
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 8, 1994                    TAG: 9406080523 
SECTION: SPORTS                     PAGE: C6    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: 940608                                 LENGTH: CHESAPEAKE

STACEY ADAMSON\

{LEAD} Since she doesn't have overpowering stuff and her pitches are always around the plate, hitting against Great Bridge's Stacey Adamson sounds like it should be fun.

In reality, facing Adamson is about as much fun as getting a tooth pulled. The senior lefthander, a study in poise and composure on the mound, is a master at changing speeds and pitching to spots. Hitters wind up getting themselves out by hitting Adamson's pitch.

{REST} ``I just put the ball places,'' she said. ``I don't have a lot of speed, but I don't pitch a lot of meatballs, either. And I have a great defense behind me.''

A two-time first-team All-Southeastern District selection, Adamson went 14-5-1 during the regular season, with 90 strikeouts, 17 walks and a 2.19 earned-run average. But her best pitching came last week, when the Wildcats topped Granby, Salem and Southeastern District regular-season champion Western Branch en route to winning the Eastern Region title.

In the three games, Adamson faced 81 batters, allowing just 12 hits, three walks and one earned run. She also hit .333, and overcame an injury in the championship game to help the Wildcats nail down the title.

Early in the final against Great Bridge, Adamson doubled over in pain after rolling an ankle stealing third.

``I'm thinking, if she can't pitch, we're really in a tough situation,'' Great Bridge coach Noble Palmer said.

But Adamson shook off the injury and continued mowing down Bruin hitters.

``There was never any question about whether I'd finish the game,'' she said. ``I wanted my senior year to go out with a bang.''

Adamson's effort earned her The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star's athlete of the week award. But Adamson's less concerned with what she did than what she might do Friday, when Great Bridge takes on Monacan in the first round of the Group AAA state tournament at Princess Anne.

``We went to state my freshman year, but I didn't get to play,'' she said. ``It was still exciting, but I didn't feel as much a part of it as I do now.''

This fall, Adamson will study physical therapy at Boston University, where she may walk on to the Terriers' softball team. Meanwhile, Palmer will begin adjusting to life without his star pitcher.

``I kind of hate to think about it,'' Palmer said. ``Stacey's set a legacy here that won't be reached in a long, long time.'' by CNB