THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 12, 1995 TAG: 9504120619
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Athlete of the Week
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
Although the score was tied at 2 in the ninth inning against top-ranked Salem Thursday, a surge of confidence swept through the Princess Anne Cavaliers when Elisa Avery doubled and the dangerous Lori Ferguson stepped into the batter's box.
Little did the Cavaliers know that their cleanup hitter was up there trying to figure out how to get the bat off her shoulder.
``I felt paralyzed,'' she said. ``I was really nervous. I didn't think I'd hit the ball at all.''
This turned out to be bad news - for Salem. For while Ferguson is a fine player during any situation, when the pressure is on she works herself into such a state of fear she becomes one of the toughest outs in South Hampton Roads.
``In big games and in pressure situations, I get really nervous,'' Ferguson said. ``But I think I do better when I'm nervous.''
Ferguson couldn't have done better Thursday, as she yanked a two-run home run down the leftfield line off Salem ace Bronwyn Blair, lifting the surging Cavaliers to a 4-2 victory.
The home run capped off a week in which Ferguson went 4 for 7 in helping the Cavaliers upend Bayside and Salem, the preseason favorites for the Beach District title. The performances earned Ferguson The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star's girls athlete of the week award.
The Cavaliers and coach Dennis Nixon have come to expect such production from Ferguson. The junior third baseman is starting for the third year and has emerged as one of the team's leaders. But this merely adds to the pressure Ferguson puts on herself when the game is on the line.
``The other players are like, `Oh, good, Lori's up,' and I'm thinking, `Oh, no,' '' Ferguson said.
The Cavaliers were especially confident in Ferguson in the ninth inning Thursday. In her previous at-bat, she had tripled and scored the Cavaliers' second run.
Desperate to succeed in her final at-bat, Ferguson was well in front of the first two pitches and pulled severe fouls down the leftfield line.
``I looked over at coach Nixon and he was like this,'' said Ferguson, contorting her face into an angry scowl. ``I'm like, Oh, no!''
The two fouls left Ferguson working from an 0-2 count against Blair, one of the state's best pitchers. The Cavalier third baseman's nerves were working overtime.
As it turned out, Ferguson had 'em just where she wanted 'em. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Lori Ferguson
by CNB