by Bill Turner
Regular season district races in baseball and softball came down to the wire last week with surprises galore. Here’s a look at what took place and who came away with the hardware.
In baseball, the biggest game of the week came on the last day of the regular season when Hidden Valley traveled to Cave Spring, hoping to force a playoff in the River Ridge. Cave Spring broke up a 3-3 tie when catcher Michael Crouch sent a 2-run homer deep to left in the bottom of the fifth. The Knight’s Steve Klaiber followed an inning later on a two-run shot that disappeared into the trees in straightaway center as the Knights rolled 8-3 to finish with a perfect 10-0 district record.
In the Blue Ridge, Lord Botetourt took the title with a 6-2 district mark, finishing one game ahead of runner-up Northside. Patrick Henry took third in the Western Valley, while Glenvar finished second in the Three Rivers.
In the Wild Bill Baseball Top-3, Cave Spring moves to the number-one spot with Hidden Valley at #2 and Botetourt holding down #3.
In softball, William Byrd won the Blue Ridge District at 7-1 after Northside lost a late-season game to Lord Botetourt that left the Vikings one game back at 6-2. Cave Spring won the River Ridge in a playoff against Salem Monday after both teams ended the season 8-2 in district play. The Lady Knights’ Dani Duff provided the game-winning blow with a fifth inning grand slam that propelled Cave Spring to the 5-1 win. Ironically, it was not only Duff’s first grand slam homer of her career, but her first shot to clear the fence all season. Glenvar captured the Three Rivers with an impressive 9-1 district record.
In the Wild Bill Softball Top-3, Byrd holds down the #1 spot, followed by Northside and Cave Spring.
Congratulations go out to Michael Cole of Cave Spring and Lord Botetourt’s Macey Tyree as the recipients of the 2011 B’nai B’rith Athletic and Achievement Awards. Both are attending Virgina Tech in the fall.
In the Carolina League, the Salem Red Sox were tied with Myrtle Beach after Salem’s win over the Pelicans Tuesday night. Salem returns home tonight (Fri.,May 27th) for a six-game home stand against Frederick and Lynchburg. Best be advised to catch the Sox this week. After Wednesday, Salem doesn’t play a home game again until June 23rd.
What an astounding performance by sisters Moriya and Ariya Jutanugarn in last weekend’s Scott Robertson Memorial girls 15-18 division. Ariya was impressive with her steady three-under par, 54-hole total of 210. But, her sister took Roanoke Country Club apart with her 16-under torching of the 28th annual event. How good was the score? It beat the previous best 3-day score, set twelve years ago, by nine shots.
The Wild One got a couple chuckles from the gallery Sunday while I attempted to interview the sisters after the trophy presentations. Thanks go out to their father, Somboon, who helped with the translations. Since both Moriya and Ariya told me they plan to return next year, I have twelve months to get my Thai in better working order for the affable sisters.
Now to the infamous mailbag, where one reader is curious about my journalistic hero.
Dear Wild Bill: You seem ready to take on any subject in this column. Who is the most imposing journalist that affected your style? (Walter/Smith Mt. Lake)
Answer: Well. Walter, it’s undoubtably the late Perry White, former editor of the Daily Planet. What an eye he had for top-notch reporters. Who else can choose a guy who glances in two directions, ducks in a closet, then returns in a cape before flying out the window. What a hire! Only way I can describe it is, well… “Great Caesar’s Ghost!”
See you next week-send those questions to: [email protected]