THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 18, 1995 TAG: 9506180156
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 41 lines
The Colorado Silver Bullets, the women's professional baseball team, will get another crack at a group of Navy all-stars in a 1:15 p.m. contest today at Harbor Park.
The game, a makeup date for a June 6 rainout, is a rematch between the Silver Bullets and a team of Navy players who come mainly off the USS Enterprise.
The Navy team beat the Silver Bullets, 5-0, on June 11 at RFK Stadium in Washington. Mariners shortstop Dave Cunningham had three hits and rightfielder Brian Thomas knocked in three runs.
Playing exclusively against men's teams, the Silver Bullets won six of 44 games last year, their first season. This year's team was 2-10 heading into a Saturday afternoon game at Shea Stadium.
``We're not a novelty as much anymore,'' team founder and president Bob Hope said recently. ``It's not outrageous to see women playing baseball now.''
Still, it's not something you see every day. The Silver Bullets averaged 6,500 fans for last year's games, and drew 33,000 to a game in Denver.
More than 3,000 women have tried out for the squad, and team officials boast that they have the 22 best female players in the country. Several team members are former NCAA softball All-Americans, and two - Gina Satriano and Michelle McAnany - are the daughters of former major leaguers.
Ace pitcher Lee Anne Ketcham was on the mound for five of the team's six wins last year, and had seven complete games. Ketcham and first baseman Julie Corteau were the first women to sign with the Class A and AA Hawaiian Winter League.
Tickets from the rainout will be honored, and they are also on sale for $6.50. Call the Norfolk Tides at 622-2222. by CNB