THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 12, 1995 TAG: 9508120192
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER AND JULIE GOODRICH, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
Each of the four cities represented in the 15th annual Tidewater Softball Championships took home a title Friday at Greenbrier Park.
In a battle of Portsmouth entries, Harrison's/Commerce/Mario captured the men's division crown with a 31-24 victory over Merchant's/Hoo-Yah's/Barrel.
The game was typical of most men's finals, with power hitting being the determining factor.
With the score tied at 5 heading into the third inning, Merchant's exploded for 12 runs on 12 hits that include three round-trippers. Harrison's responded with three home runs of its own, but could manage only three runs to make it 17-8.
Down 20-13 in the bottom of the fifth, Harrison's did a little exploding of its own, netting 14 runs on 14 hits that included three more home runs - two by Steve Gilbert.
Merchants closed to 27-24 in the sixth, only to have Harrison's blast four more dingers.
Gilbert was named MVP for his 11-for-13, five-home-run effort in three games.
Cumming's Softball of Virginia Beach took the women's title with a 7-6 victory over Norfolk Olympia/Superior Pest Control.
Cumming's built a 5-0 lead, thanks to a pair of Olympia/Superior errors, but the eventual champion gave them back in the fifth to close the gap to 7-3. Then, run-scoring singles by Anita Miller and Suzy Mizell and a base-loaded fielder's choice by Marjorie Dyke drew Olympia/Superior to within one.
But Lisa Krisik flied out to right-center with the tying run on second to end the contest.
Cumming's left-centerfielder Barb Williams was named the women's MVP.
Norfolk coed entry Hooter's scored a 10-6 victory over Harrison's/Commerce/Mario to take the crown in heated contest.
Holding onto a 7-6 lead, Hooter's scored three runs in the top of the seventh on a controversial interference call at third base. Hooter's then held Harrison's after Gilbert led off with a double to right-centerfield.
Harrison pitcher Dewey Fussell garnered male MVP honors for his eight-home-run, 15-RBI effort in three tournament games. Rosaland Green of the victorious team went 3 for 4 in the championship to take female MVP honors.
Chesapeake's Bethel Baptist captured the church championship with a 19-3 victory over defending champion Mt. Pleasant Mennonite in a rematch of last year's final.
Bethel pounded out 19 hits, including seven home runs. Designated hitter Gary Johnson was named the MVP for his 8-for-11 effort in three tournament games.
Mizell won the women's accuracy hitting contest in a one-pitch tie-breaker. Dave Williams of Harrison's won the men's home run hitting contest, blasting three of five swings out of the park. ILLUSTRATION: L. TODD SPENCER
Norfolk's Hooters team celebrates after defeating Harrison in the
Tidewater Softball Coed Championship Friday.
by CNB