THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 14, 1995 TAG: 9504140563
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 46 lines
The inaugural Booker T. Washington Softball Classic debuted with a classic pitchers' duel.
Booker T. Washington's Donna Self and Nansemond-Suffolk's Sarah Putnam took turns blowing away hitters Thursday before the Saints finally came away with a nine-inning, 6-4 victory to close a rain-delayed first day of the three-day affair.
The sixth-ranked Bookers lost for the first time in six games this season, while N-SA improved to 8-4.
The Classic was supposed to feature four games Thursday, with No. 8 Granby and No. 3 Great Bridge kicking things off at 9 a.m. But heavy rains early Thursday morning made Booker T. Washington's field unplayable until 3 p.m.
The hard-throwing Self went the distance, striking out seven and allowing only four hits.
Putnam relieved Jennifer Johnson in the second inning and allowed just three hits while fanning 11.
So dominant were the pitchers that the game seemed as though it would never end. But after seven innings, the teams invoked an international rule which called for a runner to start on second base to begin each frame.
The move energized both offenses and the runs started coming in bunches with both teams scoring three runs in the eighth. The Saints pulled ahead for good in the ninth, when Bookers' second baseman Tracy Reamey booted April Westcott's two-out grounder for a two-run error.
``This was so much fun,'' said Saints' catcher Leah Wilson, who turned in an outstanding game defensively. ``We haven't had a lot of games that have been close at the end, where you've had to really try to pull 'em out. This was so intense.''
In other BTW Classic games:
Lake Taylor 15, Norfolk Collegiate 2: Jennifer Beahm struck out eight and drove in three runs to lead the Titans (2-1).
Churchland 16, Atlantic Shores 4: Shannon Bell went 3 for 3 with a homer, triple and four RBIs for the Truckers.
- PAUL WHITE by CNB