THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, May 30, 1995 TAG: 9505300150
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Long : 123 lines
First Colonial pitcher Jamie Booth retired 11 of the last 12 batters he faced as the Patriots came from behind to beat Indian River, 4-3, in the nightcap of Monday's Eastern Region baseball quarterfinals at Old Dominion University.
The Patriots (22-2) will face Tabb (15-7) in Wednesday's semifinals at approximately 7:30 p.m. Green Run (21-2) will Maury (15-7) at 5 p.m. Berths in the state Group AAA tournament will be at stake.
Booth, who struck out 11 and gave up just three hits, ran his career record to 23-3, a school record for victories. He's 9-1 this season.
``I felt stronger in the last three innings than in the early innings,'' said Booth, who has signed with Radford University.
The Braves (15-8) led, 3-1, after Skip Harrison delivered a run-scoring double to the gap in left in the bottom of the fourth and Matt Davis followed with a two-run single through the left side.
But First Colonial scored two in the top of the fifth. David Winter led off with a single to right and Jason Bozard followed with a broken-aluminum-bat single to center. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch by the Braves' David Bailey (8-3), and Booth was intentionally walked with one out to load the bases.
Ryan Dunbar followed with a sacrifice fly to center. Then, with runners on first and third, courtesy runner Jeff Butler lured the Braves into a rundown between first and second and stayed alive long enough for Bozard to score, tying it at 3-3.
The Patriots tallied the winning run in the sixth when Brad Tetlow walked, took second on a sacrifice bunt by A.T. Vasta, moved to third on a wild pickoff throw by Bailey and scored with two out on a wild pitch.
- RICH RADFORD
TABB 16, LAKE TAYLOR 8
The Tigers exploded for seven runs on eight hits in the top of the seventh inning to eliminate the Eastern District champions.
Tabb centerfielder Justin Martin homered in the first and tripled to drive in two runs in the seventh for the Tigers.
Tabb jumped to a 9-1 lead in the third, chasing Titans starting pitcher J.T. Hazelette.
``J.T. just didn't have it today,'' Lake Taylor coach Towny Townsend said. ``He couldn't throw his curve or changeup for strikes, and they were sitting on his fastball.''
Hazelette walked four in two innings plus. Lefthander Robbie Hale came on in relief and kept the Titans (15-5) in it.
Lake Taylor used a three-run fifth to cut the deficit to 9-8 as Bobby Cleek rifled a line drive off the leg of Tabb starting pitcher Nate Lienard with the bases loaded. When Lienard kicked the ball into foul territory, two runs scored.
One out later, Hale followed with a sacrifice fly to score Cleek. But that was all the Titans could get as Lienard struck out Hazelette to strand Cleek at third.
Ryan Ansama went 3 for 5 with a triple, scored three runs and drove in a run for the Tigers.
Steve Clendenin went 2 for 2, walked twice and scored three runs for the Titans.
- RICH RADFORD
GREEN RUN 8, GREAT BRIDGE 2
Stallions senior David Abbott made his presence felt on the mound and at the plate, holding Great Bridge to two runs while driving in three with a bases-loaded double in the sixth as Green Run advanced to the semifinals of the Eastern Region tournament with an 8-2 victory at ODU.
The Stallions will face Maury, an 8-6 winner over Denbigh, at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
The Wildcats' only runs came in the fifth on a two-run home run to left by Alton Todd.
``I fell behind, 2-0, and tried to groove one in,'' Abbott said. ``(Todd) just took it out of here.''
Abbott (7-1) gave up seven hits, walked three and struck out eight, including the side in the sixth.
``I started off slow, but towards the end I felt a little stronger,'' he said.
If Great Bridge had trouble handling Abbott's stuff, Green Run had pitcher Steve Eudy's number from the first inning.
Gene Mugler stroked a one-out double to right, and Abbott walked. John Defere followed with his sixth home run of the season to give the Stallions a 3-0 lead.
Mugler's double in the second scored Eddie McInnis to give Green Run a 4-0 cushion.
Michael Cuddyer took over for Eudy in the third and held the Stallions to just two hits over the final 3 2/3 innings, but the sophomore was victimized by four unearned runs in the sixth. Second baseman Shawn Todd's fielding error extended the inning and loaded the bases, and Abbott came through for Green Run with a three-run double.
An error by rightfielder Aaron Sanders sent Abbott home and rounded out the scoring.
- JULIE GOODRICH
MAURY 8, DENBIGH 6
Denbigh coach Rusty Ingram rolled the dice before his team's Eastern Region quarterfinal matchup with Maury, saving ace pitcher Derick Champagne for a possible date in the semifinals. But the gamble failed to pay off as the Commodores tagged starter Frank Costa for six runs in the first three innings en route to an 8-6 victory.
With the score tied at 2, Mike Cave led off the Maury third with a single to center. Taylor Blair walked, and Aaron Ambrose moved the runners up with a sacrifice fly to left. Todd Davidson coaxed another walk out of Costa to load the bases, and Rick Hart cashed in with a two-run double to the warning track in left-center. Jeff Firks followed with a ball hit to the same place for the same result - two more runs in and a 6-2 Commodores lead.
The Patriots (17-4) got an unearned run in the bottom of the inning, but Maury answered with two runs in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Blair and a wild pitch by reliever Chuck Monroe.
Denbigh lit into Davidson (8-3) for three runs in the sixth to close the gap. Davidson didn't make the same mistake in the seventh, retiring the side on grounders to second to earn the complete-game victory.
- JULIE GOODRICH ILLUSTRATION: RICHARD L. DUNSTON
Staff
Great Bridge catcher Jeff Meyers tags out Green Run's Chris Elmore.
The Stallions won, 8-2, however, to advance to the region
semifinals.
by CNB