THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 8, 1996 TAG: 9605080643
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
Indian River's freshman pitcher Jeremy Lawson went to bed Friday night thinking positive thoughts about his start the next day against third-ranked Great Bridge.
Then he loaded the bases with one out in the first inning.
``They had one of their best hitters (John Curtice) coming up and I was kind of afraid I was going to get yanked right there,'' Lawson said.
That thought occurred to Indian River coach Steve West, too. Lawson has struggled with his control and faced only two batters in an outing against Deep Creek.
But he was working with a 2-0 lead and West was short on options.
``I decided to let him (pitch to) one more kid,'' West said.
Curtice grounded into a double play and the tone of the game was set.
Lawson worked five shutout innings - twice more escaping from bases-loaded jams - before giving way to Kenny Reynolds, who completed the 4-0 victory.
The shutout was the first against Great Bridge, which had been averaging 12 runs per game, and it lifted Lawson's record to 3-1 and earned him recognition as The Virginian-Pilot's male athlete of the week.
Lawson threw mostly fastballs, nibbling at the corners.
``Our kids were complaining that he was too slow,'' Great Bridge coach Martin Oliver said.
Said Lawson, ``If you hit your spots it doesn't matter how hard you throw.''
Great Bridge loaded the bases again with two outs in the third inning. This time Lawson missed his spot and John Young hit a hard grounder up the middle. Shortstop Doug Basnight fielded the ball, started toward second for the force and then threw to first for the out.
Lawson retired the first two batters in the fourth before again running into trouble. He hit Brad Tibbs in the ankle with a 1-2 curve and walked Brian Anderson and Mike Cuddyer to load the bases.
Zach Younce hit a shot toward the hole. Third baseman Larry Bagwell made a diving stop and threw out Cuddyer at second to end the inning.
``Everybody was like `Lawson, you're making me nervous,'' Lawson said. ``Making you nervous? How do you think I felt?''
Lawson credited catcher Skip Harrison with helping him to keep his poise. And when West decided to change pitchers, Lawson was ready for the switch.
``I was tired,'' he said. ``I had been putting Icy Hot on my arm all day.'' ILLUSTRATION: Jeremy Lawson
Indian River
by CNB