THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 26, 1995 TAG: 9505260663
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
The Salem softball team extended its run of Eastern Region appearances to five in the last six years Thursday with a 2-0 Beach District tournament championship victory over Cox.
Larry Bowman-coached teams at Green Run and Salem have advanced to region play nine out of the last 10 years.
``Very important for us to get back another year,'' catcher Jen Goudy, the team's lone senior, said as her coaches got their heads shaved to pay off a preseason bet. ``We feel like we're ready.''
The Sun Devils will face Western Branch in a 4:30 p.m. region quarterfinal Monday at Princess Anne.
Salem (18-2) parlayed a pair of hits and a Falcons error into a two-run fifth inning.
With one out, Katie Moyer roped a base hit into left-centerfield and Lauren Sparrow was brought in to run. Goudy sacrificed Sparrow to second. Michelle Pritchard struck out, but Cox catcher Devon Chapman dropped the ball and overthrew first baseman Kelly Cahill to score Sparrow.
Pritchard advanced to second on the throw, moved to third on pitcher Bronwyn Blair's infield hit and scored on a passed ball.
Cox (11-9) threatened in four innings, but stranded five runners in scoring position.
Booker T. Washington 8, Lake Taylor 1: After scoring seven first-inning runs against Maury in the Eastern District opening round, Booker T. Washington crossed the plate six times in the opening frame Thursday en route to an 8-1 triumph over Lake Taylor for the district title.
Pitcher Donna Self's one-out triple drove in Raquita Washington and put the No. 8 Bookers' run-scoring machine in motion. Sharon McClannan's single to left drove in Self a batter later. Titans pitcher Jennifer Beahm followed by hitting Cheryl Haynes in the foot. A double steal moved both runners into scoring position, and when Jennifer McMullen laced a single to centerfield, Booker T. (17-3) had a 4-0 lead. Blair Sherwood and Washington each added run scoring singles, pushing the lead to six.
``Jennifer's (McMullen) 2-RBI single in the first was a big hit for us.`` Booker T. head coach Paul Palombo said. ``After that our defense took over, best we've played all season.''
Booker T. will play Bethel Monday at Princess Anne at 10 a.m.
CHRIS CATALDI
York 9, Nansemond River 4: Regular-season champion York rallied for five runs in the fifth inning and defeated Nansemond River, 9-4, in the Bay Rivers District softball tournament final at York.
The Warriors led, 4-3, before the Islanders batted around in the fifth. Jennifer Seeley highlighted the Islander rally with a two-run single, and the Warriors hurt their own cause with a pair of errors.
``For four innings we did enough things right to win, and for three innings we did enough things wrong to lose,'' Nansemond River coach Jerry Varacallo said.
Seeley (2-0) also pitched two innings of relief to pick up the win.
Both teams advance to the Region I semifinals Tuesday. York will host Southside District runner-up Nottoway while Nansemond River travels to Southside champion Brunswick.
Bishop Ireton 21, Nansemond-Suffolk 9: Bishop Ireton scored eight runs in the second inning and took advantage of 16 Nansemond-Suffolk errors to upend the No. 6 Saints, 21-9, in the VISSA semifinals. April Wescott and Allison Williams had three hits each.
Bishop Ireton (20-8) will face Bishop O'Connell in the finals Monday at 11 a.m. Bishop O'Connell shut out Greenbrier Christian, 9-0, in the other semifinal. by CNB