THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, May 23, 1995 TAG: 9505230385
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
Indian River's bats came alive at the same time that Western Branch's gloves went dead Monday as the Braves won a playoff game for the Southeastern District's No. 1 Eastern Region playoff berth, 7-5, at Cascade Park.
Trailing 5-0 going into the bottom of the sixth, Indian River (15-6), South Hampton Roads' third-ranked team, erupted for six hits, while the fifth-ranked Bruins (16-5) committed four errors.
The teams tied for the district's regular-season title, both at 11-3.
David Bailey, who pitched 10 innings in a regular-season ending 2-0 victory over the Bruins five days earlier, again earned the victory to improve to 8-2.
``When it was 5-0, I thought the game was over,'' said Bailey, who gave up a bases-loaded home run to Western Branch's Pat Cusick in the top of the sixth. ``All season our hitting's been a little off, a little on. It was on in the sixth.''
Western Branch starter Matt Hemmis was lifted with a 5-3 lead with one out in the sixth when five of the Braves' first six batters reached. Dale Goodrich came on in relief and got Eddie Byrum to fly out. He appeared to escape the inning when Doug Basnight grounded weakly to third. But Corey Bauswell let the ball skitter under his glove as a run scored.
``Bauswell is a good kid and I was surprised to see him boot that ball,'' Indian River coach Steve West said. ``But it sure opened the floodgates for us.''
With Adam Vaughan on third, Basnight attempted to steal second. He got a late jump and catcher Nick Ardagna's throw appeared to have him. But Hemmis, who had moved to second, was late covering the bag and misplayed the throw, allowing Vaughan to score.
Duane Barnes followed with a RBI single to center. He took second on Dre Bly's overthrow home and scored when Bauswell threw wildly to first on Bailey's grounder.
``You let up, you lose,'' Bruins coach Jim Stanko said. ``We played great except for one inning.''
Western Branch had two runners on in the top of the seventh with two out after Bauswell singled to left and Doug Brennan walked. But Bailey struck out Cusick to end it.
``I was going to make him hit my curve to beat me,'' Bailey said. ``After he'd hit it out the previous inning, I was kind of glad I did face him again for the last out.'' by CNB