SOUTH'S HODGES IN MADDUX FORM

Kevin Hodges led the South Region champion Greenville, North Carolina to an impressive 3-1 victory over the Jenison, Michigan squad.

With nine strikeouts, Hodges kept the bats of Michigan quiet and got the South squad off to a great start.

On offense, lead-off hitter Justin Hardee went 3-3 with a solo homerun. That fifth-inning blast gave the South a 3-1 lead.

"I just wanted to hit the ball hard," Hardee said. "I was thinking line drive and just to get a base hit."

"Justin’s homer gave us some breathig room," said Wayne Hardee, manager of the South Region champion. "With a one run lead, they could have tied it up with one swing of the bat."

The Central champion Michigan took another heart-breaking loss. Billy Miller had a great pitching performance, but the offense could not help him out. Miller allowed one earned run and struck out five over six innings.

"I felt like I did the best I could," Miller said.

Tom Meyer, manager of the Michigan team, was pleased with Miller’s performance.

"With great pitching, you still have to hit," he said. "We were just flat and we didn’t hit well. We are 0-2 and not very pleased about it."

The lone offensive highlight for the Central was Derek Stempin’s solo homerun in the fourth. That was his third in two nights.

The South, who had not played a game in a week, got the pitching performance they needed from Hodges. When they get their bats in the grove, they will be a to contender for the World Series.

"At this level, we will take win any way that we can get it," Coach Hardee said. "I am so deighted to get a win against a great team."

--Mark Rogoff
   Special Correspondent