The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, May 2, 1996                  TAG: 9605020592
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C7   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                     LENGTH: Short :   41 lines

BAYSIDE GIRLS STAY UNBEATEN SALEM MISTAKES HELP TOP-RANKED MARLINS POST A 2-0 SOFTBALL VICTORY.

Bayside capitalized on Salem mistakes to score a 2-0 softball victory on Wednesday.

The Marlins, the area's top-ranked team, won their 12th game in a row to remain undefeated.

``This is the least fundamental team I've ever had,'' Salem coach Larry Bowman said. ``And they just don't listen to direction. Against some teams, it doesn't show so bad. But against the Baysides and the Princess Annes, you can't make mistakes.''

No. 5 Salem (8-4 in the Beach and overall) paid for two key mistakes: no one covering first on a bunt that resulted in Bayside's first run, and a throwing error that eventually accounted for the other run.

Offensively, Salem twice had runners on third but couldn't score.

``And we have a bunt that their catcher can't get a handle on and the runner stops running thinking she's out,'' Bowman said in disgust.

Through all of Salem's frustrations, Bayside showed why it is the best team in South Hampton Roads by avoiding costly mistakes and coming up with big plays when it had to.

``We had a chance to make some mistakes and we didn't,'' Bayside coach Conrad Parker said. ``Good ballclubs make the plays and we made some big ones.''

With no score in the top of the third, Salem leadoff hitter Michelle Pritchard ripped a double into the left-centerfield gap but was tagged out at th MEMO: [Due to technical difficulties, the text of this story ended mid-word.

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by CNB