THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 30, 1994 TAG: 9410280291
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 28 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
THE KEMPSVILLE MIDDLE School Braves softball team completed a 9-0 season by beating the Great Neck Gulls, 7-0, at Kempsville Middle School Oct. 20 to win the city championship.
Although it was Gulls weather - gray, windy and drizzly - it was a Braves day for softball. Great Neck also entered the final game unbeaten at 8-0 but was overpowered by a talented and determined Kempsville team.
The Braves knocked on the title door last year, only to lose to Plaza in the championship game on the same field. Many of the starters from that team returned this season and provided the winning spark.
Those returning players and one newcomer dominated Great Neck from the first inning. The new girl on the block, or rather the mound, was pitcher Kelly Tellefsen. The seventh-grader threw smoke at the Gulls, yielding only four hits, all singles, in winning her ninth game, too. The tiny Tellefsen pitched all but two innings of every game this year.
``We have some good girls. They deserve the title,'' said Kempsville coach Amanda Whitby.
Although it was a team effort, some of the girls were particularly good in the finale.
Lydia Banks, the third basewoman, fielded her position with Super Glue hands and a slingshot arm - as a few Great Neck hitters discovered. The first two Great Neck batters made the mistake of hitting the ball toward Banks, who made quick work of throwing them out.
Banks contributed a hit, but her defense stood out more. The eighth-grader plays shallow, in front of the bag, and scoops up everything around her.
Leftfielder Dwan Riddick went 2-for-3 at the plate, including a triple down the left field line to open scoring in the first inning, when Kempsville jumped out to a 2-0 lead.
Others contributed as well.
Brenna Zortman made a fine running catch in center field, and scored a run stealing home. Catcher Kristin Costello collected four hits, including a triple, and showed a strong arm when the Gulls set out for second on stolen base attempts. And Jill Newton played first base as deftly as Banks covered the other infield corner.
``Jill made a couple of good saves on low throws,'' said Whitby.
The battery of Tellefsen and Costello will return next season. Banks, Zortman, Riddick and Newton move on to high school.
Nicole Chow pitched the entire game for Great Neck, giving up 11 hits and getting a single herself. Sara Torrence, Karri Attinger and Jennifer Joyner also singled for the Gulls.
The Kempsville teammates celebrated in center field after listening to a short speech by Whitby.
``They're happy. They played good defense, hit well, the pitching was good - good, fundamental softball,'' said Whitby. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by L. TODD SPENCER
The Kempsville Middle School girls softball team gives coach Amanda
Whitby an early shower. The team celebrated in centerfield after
listening to a short speech by Whitby.
by CNB