ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, July 23, 1996 TAG: 9607230075
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ATLANTA
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITER
Seth Greisinger's first game on a major-league mound was good enough for an Olympic triumph.
The University of Virginia junior, the No. 6 pick in last month's baseball draft by the Detroit Tigers, went six innings on a steamy Monday night in his first start of the Atlanta Games, and the U.S. downed South Korea 7-2 at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium.
U.S. second baseman Warren Morris of Louisiana State, whose game-ending homer won the College World Series last month, again made a difference with one swing of the bat.
The Americans' No. 9 hitter ripped a three-run homer to the second row of the center-field seats in the fourth inning off Min-Han Son, breaking a 1-1 tie.
Greisinger took exception with a reporter's postgame statement that he had pitched six strong innings.
``Well, I pitched six innings,'' he said. ``I was decent, but they weren't six strong innings. I don't think I was laboring, but I did have control problems with my changeup.
``I was hoping for seven or eight strong innings, but I couldn't get there.''
U.S. coach Skip Bertman said Greisinger would make his next start Saturday night against Australia, if the Americans go into that game 4-0. The highest draft pick in UVa baseball history could be held until Sunday afternoon against Cuba if the U.S. falls to Italy or Japan before then.
``Seth did a good job keeping us in the ballgame,'' Bertman said. ``He didn't pitch as well as he had his last three times out.''
The right-hander from McLean, Va., wasn't close to as dominating in his Olympic debut as he had been in pre-Olympic competition, and in the heat and humidity he faded and barely survived the sixth before Bertman went to his bullpen.
The victory, which lifted Team USA's record to 30-3 in international play this summer, left the Games' host and Cuba (2-0) as the only unbeaten clubs in the eight-team baseball round-robin.
Greisinger, who went 12-2 with a 1.76 ERA for the Cavaliers' NCAA regional entrant this spring, got plenty of defensive help in winning his seventh straight decision for Team USA.
Center fielder Jacque Jones made a spectacular diving, rolling catch of Jong-Kook Chei's sinking liner to lead off the South Korea third.
In the fifth, U.S. catcher A.J. Hinch protected his team's three-run lead with his left leg and shin guard to end the inning.
Dong Lee reached on a two-out bobble by Jason Williams, but the shortstop ran down the ball in short left field and fired to Hinch, who blocked the stunned Chei from touching the plate.
It was another in a string of umpires' calls the Koreans didn't like, and this time, the club didn't take the field until after a long delay.
In the South Korea sixth, Jones went to the wall in left-center for a leaping catch to turn what likely would have been a bases-clearing double into a sacrifice fly.
A hit and two Greisinger walks had loaded the bases, and Bertman had Jeff Weaver throwing in the bullpen. After Jones' catch, the UVa hurler worked out of further trouble, and Bertman went to Weaver to start the seventh.
``I felt like I was real wild [three walks],'' Greisinger said. ``I usually don't walk that many. And there wasn't an inning they didn't get someone on base. The defense really helped me out.''
LENGTH: Medium: 71 linesby CNB