THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 22, 1996 TAG: 9608220413
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: 60 lines
Kyle Thomas' two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth gave Nashville a 5-4 win over the Hammond, Ind., Chiefs, Wednesday and kept the dream of a Babe Ruth 16-18 World Series title alive for the Southeast regional champs.
Mike Parsley hit a solo shot in the fourth for the Music City club, and reliever Jeff Parsons struck out the side in both the sixth and the seventh to preserve the victory.
Nashville takes on the winner of the Ansonia, Conn.-Omaha, Neb. game at 7 tonight. The loss eliminated Hammond from the series.
Nashville took a giant step in the losers' bracket with the victory over Hammond. But Nashville is no stranger to the underdog role. The Southeast winners came through the losers' bracket to win the World Series berth.
Nashville got off to a fast start, just as it did in its Tuesday win over Coos Bay, Ore. Parsons led off with a single, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jason Adams grounded to second, moving the runner to third.
Donnie Ross' bad-hop single over second baseman Anthony Hofer's head brought in Parsons, making it 1-0.
Nashville's second run came on a wild play. With Ross at third and Josh Pride at first, Nashville pulled a double steal. Johnny Craig's throw to second was late, and Ross came in to score, making it 2-0. Hammond shortstop Mike Krueger was hurt, and left the game.
Hammond got on the board in the second. With the bases loaded, Mike Neidow singled, driving home Craig. Paul Trimmel tried to come in to score, but Parsons made a strong throw to Pride, who bulldogged Trimmel away from the plate to end the inning. Nashville led, 2-1.
The Chiefs loaded the bases again in the third. Hofer singled, and J.J. Swiatkowski and Miguel Ramirez drew back-to-back walks.
With Craig at the plate, Nashville starting pitcher Charlie Phillips short-armed a 1-0 pitch to home plate that bounced away from Pride. Hofer came on to score easily to tie the game at 2-2.
Kevin Brown then came on in relief. Craig greeted him with a single to score Swiatkowski, giving Hammond a 3-2 lead. Craig tried to advance to second on the throw home, but Ross cut him down for the second out of the inning. Trimmel's ground out ended the inning, but the Chiefs led, 3-2 in the third.
Nashville retaliated in the fourth, when Mike Parsley yanked a 1-0 pitch over the left-centerfield wall for his first home run of the series to deadlock the game at 3-3. Parsley was 0-for-5 in the series prior to his fourth-inning shot.
Parsley was injured in the win over Coos Bay, but came back in a big way Wednesday night.
Hammond grabbed the lead in the fifth. With runners at first and second and two out, Trimmel singled to center, scoring Swiatkowski from second. Pinch-runner Tony Klaja tried to move from first to third, but was thrown out. The Chiefs led, 4-3.
Then came Thomas' deciding blast. The ball sailed over the Manteo High School track, the longest shot of the game.
``It was a fast ball about belt high,'' Thomas said. ``I think this is the only night it would've gone out. The air wasn't as heavy tonight.''
Parsons said that even though his arm was sore after working Tuesday night, he felt no ill effects when he came on in relief.
``My arm just seems to get relaxed when I'm out there,'' the Clemson-bound right-hander said. by CNB