THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 25, 1995 TAG: 9506230179
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 32 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, BEACON SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
South Hampton Roads has enjoyed tremendous success in AAU baseball this spring with teams featuring local players qualifying for the nationals in four age divisions.
In fact, local teams met in the championship games in two of the four divisions featuring local teams.
The Virginia Blasters organization won three of the four divisions, with its 12- and 13-under teams each winning their second-straight state titles.
In the 10-under age group, the Virginia Blasters defeated the Virginia Drillers, a local organization, 3-2. The Blasters also beat the Drillers in the 12-under title game, 4-1. The Blasters captured the 13-under division with a 6-2 win over Woodbridge.
The Virginia Diamonds captured the 14-under division with an 11-5 victory over Richmond's Virginia Stars.
Both 10-under finalists will compete in the nationals Aug. 5-12 in Kansas City, Miss. Both 12-under teams will compete in the nationals Aug. 4-12 in Minneapolis, Minn. The Blasters will compete in the 13-under nationals this week in Norman, Okla. And the 14-under team will compete Aug. 4-11 in Cocoa Beach, Fla.
While they represent the Tidewater area, three of the four teams feature several Virginia Beach players on each. See adjacent story for U-10 team.
The U-12 state champions feature Vince Sibal, David Wright, Chris Robinette and Jason Watson. Sibal finished with a team-high .750 batting average, while Wright was second at .727. Watson finished a .333, while Robinette only got to bat four times.
The U-13 state champions have no Virginia Beach players.
Playing for the U-14 champions are Drew Mansfield and Ritchie Rivera of Kempsville and Brian Thompson and Matt Tyl of Salem.
The Diamonds were incredible at the plate, hitting .427 as a team. Rivera was co-MVP with Tyrone Bowles of Newport News. Rivera hit .357 and played stellar defense at shortstop. Tyl hit .571 while playing left field. Thompson hit .385 and was a catcher and designated hitter. Mansfield pitched for part of one game before pulling a muscle in his back. He got in a little action in right field later in the tournament. by CNB