Harrisonburg Turks

Member of the Valley Baseball League and NACSB.

  • 1955 VBL Champions
  • 1958 VBL Champions
  • 1959 VBL Champions
  • 1962 VBL Champions
  • 1964 VBL Champions
  • 1969 VBL Champions
  • 1970 VBL Champions
  • 1971 VBL Champions
  • 1977 VBL Champions
  • 1991 VBL Champions
  • 2000 VBL Champions
  • 2012 VBL Champions
  • 2023 VBL Champions

TURKS Clinch South

Turks News / By /

7/27/04 – Daily News Record

By DUSTIN DOPIRAK Daily News-Record After the Harrisonburg Turks’ game against Woodstock, catcher Matt Weglarz was struggling to drag both himself and the tarp he was supposed to put on the plate. "Sorry," he said. "I’m a little under the weather." Still feeling the effects of a cold and a pulled back muscle that kept him out of the last four games, Weglarz (Southwest Missouri State) returned in style Tuesday night. He had two crucial hits and three RBIs that helped fuel both of the Turks’ rallies in a 10-6 victory over the River Bandits at Memorial Stadium. Harrisonburg needed both as it blew a 6-0 first-inning lead, allowing the Bandits to tie the game 6-6 in the fourth inning. The Turks got the four deciding runs in the sixth. The win clinched the Southern Division for Harrisonburg, which took a four-game lead over Staunton (23-18) with three games left in the regular season. Weglarz fought through a 10-pitch at-bat in the first inning, eventually singling up the middle past Woodstock second baseman Brent Voyovich (Virginia Wesleyan), who was moving to second on the pitch with designated hitter C.J. Webb (Southern Illinois Community College) stealing. Joe Kemp (Indiana) scored on the hit, giving the Turks a 2-0 advantage. "I felt a little rusty," Weglarz said. "I fouled off a lot of pitches I should have hit, but it felt really good to get back in the groove and get a hit in my first at-bat back in the lineup." The next batter, third baseman Ryan Parker (Indiana), doubled to score Webb. After that, shortstop Gered Mochizuki (Yavapai Junior College) hit a line drive to center field that took a huge hop, leapfrogging the center fielder. Mochizuki came all the way around to score on a three-run, inside-the-park home run, giving the Turks a six-run cushion. However, pitcher Pat Caldwell (Yavapai Junior College) had control problems and allowed some big hits that let Woodstock back in the game. Caldwell was overpowering at times, striking out 10 batters in 4 1/3 innings. He also was wild, however, walking four batters and hitting one, while yielding six runs on six hits. Weglarz came through in the clutch again in the sixth to save his battery mate. After Kemp snapped the tie with an RBI single, Weglarz broke the game open. He ripped a single up the middle that scored two runs. The throw that came in from center field hit Webb, who was going to third, in the back. It skipped into foul territory, allowing the Turks to take a 10-6 lead they would not relinquish. Woodstock 020 400 000 6 8 4 Harrisonburg 600 004 00x 10 9 1 Kyle Dubois, William Dudley (6), Matt Mallory (8) and Kelly Edmunson; Pat Caldwell, Nick Pereira (5), Jeff Claybrook (8), Scott Brune (9) and Matt Weglarz, Matt Sluder (9). W-Pereira. L- Dubois. HR-H-Gered Mochizuki. Turks Clinch South By DUSTIN DOPIRAK Daily News-Record After the Harrisonburg Turks’ game against Woodstock, catcher Matt Weglarz was struggling to drag both himself and the tarp he was supposed to put on the plate. "Sorry," he said. "I’m a little under the weather." Still feeling the effects of a cold and a pulled back muscle that kept him out of the last four games, Weglarz (Southwest Missouri State) returned in style Tuesday night. He had two crucial hits and three RBIs that helped fuel both of the Turks’ rallies in a 10-6 victory over the River Bandits at Memorial Stadium. Harrisonburg needed both as it blew a 6-0 first-inning lead, allowing the Bandits to tie the game 6-6 in the fourth inning. The Turks got the four deciding runs in the sixth. The win clinched the Southern Division for Harrisonburg, which took a four-game lead over Staunton (23-18) with three games left in the regular season. Weglarz fought through a 10-pitch at-bat in the first inning, eventually singling up the middle past Woodstock second baseman Brent Voyovich (Virginia Wesleyan), who was moving to second on the pitch with designated hitter C.J. Webb (Southern Illinois Community College) stealing. Joe Kemp (Indiana) scored on the hit, giving the Turks a 2-0 advantage. "I felt a little rusty," Weglarz said. "I fouled off a lot of pitches I should have hit, but it felt really good to get back in the groove and get a hit in my first at-bat back in the lineup." The next batter, third baseman Ryan Parker (Indiana), doubled to score Webb. After that, shortstop Gered Mochizuki (Yavapai Junior College) hit a line drive to center field that took a huge hop, leapfrogging the center fielder. Mochizuki came all the way around to score on a three-run, inside-the-park home run, giving the Turks a six-run cushion. However, pitcher Pat Caldwell (Yavapai Junior College) had control problems and allowed some big hits that let Woodstock back in the game. Caldwell was overpowering at times, striking out 10 batters in 4 1/3 innings. He also was wild, however, walking four batters and hitting one, while yielding six runs on six hits. Weglarz came through in the clutch again in the sixth to save his battery mate. After Kemp snapped the tie with an RBI single, Weglarz broke the game open. He ripped a single up the middle that scored two runs. The throw that came in from center field hit Webb, who was going to third, in the back. It skipped into foul territory, allowing the Turks to take a 10-6 lead they would not relinquish. Woodstock 020 400 000 6 8 4 Harrisonburg 600 004 00x 10 9 1 Kyle Dubois, William Dudley (6), Matt Mallory (8) and Kelly Edmunson; Pat Caldwell, Nick Pereira (5), Jeff Claybrook (8), Scott Brune (9) and Matt Weglarz, Matt Sluder (9). W-Pereira. L- Dubois. HR-H-Gered Mochizuki.