Hart becomes a hitting machine

Billy Hart's favorite spot at Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium appears to be in the batting cage -- specifically on the left, where the pitching machine resides.

Just about any afternoon, before practice or between practice and game time, Hart can be found facing the automated fireballer. It throws fastballs, change-ups, curves, sliders -- anything a human pitcher can throw -- and can even be programmed to mix things up.

Is it working? Hart is 9-for-19 with four doubles in his last six games, raising his average 32 points to .252.

Mellowing out

Avalanche manager Jim Pankovits has been ejected once already this season. He was tossed out three times last year.

But Pankovits said he has never thrown a fit like the one that got Mississippi Braves manager Phillip Wellman plenty of TV time over the past week and a three-game suspension.

"Never anything as orchestrated as that," Pankovits said. "But I have been a lot more angry than that."

Not anymore, though, Pankovits said. "I'm a lot more mellow now," he said.

Power outage

The Avalanche remains the top-hitting team in the Carolina League with a team batting average of .269, but not in its recent four-game losing streak.

Salem had eight hits in its loss to Wilmington last Saturday, ending its 12-game winning streak. But the Avs managed a total of 15 hits in three-straight losses to Potomac.

The Avalanche offense wasn't alone in its let down. In Salem's three losses to the P-Nats, eight relief pitchers combined to give up 14 runs in 12¹₃ innings.

Odds and ends

The hum is gone.

Avalanche broadcaster Jason Bennetti's calls can now be heard without the constant buzzing that marked the radio broadcast for the first two months of the season.

Thanks to new equipment, Bennetti's off-beat sense of humor comes through loud and clear. ...

Avalanche general manager John Katz has issued a "last call" for sales of season ticket books.

Ten-ticket books are going for $45, while 20-ticket books are $85 until June 30. ...

There are still seats available for the Avalanche booster club's bus trip to the D.C. area.

The boosters will go to the Avalanche game against the Potomac Nationals in Woodbridge on July 21, spend the night in Alexandria and then attend the Washington Nationals game against the Colorado Rockies on July 22.

For more information, call Bill Hibbert at 389-4900.