16 The Compass Wednesday, April 29, 1992
^hoto by RodMTj Moon
ECSU senior Ujan Langfofd takes a cut on a Norfok State pitch. The Vikings lost this game 3^, but finish season 20-13 overal.
Vikes finish
2nd in CIAA
By James Sims
The ECSU Viking baseball team settled
for second place in the Q AA after losing
to the Norfolk State Spartans three times
in regular season play, and once again in
the championship ganw April 18.
Going into the doubleheader against
the Spartans, the Vikings won 10 of 11
then lost the next two to the rival Spar
tans. The losing streak didn't stop there;
the Vikings lost another doubleheader to
Virginia State April 5, and lost once more
to Norfolk the next day.
But the Vikings didn't give up hope.
Some players knew they would nr»eet the
Spartans once more in the championship
game, and they did—only to be disap
pointed. The Vikings lost 2-1 due to a
Spartan play in the last inning.
"ThechampionshipgameagainstNor-
fblk State is something that wiU haunt me
for a long time," said Langford. "\ would
rather have gottenblown out than to play
so hard and come up short."
Despite their loss to Norfolk, the Vi
kings' overall record of 20-13 is no fluke.
Coach Charles Cullens gives a lot of the
credit to the improved pitching.
"Pitching is stronger as opposed to last
year," said Cullens. '7eff Creef (7-4), is a
transfer pitcher from NC Wesleyan col
lege, who's been a big boost to us because
he has two years experience under his
belt."
Creef, a junior from Columbia, NC,
also made the AU-CIAA second team.
Pitching isn't the only thing that
launched the Vikings to the champion
ship game. Performances from '92 AU-
CIAA first team players such as Andre
Nelson and Juan Langford deserve credit
as well.
"I don't know where we would be if it
wasn't for Andre," said Cullens.
Nelson, a junior from Ridgeway, SC, is
the team's batting leader with an average
of 387.
"We have had scouts interested in
Andre," said Cullens. "Hehaswhatscouts
are looking for: he's big, fast and strong."
Cullens praised Langford, the only se-
nior starter on the team, for his excellent
defena ve skills and also for taking on the
leadership role on the team.
"Langford has done a great on the field
and as a leader," said Cullens. "He's sort
of like a coach on the field," said Cullens.
Second basemam, Duane Byrum, a
sophomore from Elizabeth City made the
Lady Vikings
By James Sims
The ECSU Lady Vikings softball team
finished the regular season with close to
a 500 season and sealed a fourth place
spot with a 15-16 overall record and a 14-
13 conference record.
The season ended relatively similar to
last year's record of 11-13.
The Lady Vikings concluded their sea
son after losing five of their last 10 games.
They tost to Virginia Union, a double-
header to Norfolk State, to St. Augustine
12-8 in the first round of the a AA tourna
ment and again to Shaw University 22-3
on April 18 in the last game of the season.
Despite the mediocre season, son^
players feel as though the season really
wasn't that bad.
'The season really wasn't that bad con-
skiering what we had to work with," said
Keisha Moore, a senior third baseman
fromWillianttton,NC. "Though wehave
five starters leaving, I just hope the new
recruits next year will be more prosper-
AU-CIAA second team as well.
This year's Viking record is a big im- I
provement over last year's less than 500 i
season of 15-16, and with only one person '
leaving, the Vikings are looking forward 1
to a championship title in the near future, j
"We've had a good year with the ex- j
ception of the five game losing streak," ;
said Cullens "\ bebeve we just got a little 1
worn out mentally and physically, but I
we were well rested for the tournament." |
place fourth |
ous than we were." j
Jessica Burden, a senior from Bertie, ;
agreed about the fairly decent season but |
added that tlw team was weakened aftef j
some of the players quit. j
"I'm happy about the dedkrated play- I
ers who remained and worked together |
to place us where we are which is fourth |
place," said Burden. j
Even though the Lady Vikings have
yet to win a recent CLAA title, they have j
managed to get players nominated for
the AU-CIAA team. Nominees for this ,
year's team were: Keisha Mooreand Abby
Godwin, a senior from Elizabeth Gty- 1
"Even though we weren't able to win |
the championship, it was an honor being |
nominated," said Moore.
Team batting leaders for the 1992 sea- (
son are Genevie Moore, senior pitcher j
from Camden (.326 bat. avg.), who has j
won aU 15 games as the only ptchen ^
Keisha Moore (avg.420), and Erica Leaiy
(avg. 345), a senior outfielder fro'” \
Windsor. I
Pko4c by James
if
Jessica Burden attempts to get a hit in a game w4h Christopher Newport News Marcv 17
The Vkes lost tx)th games in the doutte hitter, 10-0 and 11-0.