BY STEVE DeSHAZO
It's still February, but the college baseball season is heating up, and several Colonial Forge High School alumni are off to good starts.
Sophomore outfielder Jarrett Parker went 3-for-5 with a double, triple and his first career home run in Virginia's 11-1 win over Bucknell Sunday. Parker is batting .444 (8-for-18) in Virginia's first four games (all wins). His totals include three doubles, two triples and five RBIs.
It's an encouraging start for Parker, a regular for most of his freshman season before a late-season slump sent him to the bench.
Meanwhile:
Junior left-hander Matt Fouch was named Patriot League pitcher of the week after working six innings to earn Army's only win in three games, 14-5 over Ohio. He struck out six and didn't allow a walk or an earned run.
VMI senior right-hander
Chris Henderson
held top-ranked North Carolina to seven hits and two earned runs in 6 innings, but the Keydets lost 6-0 Saturday. Henderson was a preseason second-team all-Big South Conference pick after going 5-4 with a 3.16 ERA in 2008.Sophomore designated hitter Billy Barber went 3-for-3 with a double, homer, four runs scored and four RBIs Saturday as Richmond (3-0) outslugged Niagara 16-9.
Senior outfielder Jeff Jones had two RBIs and scored twice for William & Mary (3-1) in a 16-6 win over Iona Saturday.
Senior LaDale Hayes is 2-for-7 (.286) in his first two games at Division II Alabama A&M (0-2).
Sophomores Chris Harpine (.375, a homer and six RBIs) and Jake Norman (.333) are off to good starts for Division III Eastern Mennonite (1-2-1).
MORE BASEBALL NEWS
Coastal Carolina sophomore left-hander Cody Wheeler (Spotsylvania) allowed one run and four hits in six innings to get the victory in Coastal Carolina's 14-5 win over Kentucky Sunday. He struck out six without a walk. The 18th-ranked Chanticleers are 3-1.
Sophomore Matt Johns (North Stafford) is hitting .462 (6-for-13) with a homer, two RBIs and a .769 slugging percentage for Western Carolina (3-0).
FEBRUARY FRENZY
Senior center Chris Johnson (Colonial Beach) had 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots as LSU beat Auburn 79-72 Saturday. The 18th-ranked Tigers won their 11th straight Southeastern Conference game and clinched the SEC's Western Division title.
Freshman Chay Shegog (Brooke Point) had 12 points and nine rebounds in No. 9 North Carolina's 74-57 win over N.C. State Monday, reaching double figures for the first time in 11 games.
Davis & Elkins sophomore Tim Turner (Brooke Point) had 34 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals in a 100-97 loss to West Virginia Wesleyan Saturday. Turner is fifth in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference at 21.3 points per game.
MORE NOTABLES
Junior Max Bernardes (King George) broke his own league record in the 1,650-yard freestyle (15:54.69) by more than 5 seconds as West Chester won its 11th straight Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference men's swimming title. He also placed second in the 1,000 free and swam on the Rams' winning 800 free relay team.
Christopher Newport freshman Dira Hansen (Culpeper) finished second in the long jump (16-7) and triple jump (35-6) and fourth in the high jump (4-9) at the Mason-Dixon Conference indoor track meet. The Lady Captains outscored runner-up Mary Washington 110-107 for the team title.
Virginia Tech junior Devin Cornwell (Culpeper) was chosen to all-Atlantic Coast Conference all-academic men's cross country team for the second straight year. Runners must compile a 3.00 grade-point average to be eligible.
Heavyweight wrestler Josh Wine earned the only points for VMI in a 43-3 loss to unbeaten Chattanooga Monday. He beat the Mocs' Cody Sliger 7-2 to improve his record to 12-6 (4-0 in the Southern Conference).
University of Mary Washington freshman midfielder Catherine Kennedy is the Capital Athletic Confernence women's lacrosse player of the week after scoring six goals against Guilford in her college debut.
Steve DeShazo: 540/374-5443
Email: sdeshazo@freelancestar.com