THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 14, 1994 TAG: 9406140494
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940614 LENGTH: Medium
The Patriots are 4-0 since advancing to the Eastern Region playoffs as the No. 2 seed from the Beach District. Their victims have been, in order, Peninsula District champion Kecoughtan, Southeastern District champion Great Bridge, Western Branch and L.C. Bird.
{REST} First Colonial beat an outstanding pitcher in Bird's Brian Tingen, who has signed with Virginia Commonwealth. But the underdog stuff doesn't stop there.
The Patriots (19-7) face their most serious challenge of the season tonight at 7 in a state semifinal game against Clover Hill at Atlee High in Mechanicsville.
West Potomac (18-5) visits Hylton (23-1) in the other semifinal. The First Colonial-Clover Hill winner will host the championship game Friday night.
Clover Hill (24-1) has won 21 consecutive games and is ranked No. 8 in the nation by USA Today. The Cavaliers ousted Western Branch, 6-2, in the quarterfinals, dealing Jimmy Anderson his first loss in 21 decisions.
That might intimidate some teams. But not First Colonial.
``We played teams last year when we were nationally ranked and they didn't lay down for us,'' First Colonial coach Norbie Wilson said. ``When we put on our uniforms, we're not a sure bet to come in second place.''
Wilson said the Patriots were miffed last Friday when the Richmond Times-Dispatch suggested that Bird got a better draw than Clover Hill in the state quarterfinals. Bird traveled to Norfolk to play First Colonial, while Clover Hill played host to Western Branch and Anderson.
``That was after we beat Western Branch, 8-4, and scored 42 runs in the region tournament,'' Wilson said. ``That fired our kids up.''
Clover Hill batted .399 in the regular season and is averaging nearly 10 runs per game. That would seem to put the pressure on First Colonial's pitching staff.
Wilson was undecided Monday whether to start Jamie Booth (7-1) or Steve Johnson (8-2). Booth struggled with his control against Bird; Johnson bailed him out with five innings of six-hit relief.
But Clover Hill is better suited to handle Johnson's hard stuff, Wilson said, and the deciding factor might be Booth's frame of mind.
``Jamie's a veteran, and I think he has confidence I'll make the right decision,'' Wilson said. ``I'm not as concerned with that as I am scoring runs. If we do that it will give all of our pitchers confidence.''
by CNB