ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, June 1, 1996 TAG: 9606030041
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: UVA NOTES
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
The performance of Virginia's baseball team, which had a school-record 44 victories before losing to eventual South 1 Regional champion Alabama, could bring increased consideration from the Cavaliers' athletic administration.
``I think there's always been a question of how much difference it would make,'' said UVa athletic director Terry Holland, referring to calls for improvements in facilities and funding. ``I think this season shows that we can have a successful baseball program.
``Basically, we have something of a pecking order here and one way to move up or down in the pecking order is by showing signs of promise.''
The Cavaliers had eight victories over teams ranked in the top 25 this week, including five over ACC rivals Florida State and Clemson, who are playing in the College World Series.
Dennis Womack, the Cavaliers' head coach since 1982, said the No.1 item on his wish list would be a new artificial surface for UVa's baseball field. The infield is AstroTurf and the outfield is natural grass.
It was an all-grass field until 1988 or 1989, when the athletic department replaced the artificial surface at Scott Stadium, where the Cavaliers play football, and gave the remnants to the baseball team.
``The AstroTurf has had it,'' Womack said. ``It's served its purpose. I'm not crazy about a field that's half turf and half grass, but if all we could get was new turf for the infield, I'd take it.''
Next on the list would be more money for his assistants. Womack considers himself fortunate that ex-Cavaliers catcher Kevin O'Sullivan was willing to return after longtime pitching coach Bobby Miranda took a better offer from Wake Forest.
Less of a concern for Womack is a scholarship budget of between $115,000 and $120,000. Most of UVa's rivals are allowed to give a certain number of scholarships - up to the NCAA limit of 11.7 - but the dollar figure encourages Womack to recruit in-state players, for whom the tuition is lower.
All-American pitcher Seth Greisinger is from Virginia, as are five of the Cavaliers' eight position players and designated hitter E.J. Anderson. Former first baseman Brian Buchanan, a first-round draft pick in 1994, was from Fairfax County.
``I think Terry [Holland] is a guy who will go out and do everything he possibly can,'' Womack said. ``He's got a full plate, but I think he's been somewhat embarrassed by what he's seen. He hasn't had anything to do with it, but, philosophically, he wants to do something.''
GILLELAND SOLID: Sophomore second baseman Ryan Gilleland, a former Timesland baseball player of the year at Jefferson Forest, did not make an error in the last 32 games and led the Cavaliers in RBI with 43. Gilleland hit eight home runs, up from two in 1995.
``What really helped me was playing in a wooden-bat league last summer,'' said Gilleland, who played in the Great Lakes League in Ohio. ``It helps you get used to the smaller `sweet' spot, but I always thought I had the potential to hit with power.''
HUNTER UPDATE: Virginia basketball recruit Kris Hunter, a 6-foot-10 post player from Tallahassee, Fla., will take the Scholastic Assessment Test today in hopes that he already has qualified to play for the Cavaliers as a freshman.
Hunter has made the minimum required score on the American College Test, one of the two standardized tests recognized by the NCAA, but as of Friday there was no word on his grade-point average in a ``core'' curriculum of 13 college-preparatory courses.
Freshmen eligibility is determined by a ``sliding scale'' that includes test scores and GPA in the core. Hunter completed classes May 24, so there is nothing he can do to improve his grades, but, the higher his SAT or ACT score, the more of a cushion he will have.
HERMAN'S HEROES: All-Pro wide receiver Herman Moore will be joined by Detroit Lions teammates Barry Sanders, Scott Mitchell and Ray Roberts in the second annual Herman Moore Celebrity-Alumni Basketball Classic at 3 p.m. Sunday at University Hall.
Moore, an All-American at Virginia in 1990, will be joined by former UVa football teammates Shawn Moore, Terry Kirby, Chris Slade and Don Majkowski. Ex-UVa basketball players expected to participate include Cory Alexander, Junior Burrough, Richard Morgan and Ralph Sampson.
One-time NBA standout Hal Greer, whose daughter was a lacrosse All-American at Virginia, will coach one of the teams. There will be an autograph session starting at 1 p.m., with proceeds from ticket sales going to the University of Virginia Children's Medical Center.
LENGTH: Medium: 83 linesby CNB