THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 15, 1994 TAG: 9406150643
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940615 LENGTH: VIRGINIA BEACH
After the two region champions battled through seven scoreless innings, Midlothian (21-2) used its bunting ability to score the game's lone runs.
{REST} With one out, Midlothian leftfielder Kara Smith put down a slow-rolling bunt that Great Bridge pitcher Stacey Adamson had to field and throw hurriedly. She made a low throw to first for the Wildcats' only error of the game.
Smith then attempted to steal, and Great Bridge shortstop Lashelle Griffin raced to take the throw at second. Jenny McIntyre, drawing back from a bunt stance, tapped the ball through the vacated hole at shortstop. Both runners then engineered a double steal.
Great Bridge drew in its infield, expecting another bunt. But Julie Smith faked it and poked the ball up the middle, scoring the runners.
``We call it slap bunting,'' said Midlothian coach Denise Manuel. ``We try to put the ball between the infielders or over their head. We were having a lot of trouble hitting Adamson anyway. She mixed her pitches well and had our batters off balance most of the game.''
The never-say-die Wildcats, limited to a single hit by hard-throwing righthander Nicki Patton in regulation, nearly pulled off a tie in the bottom of the eighth.
Melissa Woolridge drew a two-out walk. Marni Magyar drove a long single that hit near the top of the leftfield fence. Jamie Lemnios singled to fill the bases. Julie Collins, who had Great Bridge's other hit, flied out to left to end the game.
``I hit it solid,'' Magyar said of her near-game-tying blast. ``But I knew it wasn't a home run.''
Patton, who pitched her sixth shutout in her last seven outings, including a 1-0 win over Western Branch in the quarterfinals, didn't think it would clear the fence.
``I was thinking that I would like to have that pitch back,'' she said. ``It was a changeup that I should not have thrown.''
Both teams managed to get only one runner to third base before the extra inning.
The Wildcats missed a scoring opportunity in the second inning when a pair of errors allowed Griffin and Kelly Black to reach base with one out. Griffin went to third when third baseman Celina Patton muffed Black's bunt. Black then stole second. Dana Crisostomo attempted to squeeze Griffin home but was thrown out, and Griffin was held at third. Wooldridge then grounded out to second.
In the fourth, Midlothian's Katie Mills had a one-out double to left-center and reached third on an infield out. She was left stranded as Celina Patton popped out to third.
The pitching matchup between 18-game-winner Patton and 17-game-winner Adamson was outstanding.
Until the eighth, Adamson faced only 25 batters. She did not issue a walk.
Patton retired 17 batters in a row in one stretch, giving up a third-inning single to Collins, who was erased on a steal attempt.
Great Bridge coach Noble Palmer gathered his tearful Wildcats in the outfield after the game.
``Don't cry that it's over,'' he said. ``Smile that it happened. And be proud.''
Great Bridge (18-7-1) finished its season as Eastern Region champion for only the second time ever. With only two seniors, the Wildcats figure to be among the area's best again next year.
The victory sends Midlothian against Woodbridge in the title game. The game will be played Thursday or Saturday at Woodridge.
Woodbridge defeated Gar-Field, the defending state champion, in Tuesday's other semifinal, 1-0. Michelle Matthews pitched a four hitter and scored the winning run herself. She singled, moved to third on a pair of infield outs and scored on a single by Danica Dunkle.
by CNB