ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, April 22, 1996 TAG: 9604230175
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: IN THE REGION
SOURCE: STAFF REPORTS
Brian Fitzgerald threw a one-hit shutout in the first game and former William Byrd standout Matt Reynolds had a key two-run double in the second game Sunday as Virginia Tech swept an Atlantic 10 Conference baseball doubleheader from George Washington in Washington, D.C.
The Hokies won 3-0 and 6-5.
Fitzgerald (5-5) allowed only a single in the third inning while walking three and striking out eight. David Fitt had a solo homer in the fourth inning to give the Hokies (27-19 overall, 13-3 conference) a 1-0 lead. Eric Shiflett added an RBI single in the fifth and Kevin Barker's bases-loaded walk accounted for the final run.
In the second game, Tech trailed 3-0 after one inning but scored six runs on three hits - including Reynolds' double - and three errors in the fourth to hold on for the win.
* Winthrop completed a three-game sweep of Radford with an 8-7 victory in 11 innings in a Big South Conference baseball game in Rock Hill, S.C.
Winthrop (34-14-1, 11-4) jumped out to a 7-2 lead but had to rely on three shutout innings by Mark Richards to end the game. The Highlanders (15-24, 6-9) jumped on starter Jeff Santa and reliever Aaron Sundsmo for five runs in the seventh and eighth innings to tie the score. Kelly Dampeer (Northside) was 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in the loss.
In the first game, Winthrop made the 2-0 lead it held in the suspended game from Saturday hold up in a 3-1 victory. Dampeer collected two hits and scored a run.
* VMI used complete-game pitching performances from W.G. Smith and Danny Hughes to claim a doubleheader sweep of East Tennessee State 3-2 and 5-1 in Southern Conference baseball in Johnson City, Tenn.
In game one, Smith surrendered only five hits and two unearned runs while striking out six and walking three. Nate Shepperson hit his 12th homer of the season for the Keydets (15-26, 7-16).
In game two, Shepperson added his 13th homer, drove in two runs and scored twice. Hughes allowed four hits and one earned run while striking out five and walking one.
* Ferrum rode the strong pitching of ace Jimmy Hamilton to a 9-3 victory over Greensboro to advance to play Methodist (N.C.) in the championship round of the Dixie Conference baseball tournament.
Hamilton notched his 10th win of the year, allowing three runs and eight hits while striking out nine and walking one. Pat Daly and Patrick Muncher both went 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBI apiece.
In the championship game, Methodist (28-5) led 9-1 after six innings and put up seven runs in the seventh to pound the Panthers 18-1.
Todd Cunningham led Ferrum (28-7-1) with three hits.
* Washington and Lee swept Guilford 9-3 and 8-7, and set a school record for victories in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference doubleheader played in Greensboro, N.C.
The Generals (12-11, 7-5) broke the record held by the 1948 team.
Tech women win A-10 tennis
* The Virginia Tech women's tennis team won the Atlantic 10 title by defeating George Washington 4-1 in the final match in Amherst, Mass.
Three of the Hokies' four points were recorded by freshmen. Head coach Anne Jones was named coach of the year and Vanessa Pardo was named most outstanding performer and most outstanding rookie in the A-10.
* Virginia Tech junior Jason Fullmer won the 110-meter hurdles in a time of 14.53 seconds in the Mount San Antonio College Relays in Walnut, Calif.
* Senior Wendy Palmer and junior Tora Suber were named the Cavaliers of the Year at the Virginia women's basketball banquet. Palmer, a consensus All-American, also won the rebounding award, after becoming the first women's player at UVa to surpass the 1,000-rebound plateau. Suber averaged 17.6 points per game and handed out 124 assists.
* Ben Nielsen of Roanoke finished first in the category four division and fifth in the junior race at The Dilworth Criterion bike race in Charlotte, N.C. Nielsen also won the category four race in Durham, N.C., and finished third in the junior race.
LENGTH: Medium: 77 linesby CNB