Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 11, 1994 TAG: 9408110047
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. Dougherty
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Two-time defending league champion Athletes Choice routed upstart Golden Corral and went on to capture the regular season crown.
A.C. erupted for 10 runs in the fourth inning. They hit a league-record six straight homers in the inning as DAVID BISHOP, DAVID ALDERMAN, JEFF REYNOLDS, JOHN MEYERS, RANDY OLVERSON and TOMMY SHEPPARD went deep consecutively.
Reynolds, Alderman and Bishop finished with two home runs each as A.C. belted 11 for the game.
Alderman and STEVE ALLEY each went 4-for-4.
CONLEY HICKS pitched a three-hitter to record his 34th career shutout and 350th career pitching victory.
Athletes Choice went on to win its last three games and finished a perfect 25-0. Golden Corral rebounded and finished in second place, 24-1.
Athletes Choice not only captured the league title, but three of its players captured individual statistical titles as well.
Alderman led the league with 31 home runs. MATT DEAN scored a league-high 65 runs. And Hicks recorded 23 pitching wins.
The only non-A.C. player to lead the league in a statistical category was CLIFFORD MYERS of Sonic Drive-In. His .800 (60-for-75) on-base percentage was the second highest in league history.
Elsewhere around the league in the final week of regular season games, KENNY MYERS became the first pitcher in league history to toss three straight shutouts (18 shutout innings) when he blanked the Hustlers 12-0.
YOUNG STICKS: Pulaski defeated Pulaski - that's the team from the town over the squad from the county - to win the Dixie Minors (ages 9-10) Southwestern Region championship at Dublin Middle School.
The Town Stars defeated their county counterparts 9-2 as CHANCE RATCLIFF struck out 12 and allowed just two hits and no earned runs.
JOSH WILBURN was the hitting star for the town with four hits, three runs and four RBI.
NAT KESLING had both Pulaski County hits.
This is the town's third Minors division regional title and its ninth overall.
Pulaski County defeated Pulaski 9-6 in the opening round. The county went on to win the winners' bracket while the town marched through the losers' bracket. Then the town forced the championship showdown with a 5-0 win in the game of the finals as ALAN WHEELING pitched a one-hitter.
Radford finished second to Carroll County in the regional Dixie Boys (ages 13-14 ) tournament in Independence.
Radford won the winners' bracket but fell to Carroll County 16-10 and 8-6 in eight innings in back-to-back games during the championship round.
Pitching for Radford during the tournament were BUD REDDEN, JASON PORTER, ADAM ARTRIP, JOSEPH HOUSEL, CHRIS KEYS, JAMIE WOOLWINE and ANDREW CROWDER.
Redden, Porter, KEVIN ROOP and TREVOR OWENS were the only returnees from last year's team.
The Pulaski Cougars finished third at the Dixie PreMajors (ages 15-16) tournament in Bedford.
Pulaski (26-5) was eliminated when it lost 6-5 to Vinton, its seventh-inning rally falling short.
MATT HULL had brought the Cougars to within a run, but the blast by COUNCIL COMPTON that would have tied the game was caught above the fence to end the game.
Pitcher BRYAN DALTON lost for just the second time and saw his 10-game winning streak snapped.
It was Pulaski's best performance in state tournament play since finishing second in 1988.
The regular-season champion A's won the Girls' 11-and-under softball league tournament in Pulaski, defeating the Reds 6-5 in the final.
BRANDI BURGESS doubled home, BREANNA BURRUS and KELLY HODGES then scored on a single by BETH LAMBERT in the A's decisive fourth-inning uprising.
Double play defense including a game-ending twin-killing helped the A's as well.
SIGN-UPS GALORE: Christiansburg has volleyball in five flavors for the fall.
The town will have Coed Church A and B, Coed Open, Men's Open and Women's Open leagues.
The cost is $75 per team plus $10 for each nonresident on a team.
The registration deadline is Aug. 31. For more information, call the recreation department at 382-2349.
Pulaski will have three sandlot football teams for youths ages 7-13.
The Mite League (ages 7-8) is a new league for beginning players. The Pee Wee League (ages 9-10) and Junior League (ages 11-13, not in eighth grade) are the other leagues.
Registration can be done over the town's sports information line at 980-8343. Information required are full name, telephone number, date of birth and grade for the upcoming school year.
The first practice for all three teams is Monday at 6 p.m. at Cool Springs Field. Players should wear shorts, sweat pants, a T-shirt, and tennis shoes or rubber cleats to this non-contact session.
Cheerleaders also are being sought for the Pee Wee and Junior teams. Sign-ups can be done over the town's sports information line for it as well. The information required is the same as for football registration.
LAST CHANCE: Friday is the last day to sign up for fall adult softball leagues or youth football in Blacksburg.
For more information, call the recreation department at 961-1135.
Friday also marks the end of registration for two race trips this fall being sponsored by the Christiansburg Department of Parks and Recreation.
For more information, call the recreation department at 382-2349.
MEETINGS OF THE MINDS: Christiansburg will hold National Youth Sports Coaches Association certification meetings Aug. 16 and 17.
The meeting begins at 6 p.m. each night at the Christiansburg Recreation Center at 95 College St. Both meetings are mandatory for football coaches.
Coaches will be able to obtain or renew N.Y.S.C.A. certification at the meeting. Also, the rules and draft procedures for the upcoming football season will be discussed.
For more information, call CHUCK MUNCY, supervisor of athletics, at 382-2349.
In Montgomery County, there are mandatory meetings Aug. 15-17 for prospective youth football coaches.
On Aug. 15, an information meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m.
Aug. 16-17 will be certification meetings starting at 6 p.m.
All meetings will be at the Montgomery County Parks and Recreation Department office at 410 County Road in Christiansburg.
For more information, call TIM COONEY, the athletic supervisor, at 382-6978.
by CNB