THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 28, 1995 TAG: 9504280629
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Short : 35 lines
Paul Fleming put the squeeze on Greenbrier Christian twice Thursday, including a seventh-inning suicide sacrifice bunt that lifted No. 4 Nansemond-Suffolk to a 5-4 victory over the No. 8 Gators.
Fleming's first suicide squeeze came in the fourth against Gators starter Nick James and sparked a three-run outburst that tied the game. The Saints (11-1) were helped along by James' wildness in the inning, taking advantage of three walks, three wild pitches, and a botched pick-off attempt.
In the sixth, N-SA got the leadoff batter on and tried to manufacture the go-ahead run. Fleming moved the runner up with another bunt, but the umpire ruled he had stepped on the plate and called Fleming out.
The Saints went ahead, 4-3, after two more wild pitches by James, but Greenbrier first baseman Brian Turner tied the score at 4 in the top of the seventh with a monster home run to dead centerfield off Mike Johnson.
James walked Derek Riebel to lead off the N-SA seventh before being relieved by Nick Huneycutt, who loaded the bases with two walks.
Fleming stepped to the plate with one out and got the sign for the suicide squeeze.
``I wasn't thinking about when I stepped on the plate,'' he said. ``I just didn't want to foul the pitch off.''
With Riebel charging down the line from third, Fleming squared up and made contact, laying the ball perfectly between Johnson and catcher Eddie Gosman as Riebel dove for the plate. by CNB