THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 30, 1996 TAG: 9605300522
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 60 lines
First Colonial's streak of five straight state baseball tournament appearances was built around an almost mystical ability to produce in the clutch.
But with that streak on the line Wednesday night, the Patriots ran into another team that knows how to cheat defeat.
Denbigh (21-1) scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth and held on to beat First Colonial 5-4 in an Eastern Region semifinal at Old Dominion University.
The second game between Cox and Bethel was postponed because of wet grounds and will be played tonight at 7. The championship game is set for Friday at 4 p.m.
Denbigh's comeback victory was its third straight in the postseason and imbued the Peninsula District Patriots with a feeling they can beat anybody.
``I've never been on a team before that knows how to win like this one does,'' said Mike Mars, who delivered a game-winning, two-out hit for the second game in a row.
Mars' three-run triple off starter and loser Chuck Coulombe staked Denbigh to a 5-3 lead. But First Colonial wasn't through.
Brad Tetlow singled with one out in the seventh, went to second on a groundout and scored on Bruce George's single to right. George's hit rolled into foul territory and looked like a double, but he slipped slightly rounding the bag and didn't try to advance.
That proved crucial when Ryan Dunbar followed with a single to right-center. George stopped at third and Denbigh coach Rusty Ingram changed pitchers.
Hard-throwing Mark Bender replaced Chuckie Monroe, giving the Patriots a different look.
Denbigh let Dunbar steal second, putting the go-ahead run in scoring position.
But Dorman Miner struck out on four pitches to end the game.
First Colonial (19-6) built a 3-1 lead on only four hits and four Denbigh errors.
Coulombe retired the first batter in the sixth and then walked Chris Phaup. Kris McDonough bunted back to Coulombe and his throw to second pulled Nate Frost off the bag for an error.
Keith Windle beat out a bunt loading the bases and Bender hit a grounder that shortstop Steve Tyler bobbled and dropped for an error.
Coulombe struck out Dennis Champagne for the second out. But Mars ripped his next pitch into the right-center gap.
``He had thrown me fastballs outside every time up,'' Mars said. ``I was looking for it.''
Steve Johnson, the Patriots' closer, was ready in the bullpen, but First Colonial coach Norbie Wilson chose to stick with Coulombe.
``Chuck pitched a fine game,'' Wilson said. ``I don't want to pinpoint him. We made some errors and he got one pitch up.'' ILLUSTRATION: RICHARD L. DUNSTON
The Virginian-Pilot
First Colonial's Brad Tetlow is a step ahead of a pickoff throw at
first base. Tetlow scored in the seventh, but his team came up a run
short in Wednesday's Eastern Region loss to Denbigh. by CNB