THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 2, 1994 TAG: 9406020639
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940602 LENGTH: VIRGINIA BEACH
Western Branch, the regular-season champion in the Southeastern District and the defending champion in the region, ousted Bayside in nine innings, 5-4. Great Bridge, the Southeastern tournament winner, defeated Beach District champion Salem in the second game, 2-1.
{REST} Both Southeastern teams gained berths in next week's state tournament with their victories. The title winner in Friday's 4 p.m. championship game at Princess Anne will be a host team in the quarterfinals of the state tournament on June 10, playing the Central Region runner-up. The loser will travel to Richmond to meet the Central champion the same day.
In the semifinal opener, Western Branch (19-4) staged a pair of comebacks to oust Bayside (19-5), rallying from a 3-0 deficit with a three-run fifth inning and pushing across two runs in the bottom of the ninth after the Marlins had taken a 4-3 lead in the top of the inning.
A walk to Amber Stout, the only free pass yielded by winning pitcher Nicole Belote, a sacrifice and a double by Bethany Hall sent Bayside in front, 4-3, in the ninth.
With one out in the last of the ninth, Western Branch centerfielder Jaci Morris slammed a triple to right. Evie Benson followed with a single to deep short, and Bayside shortstop Dawn Bell elected not to throw to first in an effort to hold the runner at third. However, a wild pitch allowed Morris to score, and Benson went to second. Bayside then gave intentional walks to Andrea Martin and Angie Albertson, filling the bases with one out.
Katie Proffitt flied out to short right and the runners held. Belote then cracked a single to drive in Benson with the winning run.
``All I was thinking is that I just had to get a hit to score that run,'' said Belote. ``This was the biggest game of the year, and that was our chance to win it. But give all my team credit. Everybody really did their jobs.''
Belote (12-2) yielded only six hits, once retiring 11 in a row. She struck out six.
She had a shaky start, surrendering a triple to opposing pitcher Amy Hooks and a double to Jen Moricle to open the game.
Hooks (18-4) was touched for 13 hits but several were bunts. She struck out five, and all three walks she gave up were intentional. Twice she turned back the Bruins without runs after Western Branch had filled the bases.
Hooks and Moricle each had two hits for the losers.
Sarah Wolf garnered three singles, and Jennifer Sayko, Morris, Benson and Chrissie Taylor each had two.
``We were like two riverboat gamblers,'' said Bayside coach Conrad Parker. ``They won on the last draw.''
The nightcap was a masterful pitching matchup between Great Bridge senior lefthander Stacey Adamson and Salem's freshman phenom Bronwyn Blair. Neither walked a batter.
Adamson allowed only five hits and Blair gave up just three, two to Lashelle Griffin.
The Sun Devils (20-4) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning when catcher Tonya Staton reached first on an infield error, stole second and came around on a pair of throwing errors by the Wildcats.
Great Bridge centerfielder Emily Ouzts then became a nemesis for Salem. In the fourth inning with one out, Julie Collins reached first on an error and scored on a three-base hit by Ouzts. Dana Cristostomo then squeezed Ouzts home on a close play at the plate.
``I was just praying that I had touched the base before the catcher tagged me,'' said Ouzts.
In the bottom of the sixth, Ouzts pulled down a long drive by Salem designated hitter Kelly Bradley inches in front of a 200-foot fence sign.
``I felt the warning track and I knew I had room to catch it,'' said Ouzts. ``I didn't think it was going over the fence.''
Salem coach Larry Bowman hoped otherwise.
``I believe it would have been out of here if the wind hadn't been blowing so hard. The ball was really hit,'' he said. ``But I have to give Great Bridge a lot of credit. Their defense was superb. They made some big plays.''
One was a shoe-top catch of a sinking liner by Misty Colebank with a Salem runner on second base in the fourth inning, pulled in by Great Bridge rightfielder Jamie Lemnios.
``I'm just speechless,'' said Great Bridge coach Noble Palmer. ``Now we have a chance to win the region for the first time in a long time.''
The Wildcats (16-6-1) were region runners-up three years ago. by CNB