THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 10, 1996 TAG: 9606100131
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 83 lines
``Everybody hits'' is a common baseball expression to describe a team that is having a great day at the plate.
That's because on most teams everybody doesn't hit. Not .300. And certainly not .391.
But that is Cox's team batting average entering tonight's state Group AAA championship game against Potomac in Dumfries.
Most teams don't need a turnstile at home plate to keep score, either. But Cox could, averaging 11.5 runs per game.
Some of that is the result of 27-2 and 22-1 routs of Green Run and Princess Anne, respectively.
But the Falcons dish it out to the good teams, too. They averaged 9 runs per game in three victories over First Colonial.
``We started three different pitchers in those games,' First Colonial coach Norbie Wilson said. ``We tried a lefthander with a curve. A righthander with off-speed stuff. There is no secret to Cox. They hit the ball where it's pitched and they hit it hard.''
In the past three games, against some of the best competition in the state, the Falcons scored a total of 37 runs.
``Cox is one of the best teams I've ever seen,'' said Denbigh coach Rusty Ingram, whose pitching staff was pounded for 26 runs in two losses to the Falcons. ``I knew they would hit well no matter who we pitched.''
So what gives?
Cox is experienced, with eight seniors in the batting order. Four of them transferred from other schools in the past two years, deepening the talent pool.
Although pitching was down in the Beach District this spring overall, the Falcons' team ERA is 2.03.
Those two factors earned Cox the preseason No. 1 ranking in The Virginian-Pilot. But nobody predicted the Falcons' total domination.
The credit belongs to the players, Cox coach John Ingram said.
The Falcons' varsity and junior varsity - which batted .370 - participated in a 12-week hitting camp at Grand Slam USA between the fall and spring seasons directed by former Chowan College coach Jack Moore.
The camps were available to everyone. Salem High also participated, albeit to a lesser degree, said Grand Slam owner Jim Ramsey.
Ramsey is the father of Cox catcher Brandon Ramsey, who probably benefited more than anyone from the extra instruction, raising his average nearly 200 points this season, from .190 to .382.
``The camp kept us together as a team and kept our mechanics sharp,'' Brandon Ramsey said. ``We didn't fall into any bad habits and we were ready to go when the season began.''
This was the second season Cox participated in the camp. Shortstop Tim Lavigne credited the first one with teaching him to hit to the opposite field.
That partly explains his .453 average. This year he learned to pull the ball and raised his home run totals from one to a team-leading eight.
Lavigne would bat third or fourth on most teams, but Cox's top-to-bottom production allowed Ingram to move him to leadoff.
``There is no spot in our order where you just sit and hope somebody gets a hit,'' Lavigne said. ``When we need a hit we wonder where it will go and how many runs will score.''
Added designated hitter Frank McDonnell, ``You could pick our names out of a hat and come up with a good lineup.''
Eight Falcons have driven in 20 runs or more, led by Jason Dubois with 44.
Dubois is a hitting disciple of Virginia Wesleyan coach Nick Booth and has been known to take 200 swings a day.
Dubois has been working with Booth for five or six years and whenever he senses a mechanical flaw he places a phone call. He hasn't needed much help this year.
Dubois is batting .500 (41 for 82) with seven home runs, five more than last season. The extra power is largely the result of strength work; nearly all of the Falcons participated in an off-season weightlifting program.
Second baseman Ted Tignor, who is 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds, has been a big beneficiary of the weightlifting.
``I can fight pitches off better and the fastball isn't blowing by me,'' he said.
Tignor is batting .384 in the No. 2 spot.
Denbigh's Keith Windle captured the essence of Cox's attack as well as anybody after the Falcons 12-7 win in the state semifinals.
``When they get on a roll, they can bury you,'' he said.
The Falcons hope to dig one more grave tonight. ILLUSTRATION: [Illustration]
JOHN EARLE
The Virginian-Pilot by CNB