ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Saturday, June 8, 1996                 TAG: 9606090048
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: B-1  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER 

LAYMAN DOES IT AGAIN

GLENVAR RIDES Amy Layman's pitching arm to the Group A softball final with a one-hit, 2-0 victory over Honaker.

Is a one-hitter better than a no-hitter?

It was Friday for Glenvar's Amy Layman, who dazzled Honaker with nothing but a fastball and allowed only one single as the Highlanders won 2-0 to advance to the Group A softball championship game.

Glenvar, which had the luxury of playing at home for the first two rounds of the state tournament, will hit the road today for a trip to unbeaten and well-rested Powhatan, which beat Sussex Central 1-0 on Thursday in the other semifinal.

Glenvar had to wait a day before taking on Honaker because of that school's graduation. Layman, who stopped St.Paul 7-2 on a no-hitter in the first round, was ready and she nearly had back-to-back state tournament no-hitters.

Layman's bid for that feat ended in the fifth inning, when Honaker's No.9 hitter, Kristy Miller, dumped a pop fly just behind first base for a single. That ended 152/3 consecutive no-hit innings by Layman.

Against St.Paul, Layman struggled with her control at times. Layman walked only one hitter Friday, and a double play erased the runner so she faced only one over the limit.

``I was pumped,'' Layman said. ``I knew we had to win this one if we didn't want to go home. I was ready, but so was the whole team.''

Layman didn't think about back-to-back no hitters. ``As long as we win, I don't mind one hit,'' she said.

The junior pitcher felt she had her best control of the year. Fighting a back injury has been a problem, but this time there was no pain.

``Between innings, I had a heating pad in the dugout,'' Layman said. ``That's what I did when I wasn't pitching. I can go again today. I've done it before.''

With the teams locked in a scoreless tie into the sixth inning, it appeared Layman might have to go extra innings. Glenvar (21-5) had runners every inning against Honaker pitcher Jody Compton, a sophomore with a strange pitching motion.

``We questioned the legality of her pitch, but the umpires weren't interested,'' said Spike Harrison, Glenvar's coach. ``She moved every which way.''

The Highlanders' best early scoring chance came when Ingrid Moldenhauer was nailed at the plate in the second inning on a throw from shortstop Kimberly McGlothlin to Miller, who applied the tag.

``You kind of wonder when you're number might be up,'' Harrison said. ``We mishandled a situation [on offense] early in the game.''

The bottom of the sixth started innocently enough as the first two Glenvar hitters made outs. Then, designated hitter Renee Anderson lined a single to center, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch.

That put pressure on Compton, who walked No.8 hitter Kathy Jenkins. The Glenvar left fielder never stopped running on the walk and took second as Honaker (17-3) decided not to risk trying to throw her out and give Anderson a chance to score in a rundown.

Elizabeth Wilburn had made contact in her two previous trips to the plate, but they were outs. This time the Highlanders' No.9 hitter smacked a hard shot that scooted under the glove of Honaker second baseman Christal Presley as both runners scored.

``She's been hitting well,'' Harrison said of Wilburn. ``She was the last one called up to the varsity.''

Wilburn got the call when another freshman, Kelli Julg, went down with a knee injury early in the season.

``I really didn't think this would happen, that I'd get the winning hit in the state semifinals,'' Wilburn said. ``I didn't know it was a hit until I saw that their second baseman couldn't come up with it. It's the greatest feeling of my softball'' career. (17-3).

NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.

LENGTH: Medium:   81 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  ERIC BRADY/Staff. 1. Glenvar's Amy Layman throws an 
          inside breaking ball during her one-hit shutout of Honaker on 
          Friday. Layman and the Highlanders will play Powhatan today for the 
          Group A softball title. 2. The Glenvar girls' softball team 
          celebrates its 2-0 Group A semifinal win over Honaker at Green Hill 
          Park
          on Friday. ciolor.