First winnin g season in three years

Th e first winning season in the three-year history ofLBCsoftball was recorded by the 1981 Lady Flames with a 19-15 record.

An opening round loss toFrancisMarion College inthe Region IIDivision II AIAW playoffs at Milligan College inTennessee erased theLady Flames' hopes in the double-elimnation tournament. Despite the loss, second-year coach Barb Dearing said the team reached an important goal

"One of our goals was to have a winning percentage of over .500 this year," Coach Dearing said.

In the three year history of LBC softball, noteam hadcompiled a winning record until 1981.

"Everyone knew we had thepotential,"Dearing said "It just had to be brought tothe top.The key thing we need to develop isconsistency This team played either reallygood or really bad, never anything in between."

The team began thepre-season with a triptothe University ofSouth Carolina for an invitational tournament The team returned with a 1-3exhibition record only todrop the opening regular season double-header to Lock Haven State College

After what some considered tobe a dismal start,the Lady Flames tallied four straight victories over Tennesse Temple and Radford University to raise their early regular season record to 4-2.

The Lady Flames continued their homestand by splitting a doubleheader with Averett College before sweeping a twin bill from Ferrum

With a7-3record theteam traveled to the University of Virginia where they split two games. The Lady Flames had lost three out of four to UVa in theprevious season but were 2-2 against the Charlottesville team during 1981.UVa will move from Division Ito Division IInext season

The team hosted the first Lady Flames Invitational tournament two days later. A third place finish in the tournament gave the Flames an11-6 (continued on page 152) Left fielder Kathy Needham lays a bunt down the third base line foran infield single. Needham shared left field responsibilities withDolly Harvey.

WOMEN'S SOFTBALL TEAM: (front row) Karen Guetterman, Dawna Blank, Leslye Byrne, Gail Keith, CarlaWeaver,Lori Keller, (second row) Carol Cantwell, Val Pratt, Pam Harris, Allyson Bullins, Terry Paulen, Lori Johnson, Tammy Wells, (back row) Assistant Coach John Caltigirone; Rosa Woodson, manager; Karen Booker; Martha Beattie; Dolly Harvey; Kathy Needham; Tammy Simpson; Tuesday Aspinall; Linda Beardlsey, trainer; Coach Barb Dearming.

Winning Season com

(continued from page 151) record aftertheweekend competition

The squad'srecord fell to11-8with two losses toDivision IJames Madison University. A 6-1 streak raised theirrecord to17-9 and includedvictories over the U.S Naval Academy and the University ofVirginia.

GeorgeMason Universityhasnever been beaten by the Lady Flames and was notaboutto let the1981seasonbe thefirst time. The Washington,D.C., opponent downed theLady Flamesin adouble-headerto droptheir record to 17-11.The Lady Flames finishedsec- ond in the AIAW statestandingsbehind George Mason. The University of Virginia was third

The team then rebounded tosplit a double-header with James Madison University and the Washington Diggers, a semi-pro team,before theRegion II competition

After Francis-Marion took the first game, 9-1, the Lady Flames fought back but lostthe deciding game, 4-3, in extrainnings.

According to Coach Dearing, the outlook for the 1982 season is also good.

The team will only lose threeseniors: Pam Harris, ValPratt and Dawna Blank

"We should havebasicallythesame team except with more experience," Dearing said

With only threeseniorsleavingthe team, thepotentialwill remain tocontinuetheteam'swinning ways.It just has to be "brought to thetop."

-Paul Stoltzfus O

WOMEN'S SOFTBALL 1981

Won 19Lost15

Lock Haven State

LockHavenState

TENNESSEE TEMPLE

TENNESSEE TEMPLE

RADFORD UNIVERSITY

RADFORD UNIVERSITY

Averett College

AVERETT COLLEGE

FERRUM UNIVERSITY

FERRUM UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

Universityof Virginia

3rd LadyFlamesInvitational

JamesMadisonUniveristy

JamesMadisonUniversity

AVERETT COLLEGE

AVERETT COLLEGE

Washington, DC Invitational

U.S NAVAL ACADEMY

U.S NAVAL ACADEMY

Universityof Virginia

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

GeorgeMasonUniversity

GeorgeMasonUniversity

JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY

JamesMadisonUniversity

WashingtonDiggers

WASHINGTON DIGGERS

Francis-Marion College*

Francis-MarionCollege*

'Region II Division II playoffs

Sophomore Gail Keith alternated between catching and shortstop most of the season. Here, shestands tothrow outan Averett College baserunner.

Second baseman Tammy Wells committed only twoerrors in 15games during the season. Wells tallied a .956 fielding average.

Athletic competition an d participation encourages