THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 12, 1996 TAG: 9605100188
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 26 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, CLIPPER SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
Heading into Monday's Tidewater Conference of Independent School's softball showdown against defending champ Nansemond-Suffolk, Greenbrier Christian should be well prepared.
The Gators - barring anymore rain outs - will have played three games in as many days.
``I think we'll be all right if our pitching comes through,'' Greenbrier coach Ed Hoppe said.
Greenbrier Christian's staff, Alyson Mazur and Ginny Fletcher, have a 13-5 combined record heading into the weekend games. Sparking the offense is Tara Garlow, who has a conference-leading .596 batting average.
``The competition in the TCIS has really picked up,'' Hoppe said. ``Right now, there are five or six teams that can beat anybody. We're just trying to scramble for position and knock off Nansemond-Suffolk.''
ALUMNI REPORT: Former Great Bridge standout Emily Outzs wrapped up her freshman season at Virginia Wesleyan College with some big numbers.
Outzs, the Marlins' starting centerfielder, racked up 36 hits, including seven doubles and a triple, for a .319 average. She also knocked in 30 runs and had a .908 fielding percentage with 68 put-outs and an assist.
YOUNG GUNS: Atlantic Shores doesn't have a home field on its campus. The Seahawks' two oldest players are only sophomores. And they're playing both a varsity and junior varsity schedule.
But they do seem to have a bright future on the diamond.
Atlantic Shores, which occasionally plays JV and varsity games on the same day, has posted a 5-8 record.
Pitchers Missy Oliver, a seventh grader, and Nicki Driscoll, an eighth grader, are leading the Seahawks. Oliver is 4-3 and Driscoll is 1-5 with a win over Williamsburg Christian.
While Atlantic Shores has struggled because of its youth, the Seahawks have also had to battle the clock.
They've been playing on a Little League field down the road from the school, but must be off by 6 p.m. to accommodate the recreation teams. All but one of their ``home'' games have been called due to time limitations.
UP IN THE AIR: The Southeastern District crown is still up for grabs, but should be decided when Great Bridge travels to Western Branch Friday at 4:30 p.m.
The Wildcats upset the Bruins 7-1 in their first meeting, but Great Bridge coach Noble Palmer says that his team isn't celebrating yet.
``While we were excited,'' he said, ``we know we didn't beat the real Western Branch. They had some people out sick and injured. We got every call and every bounce of the ball went our way. We know the real game is next week.
``We're just like everybody else. We're not six runs better than anybody and we're thankful to be where we are.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by STEVE EARLEY
Greenbrier Christian's Alyson Mazur, above, and Ginny Fletcher have
guided the Gators to a 13-5 record.
by CNB