THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 11, 1995 TAG: 9508100180
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
The Creeds Cardinals used last-inning heroics to win the city recreational league intermediate boys championship over the Aragona/Pembroke Braves.
``We had them 3-0 going into the seventh and they scored four runs,'' said Debbie Keller, third-year coach of the Cardinals. Creeds found itself down by one run in its last at-bat.
The Cardinals could have quit, but they didn't. Instead, they hit.
Dennis Hoggard got Creeds off to a fine start when he tripled. Hoggard scored on Kieran Carobine's single and went to second base when Vic Tolbert walked.
That left it up to Shane Hamilton, whose clutch single scored Carobine.
``It was especially exciting to win the championship,'' said Keller, ``because we've always made it to the playoffs, won our division and then we'd get beat before getting to the big game.''
Creeds will lose seven players, including the pitcher/catcher duo of Tolbert and Eric Keller. They will move up to junior boys next season.
Debbie's husband, Dick, didn't fare as well. Dick Keller's Creeds Cubs ran into the Arrowhead Braves in the junior boys championship game. The Braves went 10-1-1 for the season and brought a .433 team batting average to the game. They scored 161 runs during the regular season.
The Braves scored in every inning but the fourth and won 14-7.
Brian Foster pitched five innings and went 3-for-4 at the plate.
``He got hit on his pitching elbow on a pickoff throw to second and couldn't finish,'' Arrowhead coach John Turnipseed said.
James Bennett also enjoyed a 3-for-4 day and drove in six runs for Arrowhead. IN OTHER DIVISIONS:
The Kempsville Lightning Ladies went from worst to first and coach Dink Lindstrom is bursting with pride for the turn-around his girls pulled off.
In the championship game against perennial powerhouse Thalia/Malibu Waysiders, the Lightning Ladies came from behind to win 8-6. They scored four runs in the fifth inning and added two more in the sixth to capture the title.
``Last spring we were tied for last place and this spring we're city champions,'' Lindstrom said.
In the spring of 1994, the Lightning Ladies compiled an abysmal record of one win and 11 losses. The complete reversal of fortune this spring produced an overall record of 14-1. They dropped the first game of the season, then won 14 straight.
In junior girls slow-pitch, the Arrowhead Angels defeated the Larkspur/Salem Lady Rangers, 18-6, to win the championship.
``Charnell Cook pitched well all season for us,'' said coach Fran McNamee, ``and Jenny Harrell came through in the clutch all season, but all the girls contributed.''
McNamee also called assistant coaches Kevin Knox and David Cook ``big assets'' in the team's 12-1-2 season.
The midget boys champion Courthouse Mets beat the Woodstock Braves, 13-1, to win the title and complete an undefeated season.
``We're so proud. The boys went 14-0 and played well together as a team,'' said Kevin Arrington, who coaches Courthouse with his brother, Chuck.
The Arringtons said that Mike Shanahan, Joey Griffin, Joe Shanahan, Sarah Baart and John Kippes led a potent attack that helped Courthouse hit for a for 3-for-4 at bat.
The Creeds Tractors edged the Thalia/Malibu Ricky Rudd Racers, 8-5 to take the senior girls championship game. T/M was denied a third straight title.
The Racers, named after a cousin of the NASCAR driver, pitcher Karen Barchuk, had beaten Creeds twice during the season.
Assistant coach Joey Chappelle said, ``Crystal Salmons pitched every game for us. Meredith Ansell, Jamie Files, Jessica Xeankis, Stacey Zalinsky and Katie Albert - all hit well for us.''
Coach Jimmy Albert drove the Tractors to the tournament title, said Chappelle.
``We had a so-so season, I guess you could say. But when we got to the playoffs, we just played harder.''
The city fielded fast-pitch girls softball in two leagues for the first time this season.
The Kempsville Pink Panthers took the junior girls fast-pitch championship.
The Courthouse Braves beat the Woodstock Lazers, 10-5, to take the pre-teen girls fast-pitch championship. by CNB