THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 14, 1996 TAG: 9606120156
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 88 lines
SOUTHEASTERN District champion Western Branch and runner-up Great Bridge led the voting on the all-star softball team selected by district coaches.
Gavin Harris, who led Indian River to its best season since 1989 with a 17-7 overall record and a 9-7 district finish, was named the Coach of the Year.
Nicole Belote of Western Branch, also the Chesapeake Player of the Year and an All-Tidewater selection, was the top vote getter.
The 13-player squad includes four other Bruins and four Wildcats. Churchland placed two and Indian River and Wilson each had one. Nine of the players are seniors.
Belote, a senior pitcher who will attend George Mason on a partial softball scholarship, allowed just 46 hits in 101.3 innings, fanned 77 batters and had a 1.60 ERA. When not pitching, Belote played third and crafted a .935 fielding average. She had 15 put outs and committed four errors. At the plate, she hit Belote earned two spots on the first team as pitcher and utility player.
Belote is joined on the first team by Western Branch teammates Calee Morris, Jaci Morris and Jennifer Sajko.
Calee Morris, a senior first baseman, was also the Bruins' clean-up hitter and batted .333 with eight RBIs.
Jaci Morris, a senior centerfielder, was errorless in the outfield with 12 put outs. She batted .333 with 11 RBIs and 15 stolen bases.
Sajko, a senior third baseman, hit .327 with seven RBIs. She had 19 put outs and 38 assists.
Named to the first team from Great Bridge were Denise Wack, Dana Crisostomo, Elizabeth Bain and Whitney Temple.
Wack, a junior pitcher, amassed a 16-6 record on the mound and allowed 100 hits in 152 innings. She struck out 148, walked 68 and posted a 0.92 ERA. She batted .245.
Crisostomo, a senior outfielder, batted .293 and knocked in 10 runs. She stole 22 bases and had 17 put outs with only two errors. She also scored 28 runs and had 18 stolen bases.
Bain, a senior outfielder, hit .422 with 13 RBIs. She had 22 stolen bases and scored 20 runs. In the field, she had 13 put outs with three errors.
Temple, a sophomore, provided the power in the designated hitter spot with a batting average in the upper .400s.
Earning honors from Churchland are junior catcher Blanca Vazquez and junior shortstop Stacey Hundley.
Vazquez threw out 21 of 27 runners attempting to steal. She batted .400 with 22 RBIs and 26 runs scored.
Hundley, the Truckers' lead-off batter, hit .431 and knocked in 11 runs. She stole 29 bases and scored 31 runs. In the field, she had 56 put outs, 45 assists and only six errors.
Rounding out the first team are Shawndall ``Dee Dee'' Fox of Wilson and Stephanie Dyer of Indian River.
Fox, a sophomore second baseman, carried a .500 batting average and was a tough out, striking out only twice the entire season. She had a .625 slugging percentage.
Dyer, a senior catcher, hit .509, had a team-high 18 walks and hit three home runs.
The second unit includes three seniors, four juniors and six sophomores. Western Branch grabbed four more berths. Oscar Smith and Great Bridge placed three. Indian River, Wilson and Churchland each had one. ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Nicole Belote
Western Branch
Shawndall ``Dee Dee'' Fox
Wilson
Stacey Hundley
Churchland
Jaci Morris
Western Branch
Calee Morris
Western Branch
Jennifer Sajko
Western Branch
Blanca Vazquez
Churchland
Graphic
1996 All-Southeatern Softball Team by CNB