THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 7, 1996 TAG: 9606070581
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 73 lines
Cox swapped its trademark bludgeon for a more subtle offensive weapon Thursday and advanced to the state baseball final for the first time.
The Falcons mixed only two extra-base hits - both doubles - into their 10-hit attack, but stole five bases in a 12-7 victory over Denbigh at Old Dominion University.
Cox (26-1) will meet Gar-Field or Potomac for the championship Monday night at 7 at Prince William County Stadium, home of the Prince William Cannons of the Carolina League. The game was moved from Saturday to avoid conflicting with Cox's graduation.
``Most of the time we play long ball and sit back and enjoy it,'' Cox coach John Ingram said. ``But we did some little things today that people don't notice unless they really know the game.''
Mostly, Cox made Denbigh pay dearly for every transgression.
Denbigh (22-3) committed three errors that led to eight unearned runs. A dropped ball on a rundown could have been called an error, but was ruled a stolen base and opened the door for three more runs.
Denbigh pitchers Mike Mars and Mark Bender walked four batters and all four scored. Mars also threw a wild pitch that let in Cox's first run.
The prime beneficiary of this generosity was Cox pitcher Jason Dubois, who worked four-plus innings for the victory. Dubois, making his first appearance since straining his elbow eight days ago, sailed through the first four innings.
Staked to a 7-0 lead, he faced four batters without getting an out in the fifth and was charged with three runs, two earned. His fastball, regularly clocked in the mid-80s during the season, topped out at 83.
``I was a little scared (to cut loose) at first,'' he said. ``Once I did, it felt good. But in the fifth, I felt the elbow tighten again and got tentative.''
Tim Lavigne got the last nine outs, but gave up three runs in the seventh.
Lavigne's chief contribution came on offense. He reached base four times on two walks, a single and an error, scored four runs, stole four bases and had two RBIs.
``We've been working on our running game,'' Lavigne said. ``I knew I could get a good jump and beat the catcher's arm.''
Ted Tignor, batting behind Lavigne, was 3 for 4 with three RBIs and scored twice.
Aaron Strausbaugh also was 3 for 4 with two RBIs and scored one run. Strausbaugh's two-run single came with two out and drove in Tignor, who had singled, and Dubois, who had doubled.
``Before Jason batted I thought to myself he was going to drive in the run,'' said Strausbaugh, who had a streak of six straight hits in the state tournament snapped when he flied to right in the sixth.
``When coach (Ingram) held Tim at third, I just had to do it myself.''
The two RBIs gave Strausbaugh 30, making him the third player on the team with 30 or more.
Cox led 7-3 entering the bottom of the fifth when it broke the game open with five runs.
Strausbaugh started the rally with a single. Then Denbigh's Keith Windle, who moved to shortstop from second when Bender went to the mound, committed consecutive errors, producing a run.
Brandon Ramsey walked and Lavigne followed with his two-run single. Tignor drove in Ramsey with a single and scored on David Wilson's ground out. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Huy Nguyen
Denbigh's Steve Freeman applies the tag to Cox runner Tim Lavigne.
Just one problem - Freeman didn't have the ball. Lavigne stole four
bases, scored four runs and had two RBIs in Thursday's state
tournament semifinal at Old Dominion.
MIKE HEFFNER/The Virginian-Pilot
With Denbigh catcher Josh Phares awaiting the throw, Mike McIlravy
scores one of Cox's 12 runs in Thursday's state tournament semifinal
victory for the Beach District champion. by CNB