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

Wranglers Zap Turks, 1-0

6/14/2007 – Daily News Record

On a Stormy Night, The Burg Fall, 1-0 Written By Matthew Stoss Daily News Record HARRISONBURG – For the second straight night, black skies and jagged bolts of lightning interfered with a Harrisonburg Turks baseball game. But Wednesday’s meteorological problems weren’t solved as easily – or as happily – as Tuesday’s. Against the Waynesboro Generals on Tuesday, the Turks waited out an hour-long weather delay for an 8-2 win. Wednesday, the weather didn’t go Harrisonburg’s way as it fell 1-0 to Luray in a Valley League baseball game shortened to 5 2/3 innings because of lightning and a downpour. "I really would’ve liked to play this game," Turks manager Bob Wease said. "We could have scored some runs. I don’t know if we could’ve scored enough runs to win, but we could have scored some runs." Against Luray’s Robert Gilliam (North Carolina-Greensboro), Harrisonburg managed four hits – all singles – and after getting a runner to third base on a double steal in the first inning, the Turks never advanced past first the rest of the way. Coming into the game, the Turks (6-2) led the Valley in hitting with a .317 team average. The Wranglers (6-3) were third, hitting .259, and scored their only run Wednesday on a solo home run by Adam Severino (Broward Community College) in the second. The Luray right fielder hit a 1-1 change-up. Ryan Ellison (Troy) remembers because it was the only one he threw. "I wish I had that pitch back," said Ellison, Harrisonburg’s starting pitcher. "Everything was working and I just wanted to throw it. I left it over the plate and it got hit." Except for the homer, Ellison pitched well. The right-hander went five innings, allowed three hits and struck out six using a low-90s fastball and a big overhand curve. "Ryan Ellison pitched great," Wease said. "He made one bad pitch, and that left-handed hitter hit it out of the ballpark." Luray almost scored again in the top of the sixth when Gerard Hall (Old Dominion) tried to score from second on a Severino single to center field. Turks center fielder Jon Moore (Purdue) unloaded a perfect throw to home, where catcher Mike Pericht (St. Joseph’s) was waiting for Hall, who didn’t slide and grazed Pericht. Both players looked unhappy and after verbal hostilities were exchanged, both managers and umpires separated the teams – who had come out of the dugout – to avoid a brawl. "It was nothing serious," Luray manager Mike Bocock said. "Both players were playing hard and somebody said something. I don’t know who was right or who was wrong." Wease said college rules don’t allow players to go into home without sliding, which he suggested as a reason why the players were so annoyed. "I don’t know what happened," Wease said. "But it happens. It’s baseball." Ashur Tolliver gave up the single on the play at home. The left-hander from Appalachian State came on in the top of sixth to pitch a day after taking a ball to his left jaw during batting practice at Waynesboro. Ellison said it came off the bat of a Generals left-handed hitter and bounced first before striking Tolliver. Tolliver was scheduled to start against the Generals, but Jim Kennedy pitched instead and picked up his second win of the season. Luray 010 000 – 1 5 0 Harrisonburg 000 00x – 0 4 0 Gilliam and Miller; Ellison, Tolliver (6) and Pericht. W – Gilliam (2-0). L – Ellison (0-1). HR – L: Severino (1).