Saturday, July 10, 2004
Eastern stars outshine West
Grayson County's Brock Funk drives in a run and Cave Spring's Kreg Savoie pitches two scoreless innings.
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Standing next to 6-foot-5, 270-pound Brent Haywood of Mathews after reaching first base for the second time in Thursday night's Virginia High School Coaches Association All-Star baseball game, Funk looked positively small. For the third straight season and the sixth time in the last eight years against the East squad, the West stars just didn't measure up.
The East tagged seven West pitchers for 13 hits and rolled to an 8-5 victory at Nansemond River High School, a last-minute substitute site after VHSCA organizers realized War Memorial Stadium in Hampton was previously booked.
Funk, the 2004 Timesland player of the year for Grayson County, had his moments. The former Blue Devils star ripped a third-inning single and drove in the West's last run in the eighth inning with a ground ball. Funk was in the on-deck circle when Herndon's Brandon Guyer flied out deep to left field to end the game.
"I was hoping to get another shot, but that ball came up just a little short," Funk said.
Funk stood tall for four years at Grayson County, finishing a four-year career with 381 strikeouts and a 34-9 pitching record to go with 23 home runs and 117 RBI.
A three-sport standout in high school, Funk soon will take his talents to UVa-Wise. For the first time in many years, Funk will not be in a football uniform this fall.
"I'll miss playing on Friday nights, but I won't miss two-a-days," he said.
Funk pitched an inning for the West team, giving up a run on two hits as he struggled to get his curveball in the strike zone. His first breaking ball almost broke the backstop, sailing far over the head of Auburn catcher J.C. Mitcham.
"That one slipped just a little bit," Funk said.
Funk, Eli Tozar of James River and Joe Durham of William Byrd each had one of the West's 11 hits.
Durham nearly tied the game in the eighth inning with a bases-loaded slice down the left field line that was foul by inches.
"I saw it hit the chalk," Durham said. "I thought it was going to be good."
The East roster included Division I signees such as Western Branch's Ryan Pond (N.C. State), Grafton's Robert Poutier (Virginia), First Colonial's Nick Cruit (Virginia), Hopewell's Lee Bujakowski (James Madison) and Great Bridge's Michael Pingel (Radford).
The West roster featured Guyer (Virginia), Tazewell's Casey Herald (Virginia Tech) and James Madison's Matt Riffee (Harvard).
"This was awesome," Durham said. "It's a once in a lifetime, obviously. It was great being around the best players in the state."
Durham was one of several Timesland players in the game whose college destinations are uncertain. The former Byrd first baseman said he probably is headed to Potomac State (W.Va.) Junior College.
Likewise, Cave Spring pitcher Kreg Savoie - who started the game and threw two scoreless innings for the West - said he probably will join Knights teammate Austin Davis at Globe (N.Y.) Community College.
Blacksburg's Bobby West won't have far to go for his freshman year. West, a second baseman, shortstop, pitcher and outfielder for Bruins, signed with Virginia Tech.
Pingel was the East's MVP while Riffee - who hit a solo home run off Poutier to give the West its only lead at 1-0 - was the MVP for the West ... The East leads the all-time series 16-13.
East003120200-8132
West010210010-5111
Savoie, Ullrich (3), Funk (4), Owsley (5), Riffee (6), Humphrey (8), West (9) and Mitcham, Tozar (6). Poutier, Pingel (3), Rule (4), Pond (5), Watkins (7), Haywood (8), Eason (9) and Cruit, Abokhair (5). W-Poutier. L-Ullrich. HR-Riffee (W) 2nd, none on.
