THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 10, 1995 TAG: 9506100418
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD
STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
David Abbott lived his dream Friday night.
With his Green Run High baseball team bidding for a berth in the state Group AAA final, Abbott no-hit the First Colonial Patriots for a 2-0 state semifinal victory at Old Dominion University.
The Stallions (25-2) await the winner of today's other semifinal between GW-Danville (15-9) and Halifax (23-2), who were rained out Friday. Tuesday's final at ODU is slated for 7 p.m.
Abbott entered with a 5-0 record against the arch-rival Patriots over the last two seasons, but First Colonial had touched him for 10 hits a week ago in an 8-5 Green Run victory in the Eastern Region final.
``I figured it was going to be another back-and-forth game with them,'' Stallions catcher John Defere said. ``I didn't expect this.''
Abbott (9-1) struck out three and walked none, facing one over the required number of batters.
Upon the final out, he fell off the mound onto his back with both fists thrusted skyward.
``When I was warming up, I knew I had eight days rest and I knew I'd have my good stuff,'' said Abbott.
How good was he? The Patriots managed only four fly balls out of the infield.
Ed Manley, First Colonial's 6-foot-6 righthander, wasn't bad himself, giving up just three hits and two unearned runs while sustaining his first loss of the season.
The Stallions, ranked No. 24 in the country by USA Today, scored twice in the third inning and those were the only two runners either team advanced beyond second.
Joe Clark led off the third with a single to right and the hit-and-run was on as Gene Mugler singled to right on a 1-1 count.
Hard-charging rightfielder Jason Bozard appeared for a split-second to have a play on the ball and Clark hesitated at second. But when Bozard bobbled the ball on the hop, Clark took off for third.
Bozard's throw to third was down the line and third-baseman A.T. Vasta tried to sweep-tag Clark. But the ball got away and rolled into Green Run's dugout, allowing Clark to score and Mugler to take third.
Abbott followed with a sharp grounder to short to score Mugler.
The game's only other hit was Chris Elmore's sixth-inning single.
Abbott took a perfect game into the fifth. With two out, Brad Tetlow grounded to short, but Mugler had trouble getting the ball out of his glove then threw low and wide to first. Abbott then coaxed Vasta into grounding into a force play.
The play of the game came in the top of the sixth. With two out, Winter hit a one-hop chopper in the hole to the left side. Healey leaped to glove it in the webbing, whirled, and threw in the dirt. But Elmore was able to pick it cleanly for the out.
``I thought it was a base hit,'' Elmore said. ``Jason - and this is no disrespect to him - is not much of a leaper.''
The junior third baseman, however, booted Jason Bozard's grounder in the seventh and the Patriots had their leadoff man on.
Defere figured it might be time for some words of encouragement.
``I told Jason, `Keep your head up and if it comes to you, turn two,' '' Defere said.
First, it was Eric John's turn to keep the no-hitter intact. The junior rightfielder made a diving catch on Nathan Frost's shot to the gap, keeping Bozard at first.
And Defere became a prophet when Jamie Booth grounded to Healey to start a game-ending double play.
The Patriots, who have made the state semifinals five consecutive years and won the title two years ago, finished 24-4, with all four losses to Green Run.
``I hope they win state,'' First Colonial coach Norbie Wilson said. ``I'd like to be No. 2 in the state and No. 24 1/2 in the nation.'' MEMO: Game summary/C5
ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
MOTOYA NAKAMURA/Staff
Green Run's Joe Clark scores in the fourth-inning as First Colonial
catcher Ryan Dunbar watches the ball roll into the Stallions' dugout
after the ball got away from the First Colonial third baseman.
by CNB