THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 5, 1996 TAG: 9604050601
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 46 lines
When the organizers of the Legends Beach Blast got together last winter they envisioned pitching matchups like the one Thursday between Cox's Jason Dubois and Great Bridge's Mike Cuddyer.
Dubois threw three no-hitters as a sophomore and Cuddyer is widely considered the best prospect in South Hampton Roads, although not necessarily as a pitcher.
Cuddyer topped out at 89 mph on the radar gun Thursday. But one of those fastballs soared over his catcher's head to start the fourth inning, signaling the start of control problems that ultimately did in Cuddyer and the Wildcats.
Top-ranked Cox (3-0) sent nine batters to the plate and scored five runs on only three hits in the fourth inning. Dubois did the rest as the Falcons posted an easy 8-1 victory over the No. 7 Wildcats.
``I really don't know what happened,'' Cuddyer said. ``My arm was bothering me, but that's no excuse. It was just one of those days.''
Cuddyer walked three batters and threw three wild pitches in the fourth. The Falcons' first run scored on an error by second baseman Craig Sizemore and then James Jackson blooped a single over a drawn-in infield to make it 3-1.
Brandon Ramsey followed with a chopper toward third. Cuddyer flagged it down but had no play and the bases were loaded. J.T. Tignor walked forcing in a run.
The next batter, Eric John, tapped back to Cuddyer, who started a home-to-first double play. But Ted Tignor punched a two-run single to right that made it 6-1.
Dubois worked out of a two-on, two-out jam in the fifth and retired Great Bridge (2-2-1) in order in the sixth before giving way to Tim Lavigne. Dubois scattered five hits, walked three and struck out eight.
Twice he retired Cuddyer with runners in scoring position, the second time on an 87-mph fastball that third baseman Aaron Strausbaugh turned into a double play.
Dubois and Cuddyer play together in the summer and the significance of the matchup wasn't lost on them. They even warmed up side-by-side in the bullpen before the game. by CNB