THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 19, 1996 TAG: 9605190201
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 39 lines
Greenbrier Christian coach Gary Lavelle raised a few eyebrows Saturday night when he chose junior Tom Keiper over well-rested ace Nick James to start the TCIS championship game against Nansemond-Suffolk Academy.
Keiper then went out and raised some eyebrows himself by pitching the Gators to a 7-1 win at Old Dominion University. Keiper, the No. 3 starter in the Gators' rotation, held the Saints to four hits and struck out 12.
``I felt like I was blowing it by people tonight,'' said Keiper, who was clocked at 86 mph on the radar gun. ``I was really hyped.''
Keiper held N-SA hitless until the fourth and struck out every Saints' starter at least once.
``I think our pitching staff is probably as good as anybody's in Tidewater,'' Lavelle said of James, Keiper and Nick Huneycutt. ``They've just been awesome.''
The Gators' big three allowed only one run in 19 innings this week.
Greenbrier (25-3) gave Keiper all the offensive support he needed with four runs in the first. The big blow was John Lantrip's 3-run homer off Andy Dunn that went out just to the right of the 375 marker in left-center.
Lantrip, who also walked three times - twice intentionally - was named the MVP.
``He threw it right where I was looking, out over the middle,'' Lantrip said of the home run pitch. ``I didn't think it was going out at first.''
Rightfielder Keagan Broussard added three hits - two doubles - scored twice and drove in a run for the Gators. James was 2 for 4 with an RBI.
Mike Vizcaino scored the Saints' only run in the fourth. He reached on a bunt, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Paul Fleming's two-out single. by CNB