9, 1998 

alem, VAtt Lester .792  14HR,  Cordell Jackson .740,  Matt Hunt .735   4HR,  Kevin Neal .694  8HR.

April 4-5, 1998  Salem, VA

     The Merchants again traveled to Salem, VA for a Round Robin/Double Elim. event.  The results were similiar, as SBM won all games on Saturday, but could only finish 3rd.   After losing the first game Sunday morning, SBM came through the loser's bracket with 5 straight victories before running out of gas to finish at 9-2.  Team leaders:   Scott Lester .727  16HR,  Cordell Jackson .717  6HR,  W.J. Long .704  9HR,  Kevin Neal .691  5HR,  Earle Orme .667.

April 11-12,  YMCA, South Boston, VA

     The Merchants took a break from the travel schedule to play in a local tournament hosted at the town YMCA.   After surviving an early scare in the opener by a 15-12 score, the SoBo Express rolled through the next 3, including a 42-2 (3 inning) trouncing of a team from nearby Roxboro, N.C. to win the tourney.  Team leaders:  Matt Hunt .833,  Cordell Jackson .786,  Earle Orme .769,  Matt Wallace .700,  Tom Harris .700.

April 25-26,   Chance-Crawford, Salem, VA

     South Boston Merchants attended the Chance-Crawford benefit tourney, as always, and finished 4th with a 3-2 record for the weekend.  Team Leaders:  Matt Hunt .792  6HR,   Chris Cole .778,  Scott Lester .625  6HR,  Kirk Barnes .600.

May 2-3,  CCC-Danville, VA

        The Merchants played in a Tommy Watson Classic just outside of   Danville, VA.  The Merchants were in total control of this one as they won the first 4 games and were "sitting back" as the undefeated team.   But they faltered in the championship game, losing to a "fired up" team that they had knocked into the loser's bracket.   The "if necessary" game was sure to be a heated, emotional game, as both teams were psyched up for the tie-breaker......it was not to be, though, as the lights could not be turned on!  SBM couldn't regain any momentum Sunday, and lost to finish 2nd.  Team Leaders:   Kevin Neal .741  8HR,  Matt Hunt .714  5HR,  Mark Carter .679,   Earle .615,  W.J. Long .615  5HR.

May 23-24,  Memorial Day,  Petersburg, VA

       The weather was a factor on this weekend.  It began as sunny Saturday, but then the rains came and made the playing field very soggy and slow.  Many would-be base hits through the infield failed to get through, due to the conditions.  SBM lost once on Saturday, but avenged that loss early Sunday morning against the same team.  Then SBM dropped a game to fall into the loser's bracket.  After winning 3 straight, including a slaughter-rule finish over the undefeated team, SBM ran out of fuel and lost the if necessary game on a 3-run HR in the bottom of the seventh to finish at 6-3.  Team Leaders:  W.J. Long .676  4HR,  Matt Wallace .643  3HR.

June 6-7,  Asheboro, NC

     Just as we report the good news, we must report the bad.  :-)    SBM lost the first game by a 1-run decision after waiting on the field for an hour (no kidding) for the team to show up.  Why there was no forfeit rule or time limit...we don't know.   Not that we would want to win that way, but it was a bit disturbing to say the least.  Oh yeah, SBM lost the next game, too.   :-)     Sorry....nothing but lowlights on this weekend.

June 13-14,  Burlington, NC

      South Boston Merchants entered their first NSA event of the year in Burlington.  SBM finsihed 2nd in  the Round Robin portion of this one day event with a 2-2 record.  This left four teams to battle in a single-elimination winner-take-all bracket.  SBM thrashed their first opponent by a 23-7 count and had to face Gary's Barbecue in the finals.  South Boston proved to be too strong as they rolled to a 28-11 victory to capture first place in this event.  Team Leaders:  W.J. Long .800 1HR,  Chris Cole .767  5HR,   Kevin Neal .759  3HR,  Earle Orme .733.

June 27-28,  CM739  4HR,  Kirk Barnes .727,  Mark Carter .682  2HR.

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