THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 4, 1995 TAG: 9506010227
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 50 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: BARCO LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
THE CURRITUCK County Lady Knights are in a familiar position. Having state championships in softball in 1991 and 1993, the Knights are again in a position to reach the title.
The Lady Knights broke open a close game with four runs in the sixth inning to down a tough South Lenoir team 6-1 to reach the final four of the 2A state softball playoffs last Tuesday night.
The Lady Knights (22-2) advance to a double-elimination tournament on June 9 and 10 with one other team from the east and two from the west. The games will be played at the Walnut Creek Complex in Raleigh.
The Lady Knights led 2-1 coming into the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Casey Rose doubled to left. Rose scored on a single up the middle by Rekitta Banks.
Currituck head coach Tom Davies felt Banks' hit was the turning point in the game.
``Rekitta's hit up the middle gave us the 3-1 lead. That may have been the one that broke them,'' he said.
Still in the sixth inning, Renee Porr hit a ball to third baseman Tammie Mitchell who tried to force Banks at second, but all runners were safe. Alisha Banks followed with the big blow of the game - a three-run homer over the left field fence.
After three scoreless innings, South Lenoir (26-2) opened the scoring in the fourth when Kristy Moddy cracked a solo homer over the left field fence.
Currituck countered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, taking advantage of two fielding mistakes by Blue Devils' leftfielder Moody. Rekitta Banks led off the inning with a single. Renee Porr beat out an infield hit to put runners at first and second. Alicia Banks followed with a fly ball to Moody. Both runners tagged on the play and Moody's throwing error put runners on second and third. Michelle Porr also hit a fly ball to Moody, and again both runners tagged. Moody's throw was off the mark at home plate, allowing both Banks and Porr to score.
South Lenoir threatened in the sixth but a great defensive play by Currituck stopped the rally. With runners on first and second with one out, Amanda Sutton spanked a single to right. Rekitta Banks fielded the ball and relayed a throw to Renee Porr in the infield. Porr threw a strike to catcher Jessica Jones who nailed Deanna Noble at the plate.
``I didn't think they thought we would try to make the play at home,'' Davies said. ``It worked.''
The Lady Knights, with 10 days off, will now prepare for the new double-elimination tournament.
``It will be different preparing for it because we will be playing two teams from the east and two teams from the west. It could be anybody,'' Davies said.
Currituck had a tougher time advancing to the third round. The Lady Knights downed C.B. Aycock 4-1 to set up the game with South Lenoir. The normally tight Currituck defense allowed nine errors, but the Golden Falcons only managed a run in the first inning.
Currituck was paced by Alisha Banks who cracked a solo homer and Charlene Hagen who broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run single. by CNB