ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, August 7, 1996 TAG: 9608070043
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KEITH POMPEY STAFF WRITER
HOST TEAM SALEM HAS SHOCKED the Dixie Pre-Majors World Series field by making the semifinals.
Host teams aren't supposed to play this good in the Dixie Pre-Majors World Series.
They're normally the sacrificial lambs of the double-elimination youth baseball tournament. They face off against 11 teams who earned invitations after winning their respective state championship. The only reason host teams get to play is because the tournament's on their field.
Someone forgot to tell Salem. The Spartans are the first host team in three years to win a game. And they reached the final four after nipping Gastonia (N.C.) 6-5 at Kiwanis Field on Tuesday.
They'll face Vinton today at 4 p.m. in a semifinal matchup.
"Nobody thought we couldn't make it this far," said Salem's Sam Lazzaro. "People were saying that Salem didn't deserve to be here. Or that we wouldn't make it past last Sunday. But we made it to the final four. And we did it by beating state champions.''
Teammate R.J. Beckwith agreed.
"A lot of people weren't giving us a chance. But I knew that we would play good against the big competition," said the first baseman.
With their latest victory, the talk has gone from the Spartans not deserving to play to, "the only reason Vinton got here is because they didn't play us in the state tournament," said Beckwith.
Who knows?
As the host team, Salem wasn't permitted to compete in the district, regional or state tournament. So their only competition, during the last month, came during practice and scrimmages.
Maybe the rest was a blessing. Mike Loritsch, Devon Mitchen and Lazzaro are having all-star performances.
Loritsch leads the team with a .533 batting average, eight hits and four RBI.
"He's been crushing the ball for me all year," said Coach Goens. "He has been just lighting it up and just hitting the ball."
Meanwhile, Mitchen is batting .462 and has the team's only homer. Lazzarro is the defensive wizard. He hasn't committed an error at shortstop. And as a relief pitcher, he picked up the Spartans' past two victories, striking out nine batters.
"Everybody has stepped up," Beckwith said. "We have been giving all that we had to give. And we didn't quit no matter what."
Tuesday's game was a prime example.
After committing numerous errors, Salem trailed Gastonia 5-3 heading into the bottom of the third inning. The Spartans regrouped and tied the score at 5 in the bottom of the inning. Loritsch then scored the winning run in the sixth.
Salem had another come from behind victory against South Macon (Ga.). The Spartans scored four runs in the top of the seventh, taking a 6-5 win. And after losing to Vinton 6-4 in the first round, Salem defeated Greenbrier (Tenn.) 10-5.
"Playing in the Dixie Pre-Majors is a dream come true," said Lazzaro. "Ever since I was little, I always wanted to play in the Little League World Series. I never did that. But this right here is the World Series for older kids."
LENGTH: Medium: 64 linesby CNB