Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 26, 1994 TAG: 9402260056
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
This is ridiculous.
For proof, check the roster. Right there in black and white are a couple of names from Rappahannock High School on the Northern Neck, one from Woodrow Wilson in Portsmouth and even one from Ohio.
But really, if Naff didn't have local players, he might have trouble filling out a lineup card. When Naff goes recruiting, all the Panthers' coach needs is a tank of gas, a pocket full of quarters for phone calls and a lawn chair.
"I'm worried that some of these other coaches are going to start to catch on to what's going on around here," he said.
Timesland has been a decidedly fruitful breeding ground for Panthers-to-be. Among those who figure prominently in the Ferrum lineup this year are catcher Jason St. Clair (Cave Spring); first baseman Jason Wilson (Laurel Park); second baseman David Jones (Patrick County); shortstop Matt Smith (Blacksburg); outfielders John Hopkins (Patrick County); Chad France (Franklin County); John Poindexter (Jefferson Forest) and Ryan Blevins (Salem); and designated hitters Donnie Meador (Lord Botetourt) and Cal Scarce (Tunstall).
France, Meador, Scarce and Blevins are among the 21 freshmen on the 36-man team. So are pitcher David Campbell of Alleghany and outfielder Todd Cunningham, the Seminole District player of the year at Brookville.
The Panthers lost star Billy Wagner, a first-round draft choice of the Houston Astros, from the pitching staff of a team that won 29 games in 1993, but they still have right-hander Keith Mayhew (15-2 the past two years) and left-hander Jimmy Hamilton, a Chicago Cubs draftee.
So what is the outlook for Ferrum, which open the season today at the Reebok Invitational in Atlanta? Expect no poor-mouthing from Naff.
"We're young but very talented," he said.
Young teams present a challenge for most coaches, but one thing Naff never will have to worry about is homesick players.
Elsewhere in college baseball:
\ VIRGINIA TECH: The Hokies are rebuilding, with all but 10 of members of the 32-man squad coming from the freshmen and sophomore classes. With 13 of the first 14 games on the road, it won't be dull in the dugout for coach Chuck Hartman.
But such are the situations Hartman has faced en route to 1,000-plus collegiate victories.
The Hokies are sound at catcher, second base, third base and center field, but they face uncertainty everywhere else.
On the mound, the veterans include right-hander Ron Preston, who led the team last year with 13 starts and 90 innings pitched, and left-handers Brian Fitzgerald and Rob Gibson. Fitzgerald went 5-0 in 14 appearances, and Gibson, a senior from Salem, was a middle reliever with a 3-1 record. Another Roanoke-area pitching candidate, Brian Young of William Byrd, probably will land in the bullpen.
Third baseman Bo Durkac's .423 batting average was the best in the Metro Conference and the second highest for a Tech player in the past 40 years. Justin Dobson, a full-time starter at second base for the first time, has a .324 career average. Center fielder Popeye Smith, a junior who batted .278 and had a big autumn season, will anchor the outfield.
Tech is particularly solid at catcher, where Denny Hedspeth has been a fixture for two seasons. Also available are William Byrd's Josh Herman and Cave Spring's Ray Kaczmarek. Herman's bat will get him in the lineup somewhere; he hit .313 with two strikeouts in 80 at-bats as a freshman.
The Hokies need a shortstop, and freshmen Kevin Kurilla and Mike Terhune are the candidates.
\ VIRGINIA: Conversations around University Hall have been going something like this: "Experience in this lineup? Your mind must still be frozen from the last ice storm."
The truth of the matter is the Cavaliers have only three players who saw substantial innings at the positions they're playing this year. As for the pitching staff, it's green as an outfield pasture.
At least the Cavs can console themselves with a challenging schedule. The Atlantic Coast Conference probably is the nation's strongest this season.
But Virginia won't be going to a sword fight with a pocketknife. The team does have junior outfielder Brian Buchanan, who can club a baseball a long way. So far, in fact, that the 6-foot-4, 220-pounder has been compared to a young Dave Kingman. Buchanan hit .322 with six homers and 37 RBI in 1993 and has been projected by Baseball America as the 14th-best collegiate available in this year's major-league draft.
If that's true, he will need a boxcar in June to carry the money a first-round draft choice commands in the amateur draft. Meanwhile, he can amuse himself by trying to hit one over the Rotunda.
Trying to keep opposing teams from clubbing a baseball over the focal point of the Thomas Jefferson-designed grounds will be a pitching staff featuring converted reliever Yates Hall, left-hander Eric Parker, John Cappelman and Seth Greisinger - a seventh-round draft choice of the Cleveland Indians in 1993.
\ RADFORD: The Highlanders went 29-19 and fell one victory short of an NCAA Tournament berth in 1993. The Highlanders are after their third consecutive winning season, and they have a heavy-hitting lineup (five batted .300 or better last year as the team averaged 7.2 runs per game) and veteran pitching to help their quest.
The big sticks are in the hands of outfielder Duane Filchner (.401, eight home runs, 57 RBI), designated hitter Brian Pardue (.359, six homers, 30 RBI), first baseman Denny Van Pelt (.349, 41 RBI) and outfielder Alex Vaxmonsky (.348, eight steals).
Former All-Timesland player Kelly Dampeer of Northside will start at shortstop.
Right-hander Jim Abbott (5-4 record, 3.41 ERA) is one of six pitchers who threw 30 or more innings last year. Jay Hensley, who probably has the best arm, had a solid fall season, and Eric Harris led the team last year with a 6-0 record and 3.86 ERA.
\ VMI: The Keydets parlayed strong pitching and defense into a berth in the Southern Conference tournament final.
Four of the top five starting pitchers are seniors, including staff ace John Payne (17-13, 4.45) and former Cave Spring pitcher Mark Hazelwood (15-6, 4.44).
Elsewhere, VMI is well-stocked with former Timesland players, including Alleghany's David Groseclose at shortstop (.284, 10 doubles, 21 RBI, 21 steals), Martinsville's Franco Martin at third base and Bath County's Tim Williams and Pulaski County's Brad Burrus in the outfield.
\ WASHINGTON AND LEE: The Generals are out to qualify for the Old Dominion Athletic Conference tournament for the first time in three years. W & L can be expected to be sound in the middle of the order, with designated hitter Duane Van Arsdale (.329, 12 RBI), first baseman Preston Miller (.296) and utility player Bates Brown (three home runs).
by CNB