THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 24, 1996 TAG: 9605240737
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CLEMSON, S.C. LENGTH: 50 lines
Old Dominion's Marty Plank has had better days on the mound than he did Thursday. Georgia Southern's Julio Ayala, on the other hand, was brilliant.
The Monarchs' big bats were reduced to three harmless singles as Ayala shut them down 6-0 at Tiger Field in the NCAA Atlantic Regional baseball tournament.
``He really silenced our bats,'' said ODU coach Tony Guzzo, whose team was blanked for only the second time this year.
ODU (39-16) faces Thursday's Clemson-Charleston Southern winner today at 3 p.m. in the double-elimination tournament.
Ayala struck out 10, walked none and allowed only three base runners.
He retired the first 10 batters he faced before allowing a single to Quentin Lindsey - a transfer from Clemson - with one out in the fourth inning. By then, the Eagles (46-12) - with eight batters in the lineup hitting .290 or better - were already on the scoreboard.
Plank only allowed one run in the first, thanks to his defense.
Shortstop Tony Gsell made a bare-handed pickup and toss to second baseman Eric Folmar, who threw to first base to complete the inning-ending double play. The Monarchs, however, were not so fortunate in the fourth.
Plank loaded the bases on a single, double and walk and saw all three runners score as the Eagles took a 4-0 lead. He pitched another 1 1/3 innings before being relieved by Justin Kreider with one out and a runner on third in the sixth.
``We were just trying to make them chase some off-speed pitches,'' said Plank, who allowed five runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. ``They did at first, but then they stayed back.''
Georgia Southern was no more hospitable to the reliever.
Steve Wilson lined Kreider's first pitch off the pitcher's shin as the Eagles took a 5-0 lead. Meanwhile, Ayala did not let up. He allowed singles to Folmar in the sixth and ninth innings but kept the rest of the Monarchs off balance.
``When I got ahead, I was just trying to throw my curve so they could chase it,'' Ayala (15-3) said. ``My curve was working, so why not use it.''
Ron Walker and Matt Quatraro, a combined 14 for 28 a week ago in the Colonial Athletic Association tournament, were 0 for 7 including three strikeouts Thursday.
``We knew coming in he had an outstanding record and an outstanding curve,'' Quatraro said. ``There's not much we could have done whether he got one run or 10 runs.''
NOTES: Quatraro, who is hoping to be selected in next month's amateur draft, Thursday was named a third-team All-American by Mizuno. . . . Lefthanded pitcher John O'Reilly (11-1) will start for the Monarchs today. by CNB