ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, March 27, 1997 TAG: 9703270039
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: PEARISBURG
TYPE: NRV BASEBALL OUTLOOK
SOURCE: RAY COX THE ROANOKE TIMES
Returning players could mean a strong year for several NRV high school baseball teams.
Two reasons that Giles High could prosper during baseball season:
Hitting and pitching.
The Spartans ought to be able to do both. Should they show an equal aptitude for throwing and catching, they should be a top contender in the Group A Three Rivers District and beyond.
Bruce Frazier, the Spartans coach, lost some top-notch talent such as left-hander Josh Stephenson, an All Timesland choice, but there is plenty more firepower in the arsenal to fill in.
Two of the most notable players are center fielder Chris Hutchison and shortstop/pitcher Ben Brown.
Hutchison has one of the sweetest left-handed swings around and proved it when he hit .453 with seven home runs, 22 runs scored, and 20 runs batted in during 17 games. That was before the Spartans made a postseason run at the state title, losing in the semifinals to Powell Valley.
"If Hutchison isn't a college prospect, then I don't know what one is,'' one opposing coach said.
Brown has college aspirations as well. His skills as a middle infielder as well as a live arm ought to be of interest to the recruiters. Brown went 7-0 with a 1.50 earned-run average last year. He'll be the staff workhorse this year.
More pitching will come from right-hander Chris Ratcliffe, one of the best athletes in the school. Another possibility for the mound is burly Zach Whitsett, a junior. Hutchison gives the Spartans a left-hander out of the bullpen.
Veterans such as first baseman Adam Jones and third baseman Chris Bales give the Spartans versatility and toughness. Another asset is a solid outfield with Justin Bostic and Jason Martin to go along with Hutchison.
That leaves it up to Frazier to get his message across to the players.
"Never look ahead and underestimate nobody,'' he said.
A look at other New River Valley teams:
At Pulaski County, Perry Reese has ascended from his post as an assistant coach to succeed Todd Browning, who has left the dugout to devote his attention to being athletic director.
Reese welcomes back four starters. One of them, beefy left-hander Bryan Dalton, will anchor a strong-armed but inexperienced pitching staff.
"They can all throw, they just haven't had enough hill time," Reese said.
Handling the staff will be catcher Nick Phillips, a defensive whiz.
The top offensive player is center fielder Shane Callahan, who hit over also get a lot of work out of junior shortstop Robbie Hamblin, who started as a sophomore.
Blacksburg has seven starters back, and it'll need every bit of their expertise and more to negotiate the minefield of the Blue Ridge District. The Indians and Christiansburg are new to the league this year.
The stalwarts for Jim Shockley's Indians are catcher Michael Davis and first baseman Will Gentry, each of them in his third year as starters.
Left-hander Reed Shabman went 4-2 with a 2.01 earned run average and 76 strikeouts in 70 innings. As a hitter, he hit .250 but had a .600 on base percentage this past season.
Ryan Broere in center field, Landon Jones at second, and Joey Carter at third are all solid players. Benji Machingo has the speed to run down a lot of shots to the outfield.
The bullpen will have Michael Crist.
"I think it's going to be a heck of a year in the district,'' Shockley said. "I don't know what's going to happen, but I know it's going to be fun.''
Christiansburg will build its team on the solid foundation of four seniors: center fielder Scottie Brubeck, outfielder Eric Lucas, second baseman Chris Epperly and first baseman/pitcher Travis Bland.
Adam Collins at second and Rufus Shumate at shortstop proved themselves after being summoned from the junior varsity midway through the 1996 season.
Christiansburg had but three home runs this past season, but the power outage may be coming to an end. Brubeck, who is coming off knee surgery, hit two homers and went 6-for-8 in the Blue Demons' first two games.
Floyd County is still celebrating its first Group A basketball title and the good vibes have carried over to baseball.
A couple of the basketball mainstays, infielder and pitcher Jason Dalton and first baseman Travis Cantrell, will also figure prominently in the fortunes of the baseball team. It so happens that the basketball coaches also know some baseball, too. Their roles are reversed in spring with Skip Bishop the head coach and Alan Cantrell the assistant.
"It worked so well in basketball, we'll just do it all over again,'' Bishop said of his partnership with Cantrell.
The Buffaloes also have a championship influence from third baseman Kamal Chantal, a two-time state wrestling champion, and shortstop Eli Mannon, another basketball player. Kamal's younger brother Rahim will be doing some pitching.
Other seasoned players include catcher Jason Williams and outfielders Aaron Sherman and Matt Blackell.
"Our strong point is experience,'' Bishop said. "Nine of the 10 players who did a lot of the playing last year are back.''
Floyd County will contend for the district crown.
Year in and year out, another Three Rivers contender is Shawsville. This year, coach Billy Wells has to find replacements for five players who had a combined 17 years of starting experience.
The dugout isn't empty. Junior Barnett Carr will be moving from second to short stop and will try to duplicate the .527 batting average with 31 runs scored he had last year. Joe Chandler is likely to provide power at first base, as he indicated by hitting two home runs in Shawsville's first three games.
Chance Hall hit .355 with 26 RBI last year and can play the infield or pitch. Chris Wimmer brings another good stick to the lineup and will be stationed at first base and as a designated hitter.
The Shawnees will be tough, but it's going to be a tall order to match the 194 runs scored by the 1996 team.
Radford has one returning starter, catcher Billy Viers. Coach Wayne Pridgen likes what he's seen from the rest of his players.
"We have a lot of guys who can play,'' he said.
Among them are first basemen/pitchers Chris Keys and Bud Redden, and newcomers Mike Dunbar, Jimmy Woolwine, Kevin Roop, Andrew Crowder, and Todd Harkrader.
"This is a good group we have here,'' Pridgen said. "They're fundamentally sound. All I have to do is refine them.''
The big question at Narrows is the prospects for pitcher Joe Shipbaugh's wounded knee. Shipbaugh expects to be ready at some point. Coach Ed Shannon is figuring on a couple of weeks.
When's he's ready, Shipbaugh will be the key to the staff. Dallas St. Clair, Heath Fleeman, and left-hander Jason McCroskey are also available.
McCroskey (.518, three home runs, 34 RBI) is the most accomplished offensive player. St. Clair (.468, 21 RBI, 16 steals) will also spark the attack.
The Green Wave can score runs (121 in 17 games last year). The question mark is pitching - especially as long as Shipbaugh is out - and defense.
Auburn has a new coach in Skip Thompson. He and the Eagles will be battling back from a couple of down years.
The roster includes players David Stephens, B.J. Eskew, Chad Smith, Travis Harvey, Mark Lovern, Will Shelton, Brian Smith, Devan Howard, Jason Fizer, Luke Cunningham, Adam Quesenberry, J.C. Altizer, Gary Bishop, and Jamie Epperly.
LENGTH: Long : 142 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: RAY COX/THE ROANOKE TIMES. Ben Brown of Giles takes aby CNBlead off first base against Radford. color.