THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 17, 1996 TAG: 9603150229
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 25 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Long : 146 lines
NANSEMOND RIVER and Southampton are expected to challenge for the Bay Rivers District baseball title this season, league coaches say.
The Warriors, the district regular season champions, and the Indians, the district tournament champions, made state quarterfinal appearances last season. Coaches also said York and Poquoson are teams which could challenge Nansemond River and Southampton.
In the Tri-Rivers District, Windsor has six players returning from a state quarterfinal team and should challenge New Kent for the title.
Here is a look at area teams:
Nansemond River
Coach: Phil Braswell
1995 record: 20-6 overall, 12-2 Bay Rivers
Key performers: Grayson Craun (Sr., pitcher-outfield); J.C. Caperton (Sr., shortstop); Lee Parks (Jr., catcher); John Drames (Sr., pitcher-outfield); Mike Byrum (Jr. 2B-3B); Cody Flowers (Jr., pitcher-2B-3B); Larry Artis (Sr., outfield); Evan Spivey (Soph., pitcher-1B); Chip Runyon (Soph., pitcher-outfield-3B).
Outlook: Craun, who was 10-0 with an ERA just over 1.00 last season, and Caperton were first team All-District and All-Region. Artis will take over in centerfield, while Spivey and Runyon are underclassmen expected to contribute right away. Parks hit over .400 last season and set a school record with 28 RBIs.
Southampton
Coach: Randy Jessee
1995 record: 17-6 overall, 10-4 Bay Rivers
Key performers: William Brown (Sr., pitcher-1B); Brad Davis (Sr., pitcher-shortstop); William Jones (Sr., pitcher-catcher); Durane Parker (Jr., pitcher-2B); Larry Woodley (Jr., outfield); Mark Berry (Sr., outfield-3B).
Outlook: The Indians will have to survive a tough schedule which includes several Group AAA teams. Brown (.365 BA, 4 HR, 32 RBIs) was the district and region player of the year and was first team All-State last season, while Davis (.325 BA, 15 RBIs) was first team All-Bay Rivers and first team All-Region I.
Franklin
Coach: Eric Denton
1995 record: 11-8 overall, 8-7 district
Key performers: Travis Page (Sr., pitcher-1B-DH); Greg Kloster (Sr., pitcher-outfield); David Kolb (Jr., pitcher-outfield).
Outlook: The Broncos lost seven of last year's starters to graduation. Denton said the inexperienced players will need to have an impact and the pitching will have to hold up. Page (.303 BA) was All-District and All-Region as a designated hitter, while Kloster (2-1, 2.80 ERA) and Kolb (3-0, 4.36) also contributed significantly.
Lakeland
Coach: Ron Robertson
1995 record: 6-10 overall, 4-10 Bay Rivers
Key performers: Geoff Williams (Sr., catcher); Chris Ricks (Sr., 2B); Calvin Maddry (Sr., pitcher-outfield); Will Parker (Sr., 1B); David Arthur (Sr., infield); Scott Bennett (Sr., outfield); Tom Wilson (Jr., infield); Jim Brown (Jr., infield); Josh Bradley (Jr., outfield).
Outlook: The Cavaliers hit well last year, but left too many runners on base and didn't do a good job holding leads. Improving upon that will be goals this season, according to Robertson. Williams was a second team All-District catcher and hit .420 last season.
Smithfield
Coach: Ron Reese
1995 record: 1-14 overall, 1-13 Bay Rivers
Key performers: James Brady (Sr, 2B); Josh Bell (Jr., pitcher-catcher); Donnie Musick (Jr., pitcher-3B); Stephen King (Jr., pitcher-shortstop); Travis Pierce (Soph., pitcher-infield); Josh Williams (Jr., outfield); Chris Parker (Soph., pitcher-outfield); Michael Bridges (Jr., pitcher-1B); Tim Mays (Sr., outfield).
Outlook: With seven returning starters from last year's team, the Packers should improve. They'll be solid defensively, but could have trouble scoring runs.
Windsor
Coach: Tex Murray
1995 record: 15-6 overall, 6-2 Tri-Rivers
Key performers: Parker Ramsey (Sr., 3B); Jerome Ricks (Sr., shortstop); Jason Leonard (Soph., 2B).
Outlook: The Dukes return seven starters from a team that made it to the state quarterfinals last year. Ricks, who didn't play because of an injury last season, was named second team All-State as a sophomore. Ramsey (.562 BA, 6 HR, 40 RBIs) was named district player of the year, while Leonard earned first team All-Tri-Rivers last season.
Sussex Central
Coach: Eddie Morris
1995 record: 10-7 overall, 4-4 Tri-Rivers
Key performers: Terrance Bain (Jr., shortstop); Melvin Ellis (Jr., 1B); Tarris Taylor (Sr., outfield); David Barker (Sr., 2B); Brian Kendrick (Sr., outfield); Charlie Hedgepeth (Sr., C); Brad Thorpe (Jr., 3B).
Outlook: The Tigers have six returnees, mostly infielders, from last season. Pitching and the outfield remain question marks. The outfield has speed, but little experience, and no pitchers returned from last year's staff.
Surry County
Coach: Ricky Wright
1995 record: 9-11 overall, district not available
Key performers: Partrick Barnes (Jr., 1B-pitcher); Brad Livesay (Jr., 1B-pitcher); Joshua Scott (Sr., shortstop); James Trombley (Jr., catcher); Corey Thompson (Soph., 2B); Derrick Jones (Sr., 3B); Jonathan Seward (Sr., outfield); Shenard Newby (Soph., outfield-pitcher).
Outlook: Wright, in his first season, has seven returning starters. Barnes (.300 BA), Trombley (.333 BA, 2 HR, 17 RBIs) and Seward (.321 BA) head a crop of young talent. Most of the infield returns so defense won't be a problem for the Cougars.
Isle of Wight Academy Coach: Monroe Wells
1995 record: 15-9 overall, 7-4 Virginia Commonwealth Conference
Key performers: Frankie Brown (Sr., outfield); Robbie Chappell (Sr., 1B); Dwayne Hall (Sr., pitcher-3B); Richard Spady (Sr., 2B); Phillip Upton (Sr, catcher); Van Williams (Soph., pitcher-shortstop).
Outlook: The Chargers have their entire starting infield returning from last season. Pitching is the key, according to Wells. Hall (6-3, 1.38 ERA, 78 K) and Williams (0.88 ERA) are expected to carry the pitching load, but someone else will have to emerge. Richard Spady, Upton and Williams each hit over .300 last season, while Spady stole 20 bases.
Southampton Academy
Coach: Lee Redd
1995 record: 7-9 overall, 3-8 VCC
Key performers: Brian Hobbs (Sr., outfield); Brandon Applewhite (Jr., pitcher-3B); Jared Webb (Jr., catcher); Bland Pope (Soph., 2B).
Outlook: Most of the young Raiders' hopes rest on Hobbs, a Division I prospect who hit .460 last season. Hobbs, along with Applewhite (4-1), will be asked to do most of the pitching. Webb batted .330 last year, while Pope commited only one error at second base. MEMO: Note: The Nansemond-Suffolk Academy baseball team, which was in Florida
last week, will be previewed in a later
issue.#SLH1JFBAS17#SXlay#PG025#PESU #PD0317#BYLAYOUT#RUSU ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Pitcher Grayson Craun warms up during practice at Nansemond River
High School.
by CNB