THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 11, 1994 TAG: 9408110676
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DENISE MICHAUX, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HOPEWELL, VA. LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
Last summer, Mike Hoskins was unable to help Post 280 Greenbrier's American Legion baseball team battle for victories on the field. He was to busy fighting his own war off the field with Hodgkin's disease.
Wednesday, Hoskins went 5-for-6 with five RBIs, including a two-run triple in a seven-run second inning, to lead Post 280 to a 16-8 pounding of Post 130 Falls Church in the first round of the state tournament.
Mike Floyd went seven innings, hiking his record to 10-0. Post 280 earned a matchup today at 5 p.m. at Hopewell High against Post 28 Dumphries, a 13-8 winner Wednesday over Post 273 Poquoson.
``I knew I'd come back,'' Hoskins said. ``I just didn't know how long it would take. The endurance has been the thing that has taken the longest to get back, but I think I'm stronger now than I've ever been.''
After being diagnosed with the disease last year, Division I college scouts who had been impressed with Hoskins started to shy away, leaving the Greenbrier Christian graduate with no choice but to start out playing ball at Louisburg Junior College with hopes of transferring.
``It just gives me another goal to work towards,'' Hoskins said. ``It gives me a chance to work my way back and mentally set. Hopefully someone will notice me.''
It was hard to miss Hoskins Wednesday. He, Shawn O'Dell and Anthony Linhardt offered a fierce 1-2-3 punch.
The trio combined for four second-inning RBIs on three hits to give Post 280 an 8-2 lead.
O'Dell wound up 4-for-6 with five RBIs and Linhardt was 3-for-6 with three RBIs.
``They can hit,'' Post 280 manager Gary Lavelle said. ``(Hoskins) knows how to win - in fact, most of this team knows what it takes to win.''
Post 280 had been mired in something of a hitting slump, so Wednesday's 20-hit attack was a nice change.
``We had a stretch there where we kept getting rained out and weren't able to play at all,'' Hoskins said. ``Our last game was Wednesday and since then we have been practicing three to four hours a day. I think we are really starting to peak.''
Post 130 Falls Church 201 000 050 - 8 9 3
Post 280 Greenbrier 172 113 01x - 16 20 3
Gogolac, Huyler (3), Johnson (7) and Fowler, McGovern (6); Floyd, Byrum (7), Allison (8) and Hoskins. W: Floyd (10-0); L: Gogolac (3-2). by CNB