ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, May 1, 1996 TAG: 9605010044
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: IN THE REGION
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
Senior first baseman David Fitt singled in Kevin Barker in the top of the ninth inning to break a tie and give Virginia Tech a 3-2 non-conference baseball victory over 11th-ranked Tennessee in Kingsport, Tenn., on Tuesday.
Josh Herman doubled to lead off the second inning and scored on a groundout by Matt Reynolds to give the Hokies a 1-0 lead. Virginia Tech (33-21) added another run in the fifth when Fitt walked, stole second base and scored on a single by shortstop Kevin Kurilla.
Tennessee (32-15) scored its first run off Tech starter Jon Hand when Sonny Cortez singled and eventually scored on a groundout by Ken Folkers in the sixth. In the bottom of the eighth, Cortez smacked a solo homer to tie the score and chase Hand. Tech reliever Charlie Gillian (2-1) retired the last man in the eighth and set Tennessee down in order in the bottom of the ninth.
In the top of the ninth, Kevin Barker doubled with one out and Tennessee brought out its ace, R.A. Dickey. Dickey struck out Herman for the second out before Fitt singled to drive in what proved to be the winning run.
In other sports in the region:
Senior guard Jason Lansdown earned two of the top honors at the Radford University men's basketball banquet.
Lansdown, a native of Sterling, was given the Donald N. Dedmon Most Valuable Player Award and the Doug and Norvell Tate Outstanding Career Contribution Award. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard led Radford in scoring and free-throw percentage, averaging 16.2 points per game and shooting 82 percent from the line. He scored 1,099 points in four years, 10th all-time at Radford.
Junior forward Eric Bowens, a Durham, N.C. native, received the Hustling Highlander Award after averaging 11.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game and shooting a Big South Conference-leading 56.2 percent from the field.
Corey Reed, a sophomore shooting guard of Bremen, Ind., who has a 4.0 grade-point average in chemistry, received the Student Athlete Award. Senior walk-on Jason Buzzard, a former Alleghany High School player, earned the Unselfish Player Award and junior Marquiz Williamson of Kings Mountain, N.C., was named Outstanding Defensive Player.
Sophomore forward Kevin Robinson (6.1 rebounds per game) of Richmond won the top rebounder award and junior guard Anthony Walker of Columbus, Ohio, was recognized as the assist leader and was presented a ball commemorating his 1,000th point. He has 1,184 points in three years.
Roanoke native Patti Fisher was named the Defensive Player of the Year for the Radford University's women's basketball team.
Fisher, a 5-9 senior from Northside, led the team with 2.4 steals per game and averaged 5.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.
Senior Lisa Howard, a native of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, was named Most Valuable Player after averaging 14.7 points and 4.6 assists in helping the Highlanders win their seventh straight Big South championship and advance to their third straight NCAA Tournament.
Redshirt transfer Amanda Frazier of Ruckersville, Md., was named the team's Most Inspirational Player and freshman Dana Schnell of York, Pa., earned the Academic Award for her 4.0 GPA this year.
LENGTH: Medium: 63 linesby CNB