www.newrivervalley.com

The Roanoke Times | File 2008

During last season's game against Roanoke Post 3, New River Valley Post 68 infielder Zach Atkins gets the final out at the top of the sixth inning. Back for another season, Atkins is a four-year veteran who just finished his freshman season at Concord College.

| Matthew Sams

Special to The Roanoke Times

When longtime American Legion Post 68 head coach Danny Evans was diagnosed with cancer over the winter, there happened to be another coach from Giles County waiting in the wings.

Greg Dudding has been coaching baseball for 15 years, at levels ranging from Little League up to his position as American Legion assistant coach.

Evans gave him his first taste of American Legion coaching four years ago. It seemed like a natural fit for him to take over the head-coaching job this year.

Though Evans won't be leading the team in the dugout, he will remain a constant presence. He has assumed a general manager's role this season.

"Danny is still fighting his illness," Dudding said. "He still wants to be a part of the team, so he's more of the general manager this year. I commend Danny Evans for both discipline and guidance. I can't thank him enough."

Dudding seems determined to carry over that sense of discipline from Evans' tutelage.

With a roster of players from a wide range of locales, it is nearly impossible for Post 68 to practice every day. Though Dudding tries to get secure games every two or three days, he expects his players to be disciplined enough to stay sharp on their own between games.

"I do try to give a strong sense of discipline to these young men," Dudding said. "Work ethic in the offseason is what really makes a good baseball player.

"We need to stay disciplined at the plate and in the field. If that happens, we should compete for the district championship."

The discipline Dudding speaks of also plays into his own baseball philosophy. Offensively, Dudding asks his hitters to be aware of situations and be willing to do whatever it takes to score runs. That means having the cleanup man bunt, if necessary.

"I think you have to generate offense at this level," he said. "You have to have nine guys that are capable of bunting, and know how to read baseball situations. I need intelligent baseball players who know how to play the game correctly."

On defense, Dudding preaches the importance of playing clean baseball.

He insists that if American Legion teams can stay under two errors per game, they'll be on the winning side of the equation nearly every time.

As for pitching, Dudding looks for guys who can consistently pound the strike zone.

"I think pitching is all about throwing strikes," Dudding said. "You don't have to throw 95 miles per hour. You need to hit spots and control movement on the ball. It typically requires three pitches and controlling each of those."

Fortunately for Dudding, Post 68 returns a team stacked with veteran players who are attuned to his philosophies.

Of the 18 players on the roster, 11 return from the 2008 team that went undefeated in the regular season district schedule. Of those 11 returning players, eight are returning starters.

"I think the players are responding well to me," Dudding said. "Some of these guys are three-year starters, so they're used to me and my coaching style.

"When you've got so many familiar faces, you shouldn't have any problems with chemistry."

Third baseman Ben Eads (Blacksburg) and second baseman Zach Chrisley (Christiansburg) are both three-year veterans. Shortstop Zach Atkins (Giles) is also a four-year veteran who just finished his freshman season at Concord University.

Atkins, the team captain, has played under Dudding since Little League.

"Coach Dudding is very similar to Coach Evans because I think he learned a lot under Danny the last few years," Atkins said.

"Coach knows how to handle all of the guys, and I enjoy playing for him. We have a very close relationship."

Thus far, Post 68 doesn't seem to be missing a beat under its new head coach. They banged out 32 combined hits in the first two games, winning both.

Dudding's pitching rotation features a mixture of veteran and new arms. He understands the value of a powerful offense as young pitching improves.

"Hitting is a huge part of our success," Dudding said. "We have to give our young pitchers opportunities on the mound, and a good offense will give them some cushion to work with. That's how young pitchers improve."

After a disappointing performance at the 2008 district tournament, Post 68 hopes its veteran presence will lead to a better showing this season.

If Post 68's pitching matures to the level of its offense, the team could be a force to be reckoned with come tournament time.

"We should be a very good offensive team," Atkins said. "Last year we played well, but we didn't finish so well in the tournament. We hope to improve upon that this year."