DATE: Tuesday, June 10, 1997                TAG: 9706100260
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: MANTEO                            LENGTH:   41 lines

SLIGHTLY SOGGY DAREDEVILS HOPE FOR LOTS DRIER WEATHER TONIGHT

The Outer Banks Daredevils, waterlogged after a weekend of wicked weather, are hoping the promise of sunshine will help turn things around in their inaugural season.

The team continues its first homestand of the year tonight at 7:05 against the Durham Braves, the opening of a two-game series.

The club, 2-4 on the young season, lost 2-1 to Wilmington Saturday night in a game called in the seventh because of rain. Sunday's game against the Sharks was postponed.

Daredevils general manager Ben Ackison said the decision was made Sunday morning to call off the rubber match in the Wilmington series.

``It was overcast and cold Sunday morning and the wind was still blowing pretty hard,'' Ackison said. ``The fans who came out Friday and Saturday were fantastic, and they stayed with us until the end. But we just couldn't ask them to come out and put up with bad weather again.''

The Daredevils had won two in a row before Saturday night's loss in a rain-shortened game. The potential tying run was on third when the game was called.

Despite the slow start, the Outer Banks pitching staff has impressed in the early going.

In Friday night's win in wind and rain, Daredevil hurler Jamie Poston's fastball was clocked by scouts at 89 mph. He leads the club with a 2.13 ERA.

Tonight, Daredevil hurlers will face a Durham team collectively swinging a hot bat.

The Braves, 4-1 going into Monday night play, trounced Rocky Mount 11-4 Sunday. Duke University outfielder Michael Fletcher drove in five runs and scored twice to spark the victory.

Durham starter Steven Cowie (1-0) pitched six strong innings. He fanned four.

Ackison hopes the visiting Braves will be welcomed by warmer temperatures and a Daredevil squad ready to catch fire.

Vanderbilt third baseman Hunter Bledsoe leads the Outer Banks club in hitting through six games with a .318 average.

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