THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 1, 1994 TAG: 9408310173
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JOHN GORDON, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Short : 44 lines
Pitcher Ronnie Powell and catcher Fred Mathews were named to the All World Class C fast-pitch softball team after the National Softball Association's world series in Salem last weekend. Suffolk's G.P. Gwaltney General Contracting finished fourth out of 41 teams at the tourney
Powell was 3-0 and struck out 39 and Mathews batted .462 as the Gwaltney club went 5-2 in the double-elimination event. The local team went into Sunday's competition 4-0 but fell to Federal Lock and Key of Washington, D.C.
Gwaltney won another game, but dropped a 12-6 decision to Parkersburg, W.Va. In the five wins, the Contractors gave up only two runs.
``Some teams had some ringers,'' Powell said. ``But our team was made up of all local players.''
Most of the players were from the Gwaltney team that won the city's fast-pitch league, but there were several players, including Mathews, who played for the Hound Dog Cafe. And there were two players from Coastal Lumber.
Other pitchers were Ron Robertson from HDC and Jeff Winslow from Coastal Lumber.
Last year, the Gwaltney outfit came in 11th in the tourney, and this was the first time that Powell had received such a high honor.
``I was shocked,'' the pitcher said. ``This is a pinnacle of my career.''
XINOS, TURNER WIN TOURNEY: Pete Xinos of Courtland and Allen Turner of Como captured first place in the inaugural Box Elder Hunt Club horseshoe tournament last Saturday.
Norman Wilkins and Gordon Bradshaw, both of Suffolk, placed second while Jim Hyman and Brian Roundtree, also of Suffolk, took third.
Tourney chairman Gary Oliver said 16 doubles teams turned out for the double-elimination event and that the club was very happy with the response.
``We had teams from Smithfield and North Carolina,'' he said. ``We're hoping to have it again next year.'' by CNB