THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, May 27, 1995 TAG: 9505270577
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: TALLAHASSEE, FLA. LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
Destiny's Darlings? The Miracle Monarchs?
Old Dominion University overcame a 6-1 deficit against Central Florida to win, 7-6, Friday night in the second round of the Atlantic I Regional
The Golden Knights came in with a 35-0 record in games in which they scored five or more runs. Make that 35-1.
And ODU did it with regular centerfielder Kevin Gibbs bedridden with an intestinal virus and third baseman Ron Walker pulled in the third inning with similar symptoms.
``The biggest thing tonight was a bunch of gutty guys overcoming adversity,'' first-year ODU coach Tony Guzzo said. ``It's been that way all year long and there was no greater evidence of this than tonight.''
ODU will find out today if it is truly in possession of Cinderella's slipper when the Monarchs meet third-ranked Florida State University at 11 a.m. in today's third round of the Atlantic I Regional at Dick Howser Stadium.
The winning runs scored when Maika Symmonds hit a sharp grounder to Central Florida's Chad Sheffer with two out and runners at second and third.
Sheffer had transferred from FSU last year and had spoken this week of his desires to play against the Seminoles. Instead, he kicked Symmonds' grounder into leftfield and now faces Mississippi in today's losers' bracket game.
Mike Henderson, who had reached on a single to left, and Ray Russin, who reached on a short check-swing infield hit that second baseman Rookie Gage tried to glove on the fly, only to have the ball slip away when it bounced. They'd both moved up a base on Quentin Lindsey's sacrifice bunt.
The turn of events made a winner out of Justin Kreider, who pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings.
``I was just trying to allow us a chance to get back in the ball game,'' Kreider said. ``They're a good fastball hitting team so I had to throw a lot of off-speed stuff and pitch away from them.''
ODU starter Anthony Eannacony and reliever Jesse James learned that the hard way.
The Knights struck quickly in the first inning. Alex Morales doubled to left to open, took third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a wild pitch by Eannacony. Adam Johnson then homered to center. And with two out, Central Florida loaded the bases on a single and two walks.
Scott Loubier hit a one-hopper to shortstop Dan Almonte that nearly knocked him down, scoring a run. But second baseman Jason Riley alertly picked up the ball and nailed Sheffer trying to score from second.
Riley, along with starting rightfielder Brian Fiumara and reserve Ryan Gower, had rejoined the team Friday after serving one-game suspensions for breaking unspecified team rules.
Central Florida struck again in the second after two walks and a run-scoring single by Todd Tocco as Eannacony failed to survive the inning.
ODU cut the deficit to 4-1 on Rob Morgan's ninth home run of the season in the bottom of the second.
But Central Florida scored two more runs in the third inning off James on a sacrifice fly by Rookie Gage and a run-scoring single by Tony Marrilla for a 6-1 lead.
ODU, however, answered in the third. Symmonds led off with an opposite-field home run to left - his second home run of the tournament - and Riley and Walker singled. Morgan drove home a run with a sacrifice fly to left and Almonte drove in the other with a single to center that chased Knights starter Craig Cozart and cut it to 6-4.
The Monarchs closed to 6-5 in the sixth when Ray Russin singled, went to second on a wild pickoff throw by catcher Scott Loubier, reached third on a wild pitch and scored on Symmonds' sacrifice fly to center.
Meanwhile, Kreider had found his rhythm.
``I felt like I was throwing good in the middle innings and felt like if we could tie it up we'd have a shot,'' Kreider said. ``When that ball went through the shortstop's legs I was down on my knees praying.''
The Knights (49-12) were visibly disgusted with the outcome.
``Like coach says, you have to play nine innings to win,'' said Johnson, who went 0 for 3 following his first-inning home run. ``Once you are ahead and get down, it's tough to get back up and play from behind.''
Central Florida had only one inning to come back. Johnson flew out and Tocco grounded out to short. Then when King reached on a walk, Knights coach Jay Bergman pinch hit for Sheffer. Rob Gladwin grounded out to second to end it.
ODU had made four previous trips to the Division I NCAA tournament, but had never won two games on any trip. In fact, the Monarchs were 2-8 in the NCAAs entering the tournament. Now they've equalled that number in two days. by CNB