THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 1, 1996 TAG: 9606010372
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 53 lines
Princess Anne pitcher Melissa Hirsch picked off what could have been Bayside's tying run and ended the Marlins' seventh-inning rally as the Cavaliers held on for a 4-3 victory in Friday's Eastern Region softball championship at Princess Anne.
With two out, Dawn Bell singled to left, reached second on a fielder's choice and scored on Jen Moricle's single to left. Hirsch took the relay and caught Amber Stout off the bag at second. She threw to Beth La Greca for the game's final out.
``I saw her round the base and since there were two out and they already scored, I needed to stop them,'' Hirsch said. ``I just threw it.''
Had she not, Hirsch next would've faced Bayside's cleanup hitter, Tracey Berger, who had cleared the fence against Lake Taylor in the quarterfinals But Princess Anne's three runs in the second inning and one in the fifth proved to be enough as the Cavaliers celebrated their first Eastern Region title since 1990.
Princess Anne also earned the region's top berth in the state playoffs and the right to host Tuesday's 5 p.m. first-round game against the Central Region runner-up. Bayside will visit the Central Region champion on Tuesday.
Marlins pitcher Heidi Hill controlled the first nine Cavaliers batters until Hirsch singled in the top half of the second inning for her team's first hit, which sent La Greca, aboard on a walk, to second. Lisa Slingerland then reached on an error to bring up freshman Kelly Hartzog with the bases loaded.
``I've been needing a hit for awhile,'' Hartzog said. ``I wanted it to be in this game. I just got up there and did my best.''
Her best, a triple to center, cleared the bases.
Hill got Sarah Ravan to ground out to second to end the threat, then retired the next six Princess Anne batters in order. All the while, Hill, who allowed just two hits and had a pair of strikeouts, was battling a pulled muscle in her back.
Hill's team fired back in the bottom of the fourth with two runs on Bethany Hill's double to left. But Hill irritated her injury when she ripped a line drive down the first-base line that Slingerland snagged for the third out.
With Tuesday's game in mind, Bayside coach Conrad Paker put Bell on the mound in the top of the fifth.
``I tried to stay as long as I could,'' Hill said. ``But I couldn't. It's better to rest now. We're still going to state, and I'll be ready to go.''
Princess Anne picked up what proved to be the game-winner in the fifth when Slingerland, on board after an infield single, scored on an errant throw to first. ILLUSTRATION: EASTERN REGION SOFTBALL FINAL
GARY C. KNAPP
Bayside's Dawn Bell extends for a ball that eludes her grasp.
Princess Anne held off the Marlins 4-3 in the Eastern Region final. by CNB