Boys baseball (age 13-14) begin tonight at Moyer, along with the Men's NIT. The Dixie boys Pre-Major (age 15-16) will play its state tourney at the Salem High diamond, finishing with a Wednesday championship. The other three Dixie tournaments have title games scheduled Tuesday.
The Dixie softball brackets, with eight teams each, include teams from North Roanoke, Cave Spring, Vinton, Wythe County, Botetourt County and host Salem. The Dixie baseball state entries include Vinton, Salem, Christiansburg, Bedford and Carroll County.
Some Dixie games also will be played at the Salem Civic Center fields.
The Men's Major NIT, playing for the third straight year at the Moyer Complex, has 23 teams entered from 13 states. The NIT championship is scheduled Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
In Winston-Salem, N.C., the Roanoke Stars AAU Under-17 basketball team fell to top-seeded Arkansas 77-53. The Stars were led by Keath Hampton with 15 points, and James Stokes and Mike Martin with 12 each.
The Stars face the Louisiana Stars at 1 p.m. today in a losers' bracket game at Joel Memorial Coliseum.
by CNB