THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, June 8, 1995 TAG: 9506080586
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
Green Run's Chris Elmore, bothered by shoulder stiffness the last three weeks, regained his masterful early season form Wednesday night as the Stallions rode his performance to a 2-1 victory over Midlothian in the state Group AAA quarterfinals.
Green Run (24-2) will meet First Colonial (24-3) for the fifth time this season in a state semifinal game Friday night at 7 at Old Dominion University. The state's championship game is slated for next Tuesday, also at ODU.
Green Run, which broke into USA Today's national rankings at No. 24 Tuesday, is 3-1 against First Colonial this season and beat the Patriots 8-5 in last week's Eastern Region final.
Elmore baffled Midlothian (18-8) throughout with his curveball and stung the Trojans with his fastball on a hot, humid night at ODU. He struck out nine, walked one and allowed just three hits.
``That's the best lefthanded pitcher we've seen all year,'' said Trojans shortstop Ryan Bonser, who has signed with James Madison University. ``His fastball just tails away from you and that curveball just stops you in your stride.''
Still, it was a baserunner Elmore stopped in stride that keyed the victory.
Nursing a one-run lead in the top of the sixth, Elmore gave up a leadoff single to left by Kevin Keogh. Matters worsened when he started Bonser off with three straight balls.
But Elmore worked the count full, then picked off Keogh, who was leaning toward second.
``Usually when you get your leadoff man on, he's going to score,'' said Elmore, who has signed with North Carolina. ``I'd thrown to first only once or twice all night and I hadn't given them my good move.
``A 3-2 count's usually a good count to pick on. So I gave 'em my best move. I didn't throw over that well. I threw to the wrong side of the base. But he was leaning so much that Eric (John) had time to reach over and tag him.''
Elmore then turned his attention to Bonser, getting him to pop out for the second out of the inning. And the Trojans' most dangerous threat was over.
The Stallions had taken a 1-0 lead in the first when Joe Clark singled to left and scored on a double to the leftfield gap by Gene Mugler. Mugler, however, was thrown out at third trying to stretch the double and that limited Green Run's damage.
Midlothian answered in the third when, with two out, Keogh reached on an infield chop single and scored on Bonser's double to the gap in right, the ball just eluding a diving Clark to make it 1-1.
Green Run retook the lead in the fourth when John Defere reached with one out on his own infield chopper. Courtesy runner David Hart stole second as Elmore struck out, then Jason Healey drove Hart in with a line drive to the gap that Midlothian leftfielder Tommy Franks misplayed into a double.
The loss was the first of the season for lefthander Greg Edmonds, who has signed with Longwood. But Edmonds was able to limit a Stallions team that was averaging just under eight runs a game.
``I had some of the guys admit in school during the day, that they were going to be a little nervous,'' said Elmore, who is 17-0 as a high school pitcher. ``We'd never been to the state tournament before.''
Now they have. And so far, so good. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JOSEPH JOHN KOTLOWSKI/
Eddie McInnis of Green Run is out trying to steal home on the tag by
Midlothian's Mike Goldman. The Stallions play First Colonial a fifth
time.
by CNB