By: Jackson Hephner

Waynesboro defeat Front Royal 7-2

The Waynesboro Generals (3-4) earned a 7-2 home win against the Front Royal Cardinals (3-4) on Friday.

After both teams went scoreless in the first three innings, the Generals took a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning and never gave it up. The Cardinals decreased the deficit with a run in the top of the fifth inning, but Waynesboro added two of their own in the bottom of the inning and another in the sixth to take a 7-1 lead. Front Royal scored one more run in the seventh, but it was their last of the game.

All-in-all, the Generals outhit the Cardinals 13-6. Waynesboro starting pitcher Genito Valle-Jhanda (Skyline College) pitched six innings, allowing four hit and one run while throwing six strikeouts,

Covington holds onto early lead to outlast Woodstock 9-6

The Covington Lumberjacks (3-4) took an early lead against the Woodstock River Bandits (4-3) and held onto it to win 9-6 on Friday.

Covington took its lead with two runs in the top of the third, but Woodstock responded with one run in the bottom of the inning to cut the deficit to 2-1. The fourth inning mirrored the third — the Generals scored two, the River Bandits scored one. That result was flipped in the fifth, with Waynesboro scoring two after the Generals scored one. Covington led by one entering the sixth, where they added another run to put the score at 6-4.

Covington added another run in the seventh but Woodstock brought the game within one with two more runs, its last ones of the day. The Lumberjacks responded with two runs in the eighth to expand their lead to three and the game ended without another run scored.

Covington’s offensive attack was led by center fielder Michael Pavelchak (Post U) who led the team in hits (four) and RBIs (two) while scoring twice. Woodstock was offensively by designated hitter Hunter Smith (Wharton County JC) who finished the day with a team-high in hits (three) and runs (two) on top of earning one RBI.

Charlottesville’s offense heats up in 12-4 win over Harrisonburg

The Charlottesville Tom Sox (5-2) defeated the Harrisonburg Turks (4-3) with a season-high 12  runs.

The Tom Sox put runs on the board early, scoring five runs in the first inning. Despite falling behind 5-0 before their team’s first at-bat, the Turks decreased the deficit down to just one after scoring two runs in the first and two more in the fourth.

But Charlottesville heated up again, scoring seven runs across the last five innings while the Turks went hitless in the last four innings due in part to Tom Sox pitcher Jarvis Evans Jr. (Georgia) who pitched the final five innings, throwing six strikeouts.

Lumberjacks take down Rebels 6-4

The Covington Lumberjacks (4-4) won a close 6-4 game against the New Market Rebels (4-4) on Saturday.

Covington opened up the scoring with four runs in the third inning, starting with a two RBI homer from catcher David Bell (Georgia State). The Lumberjacks’ lead didn’t last long though, as New Market scored four runs of their own in the fifth — including a two-RBI single from left fielder Kyle Musser (Cornell) — to tie the game.

The game stayed tied until the eighth inning, when the Lumberjacks scored two runs with a fielders’ choice from right fielder Nicklas Williams (Michigan State) and an RBI double from designated hitter Jackson Toberman (St Johns River State College) to take the lead. The Rebels didn’t score in the ninth, giving Covington the win.

Top-seeded Purcellville dominate Tom Sox 8-2

The Purcellville Cannons (7-1) picked up their fourth-straight win against the Charlottesville Tom Sox (5-3) on Saturday.

The Tom Sox entered the third with a 2-1 lead after scoring two runs off of an error by Purcellville shortstop Caleb Stewart (Georgia State). But the Tom Sox didn’t score again, and the Cannons scored seven unanswered to secure their win.

The Cannons outhit the Tom Sox 10-4 in the matchup, due in part to Purcellville pitcher Jacob Smith throwing three hitless innings with six strikeouts after entering in the fifth.

Generals edge out Cavaliers 13-12

The Waynesboro Generals (4-4) won a 13-12 nailbiter against the Culpeper Cavaliers (2-6) on Saturday after the Cavaliers came just short of completing an eight run comeback.

Waynesboro and Culpeper entered the fourth inning tied 5-5 before the Generals scored seven unanswered to take a 12-5 lead entering the bottom of the fifth. Waynesboro only scored one more run in the game, while Culpeper seven including two in the bottom of the ninth to bring the deficit down to one with two outs. Despite the close margin, the Generals ended the game by forcing a putout at the next at-bat.

The Generals were led offensively by center fielder Jason Brown (Maryland Eastern Shore) who scored four runs off of two hits. The Cavaliers were led offensively by designated hitter Jack Torosian (Creighton) who earned four hits and three runs.

Express shutout Generals 10-0 in eighth innings

The Strasburg Express (4-5) picked up a shortened, shutout win over the Waynesboro Generals (5-4) on Sunday.

Strasburg used only two pitchers in the matchup, starting with right-handed pitcher Braxton Shelton (Alabama Birmingham) who earned the win after throwing six complete innings with four strikeouts while allowing only seven hits. Shelton was relieved in the seventh by left-handed pitcher Tristan Nguyen (Georgia State) who finished out the game, allowing only one strikeout. All-in-all, the Express outhit the Generals 17-9.

Offensively, the Express were led by catcher Logan Vaughan (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) who led the team in hits (4) and RBIs (4).

Front Royal defeats Charlottesville 9-6 behind six-run fifth inning

The Front Royal Cardinals (4-5) defeated the Charlottesville Tom Sox (5-4) 9-6 on Sunday, scoring the majority of their runs in the fifth inning.

Charlottesville and Front Royal were tied 2-2 when the Cardinals’ bats heated up in the fifth. After loading the bases, Front Royal scored its first two runs off of a walk then a hit by pitch. Left fielder Jaden Anderson then hit a grand slam to give the Cardinals an 8-2 lead.

Both teams added a run in the seventh to put the score at 9-3 entering a scoreless eighth. With their backs against the wall entering the ninth, the Tom Sox capped off by an RBI single from first baseman Shane Stossel (Lebanon Valley College) who led Charlottesville in hits with two. But it wasn’t enough to tie the game, and Front Royal ended the game in the next at-bat.

Covington fails to complete comeback against top-seeded Cannons

The Purcellville Cannons (8-1) defeated the Covington Lumberjacks (4-5) 8-5 to extend their winning streak to five on Sunday.

The Cannons scored six runs in the first to take a commanding lead they didn’t give up. While the Lumberjacks added five runs of their own on the board — three in the third then one each in the fifth and eighth — to decrease the deficit to one, Purcellville added two more runs in the eighth, then kept the Lumberjacks hitless in the ninth.

Purcellville’s offensive attack was led by designated hitter Cullen Horowicz (UNC), who led the Cannons in runs (2), hits (2), and RBIs (5). In the other lineup, second baseman Roylan Quevedo (FIU) led the Lumberjacks runs (1), hits (2), and RBIs (5).