ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Thursday, May 9, 1996                  TAG: 9605090028
SECTION: CURRENT                  PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
DATELINE: RADFORD
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER 

A DOUBLE BOW FOR JOBS WELL DONE IN RADFORD

One of the longest running acts in Radford High School baseball history is making its last curtain calls.

After four years of bad hops; after four years of dirt in the eyes, mouth and other places; after four years worth of twin killings, the Bobcats' double-play combination of shortstop Derek Engelhard and second baseman Hart Fowler is close to shutting down.

High school eligibility expiration has turned out to be far more of a formidable foe than any wicked shot to the hole.

The show isn't over until the diplomas are signed, though.

Fowler, a lean native of the city, and Engelhard, who came here from Roanoke County as a fourth-grader, have been a double-play combination ever since they were on the same age 11-12 Dixie Youth team that won the region..

Neither of them had thought about that team for a while.

``That is a long time ago,'' Fowler said, almost as though he were shocked at his own longevity.

The partnership may continue into this summer, when both plan to play American Legion ball. Even then, there are no guarantees that they'll be deployed at their customary positions.

A year ago when they played legion ball, Fowler got looks at both second and shortstop. Engelhard stayed at third base.

During the high school campaigns, there has been only one place for either to be and that is turning a double play.

``The best compliment you can get is one from your peers and [coach] Billy Wells of Shawsville told me he thought they were the best double-play combination in the district,'' Radford coach Wayne Pridgen said.

Fowler may not be willing to limit it to the Three Rivers District.

``I think we're the best double-play combination in the region if not the state,'' he said.

Anybody taken aback by this supposed cheekiness may be reminded you can't perpetrate the baseball equivalent of a double homicide if you're lacking for confidence. In the case of this long-standing Bobcats partnership, confidence is the residue of experience.

``You get to the point where you can anticipate his moves,'' Engelhard said. ``I've played with a lot of second basemen. Some want the throw low and some want it high. With Hart, I just throw it.''

``And it's always perfect,'' Fowler said.

The question arises of how Engelhard has had much chance to work with other second basemen if Fowler has been the man on the other side of second base from him? The answer is found in the numerous summer camps the players have attended, most of them together.

``We room together, too,'' Fowler said.

They've mowed lawns together, they and their friends camp out together, they've been Virginia Tech bat boys together, they live two blocks from each other. They'll diverge after they play their last summer of American Legion ball together starting in a month or so. Engelhard will go to Virginia Military Institute, where he plans to play baseball and study engineering. Fowler is strongly considering George Mason University, where he'd like to study English and try to walk on to the baseball team.

Admittedly, a liberal arts curriculum may not be as practical as something in applied science such as the one Engelhard has his sights set on.

``My mom says that there aren't many jobs you can do with an English degree, but that's what I want to do,'' Fowler said. ``I've wanted to write for a while now.''

Both players have been steady throughout their high school careers. Engelhard is hitting about .375 and Fowler .360 this year. Fowler has done some pitching, too.

Pridgen pitches Fowler only when he needs to, preferring him to stay at second to keep the defense shored up and to give Engelhard a target on the double play.

The coach is one more of those who are having a hard time seeing the breakup of such a long-standing Radford baseball tradition.

LENGTH: Medium:   86 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  ALAN KIM/Staff. 1. Radford High third baseman Derek 
          Englehard (above) has been a starter for four years as has Hart 
          Fowler 2. (above left), who plays second base for the Bobcats. 
          color.