THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 21, 1995 TAG: 9505210181
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C11 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
Top-ranked Green Run overcame an ineffective outing by injured ace Chris Elmore and beat First Colonial, 9-5, Saturday in a one-game playoff for the Beach District regular-season baseball championship at Cox.
It was the fourth victory in the past five days for the Stallions and their fifth straight over No. 2 First Colonial dating back to last season.
``They are hard to put away,'' said winning pitcher David Abbott, who also went 2 for 2 with two RBIs and two runs scored. ``I consider ourselves lucky to have beaten them five in a row.''
Green Run (19-1, 16-1) clinched the top seed in this week's Beach District tournament as well as a berth in the Eastern Region tournament. First Colonial (19-2, 15-2) must win the district tournament or finish second to Green Run to advance to the region tournament.
The Patriots' chances of winning the district tournament were enhanced when Elmore said he likely wouldn't pitch this week. Elmore, who is 15-0 in his career and 8-0 this season, pulled a muscle in the back of his left shoulder last week.
``The trainer said by the pain I feel in my stretches that it's probably the rotator cuff,'' he said. ``It's not serious. It just needs rest.''
The Stallions staked Elmore to a 3-0 lead. But he gave up two runs on four straight hits in the top of the fourth and then walked the first two batters in the top of the fifth. The walks were his sixth and seventh of the game and prompted Green Run coach Jeff Ballance to bring on Abbott.
Abbott worked out of that jam and when Green Run added two more runs off Patriot starter Ed Manley in the bottom of the fifth the Stallions led, 5-2.
But First Colonial wasn't finished. A hit batsman and an error by shortstop Gene Mugler triggered a 3-run rally in the sixth that tied the game. The big blow was Jason Bozard's two-run triple off the glove of centerfielder Joe Clark.
First Colonial coach Norbie Wilson then went to his bullpen to start the sixth, bringing in Steve Johnson to replace Manley. Ed McInnis greeted Johnson with a single and Eric John followed with a sacrifice bunt.
But Johnson's throw to first went through Brad Tetlow's glove, tearing the leather, and John was safe on the error. Clark reached on a fielder's choice, McInnis was out at third.
But Mugler singled home John and when centerfielder David Winter threw wildly to third both runners moved up.
Abbott followed with a RBI-single, after Tetlow misplayed his high foul pop, to make it 7-5. John Defere's two-run single, his third hit of the game, closed out the scoring. by CNB