DATE: Thursday, July 17, 1997               TAG: 9707170693

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C6   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY BRIAN J. FRENCH, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: HAMPTON                           LENGTH:   45 lines

INSIDE-THE-PARK HR HELPS EAST TO SOFTBALL VICTORY

It probably would've been a double, maybe even just a long single, at most other softball park.

But when Cox's Courtney O'Konek laced a long line drive into rightfield during the second inning of the Virginia High School Coaches Association all-star softball game Wednesday at Briarfield Park, instead of hitting a fence, the ball kept rolling.

And by the time an outfielder could to it, O'Konek was rounding third, and nearly strolling toward home for an inside-the-park home run.

``This field's really huge,'' said O'Konek, who's headed to Longwood. ``Everyone out here's been talking about how big it is. I figured someone would catch it or cut it off. I didn't expect the ball to keep going like it did.''

And while it wasn't the game-winning hit for the East in its 5-3 victory over the West,, it was the only extra-base hit of the game for either team.

Powhatan's Stephanie Bryan and Midlothian's Kelly White each connected on two-run singles in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally the East from a 3-1 deficit. Bryan was named her team's Most Valuable Player.

The West started hot (though so did everyone else at the game, played in 90-degree heat), scoring twice on four singles off Group AAA State Player of the Year Bronwyn Blair of Salem. Blair - who will attempt to play at Virginia Tech as a walk-on - retired the side in order the next inning.

West MVP Amy Layman pitched three innings, giving up one run on two hits and striking out one. She also slid around first baseman Megan Fries to reach first safely in the third after appearing to have grounded out.

Area players pitched all but the last three innings of the nine-inning contest. Bayside's Heidi Hill came in for Blair, pitching two hitless innings and adding two singles at the plate before yielding to O'Konek, who gave up a run in the sixth. Hill and Blair each scored in the fourth, as did Cox infielder Kelly Cahill. Nansemond River's Angie Gatling did not get a hit in two plate appearances.

The VHSCA all-star baseball game was postponed due to rain and will be played today at 1 p.m. at Old Dominion's Bud Metheny Complex. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

James Boyd of Indian River won the Abe Goldblatt Award as South

Hampton Roads' top football player last season.

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