THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 22, 1994 TAG: 9407200143
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 19 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
Booming bats and solid pitching by Matt Burr powered Churchland to the District 6 Major Little League baseball championship.
Churchland topped Olive Branch Blue, 6-1, on Monday night at the Driver field to take the district crown. Churchland advances to the state tournament and will play District 2 champion Fairfax on Friday, July 29.
Burr hurled the championship win and helped his own cause with a home run. Teammates Brandon Floyd and Joey Piland also blasted home runs.
Churchland gained the final by sweeping through the winners' bracket. Churchland blanked Bennetts Creek, 2-0, on Thursday to capture the winners' bracket.
Olive Branch Blue downed Bennetts Creek to come through the losers' bracket. Earlier Olive Branch Blue eliminated Olive Branch Gold, 9-1.
Final games were scheduled this week in both the Senior and Major divisions of girls softball.
In the Senior Division Olive Branch captured the winners' bracket and Western Branch advanced through the losers' bracket. The teams were scheduled to meet Tuesday night at the Driver field. A victory would give Olive Branch the championship. A win by Western Branch would necessitate a second meeting.
In Major League softball, Western Branch and Olive Branch also were the finalists. But Western Branch went into the final as the unbeaten team and Olive Branch advanced by taking the losers' bracket.
A Tuesday night win at Driver would give Western Branch the championship. A loss would necessitate another game between the two finalists.
The 10-year-old division champions move into state tournament competition. Baseball winner Churchland will play the District 8 winner on Friday at St. Paul. Softball champion Wilson will play Saturday at the Azalea Little League field against an opponent still to be determined.
In the District 2 Colt Tournament, Churchland won the championship. Churchland posted a 10-6 victory over Deep Creek and Western Branch edged South Norfolk, 5-4, Thursday. On Friday Churchland bowed to Western Branch, 8-7, in eight innings. Saturday Churchland beat Deep Creek, 11-1 and forced a showdown game with Western Branch for the title by beating the Chesapeake team, 6-4.
In the final Churchland prevailed, 11-0..
In the Pony League tourney, Western Branch Blue defeated Churchland, 8-2, and Great Bridge American downed Deep Creek Gray, 15-2, at Western Branch Thursday, Churchland bowed out with a 16-0 loss to Great Bridge American on Friday.
Western Branch Blue won the district title Sunday with a 1-0 victory over Great Bridge American. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by MICHAEL KESTNER
Adam Johnson of Olive Branch slides safely into home plate when
catcher Charlie Hardie loses the ball in the dirt Friday afternoon
during a game at Driver Elementary School in Suffolk. Olive Branch
won the game.
Adam Johnson of Olive Branch Blue slides safely into home plate when
catcher Charlie Hardie of Bennetts Creek loses the ball in the dirt
Friday afternoon during a game at Driver Elementary School in
Suffolk. Olive Branch Blue won the game.
by CNB