THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 19, 1996 TAG: 9605190193
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KEVIN DOEPP, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
At the start of the season, Nansemond-Suffolk Academy's softball coach Mike Putnam challenged his team to four-peat.
On a hot and sticky Saturday afternoon at Greenbrier Christian Academy, the Saints lived up to Putnam's challenge by winning their fourth straight TCIS championship, 3-2 over Greenbrier Christian Academy.
With the score tied at 2 in the bottom of the seventh, April Wescott's bloop single to right put the winning run on with one out. Third baseman Alison Williams reached on a bunt single, sending Wescott to second.
Wescott stole third and scored the winning run when the ball got by Lady Gators' third baseman Pam Hann on catcher Kelly Holland's throw and into leftfield. The throw to the plate by Lori Sturtevant was too late.
``We expected this to be a close game,'' Putnam said. ``We had a whole new team this season except for Sarah (Putnam) and Lea (Wilson). True champions do stuff like we did today.''
The Saints reached the finals with a 1-0 win over Norfolk Collegiate in one semifinal Saturday. Greenbrier Christian defeated Peninsula Catholic 13-0 in the other semifinal.
Sarah Putnam, who was slowed by the heat, was the winning pitcher in both games and was named the tournament's most valuable player. She struck out seven in the championship game.
``I was a little tired in the second inning (of the second game),'' she said. ``I just had to rely on my team more. They hung tough and I am very excited that we won.''
The Lady Gators drew first blood in when centerfielder Aly Mazur singled home shortstop Tara Garlow after Garlow tripled.
The Saints tied the score in the fourth on Putnam's RBI single and took the lead in the bottom of the fifth on catcher Lea Wilson's RBI single up the middle.
The Lady Gators had tied the game in the top of the sixth on losing pitcher Ginny Fletcher's RBI single to left. by CNB