THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 26, 1996 TAG: 9604240151
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
WILSON'S BASEBALL team had a scare when pitcher Jason Morgan was hit on the shin by a line drive in the Presidents' 8-0 loss to Western Branch last Friday.
Morgan finished out the game at first base.
The game, played throughout in rain, also brought an end to his home-run hitting streak as he flied out twice and walked in three plate appearances. But it was just a momentary setback for the young slugger. On Monday, he came back with a three-run blast against Deep Creek, his fifth home run of the season in only five games.
Batting at a 500-plus clip, Morgan has registered seven hits and six have been for extra bases. He has driven in 13 runs and scored seven.
The Presidents are 2-3. Wilson was 3-8 in the Southeastern District, 5-10 overall last year. Only Western Branch has been able to put Wilson away early this season.
The Southeastern baseball race apparently is going to be a down-to-the-wire scramble involving several teams, although Great Bridge has served early notice that it's the team to beat.
Mike Cuddyer's pitching arm is keeping Great Bridge atop the conference. But his bat isn't hurting either.
In a 16-1 victory over Oscar Smith, Cuddyer hit for the cycle. He pitched a one-hitter.
But it is another pitcher that Great Bridge coach Martin Oliver calls his secret weapon - junior left-hander John Curtice.
That might have been the case when the season began, but no longer. Curtice (6-3, 200) is fast becoming the area's best pitching prospect since Jimmy Anderson.
Curtice was 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 16 innings entering Tuesday's scheduled start against Western Branch.
``He throws in the high 80s,'' Oliver said. ``One college coach said that if he keeps pitching like this he might jump that level'' and go straight to professional baseball.
Curtice is just one reason the Wildcats, the area's No. 3 ranked team, opened 5-0 in the Southeastern District.
After several seasons of scratching for runs, Great Bridge was averaging 9.9 runs per game with a team batting average of .362 through nine starts. Leading the way has been Cuddyer, who was hitting .500 (15 for 30) with four home runs entering the week. He plays shortstop when not pitching.
Hard-throwing Robert Jones of Churchland had his record fall to 1-2 despite stopping Indian River on three hits. The Truckers bowed, 4-3, when the Braves came up with four unearned runs in one inning.
Shutout pitching featured last week's district games. Deep Creek's Chris Waller spun a three-hit 10-0 win over Norcom. Jonathan Tinkham pitched around sprinkling rain as Western Branch blanked Wilson. Tinkham, a left-hander, allowed only five hits.
The records show the Southeastern coaches save the best for league rivals. In the first seven nonleague games, Southeastern teams have gone 1-6. But it would be a false impression to believe the district is weak. MEMO: Staff writer Robin Brinkley contributed to this story.
ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
Wilson's Jason Morgan picks himself up after being hit in the shin
by a line drive. Morgan finished the game against Western Branch at
first base.
by CNB