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 Chop Down Lumberjacks

06/24/2010 – Turks Tidbits

By Todd Jones James Madison University Intern

Covington – Harrisonburg hit the road Thursday night looking to topple the Covington Lumberjacks. After winning nine of their previous ten games the Turks brought some lumber of their own, hoping to chop down their opposition. Starting pitcher Aaron Luchterhand (Redlands CC) took to the mound after a quick at-bat to start the game for the Turks. After a base hit, Richie Rodriguez then stole second base and Giuseppe Papaccio hit an RBI single to put the Lumberjacks on the board 1-0. Luchterhand then struck out the next batter, Papaccio was thrown out by catcher Brett Armour (Young Harris) trying to steal third base, and Bobby Brown (Ariz.) caught a pop up in right field to end the inning.

The score would remain 1-0 until the top of the 4th when the Turks grabbed their axes. After Terrance Jackson (Okl. City) was walked, Connor Winn (Ga. Tech) hit a double up the third base sideline and Bobby Brown singled to left field, bringing in two runs and giving the Turks the lead, 2-1. Two singles by Patrick Savage (Auburn) and Scott Dalrymple (Okl. City) brought in a third run and then Shaun Cooper (Ariz.) ripped a base hit past the short stop, loading the bases. Emilio Pagan (Gardner Webb) followed up with a grounder to short stop which set up a double play for the Lumberjacks, but the hit allowed Dalrymple to score and the Turks took a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the 4th.

Harrisonburg was back at bat after a strikeout by Luchterhand and two catches made by center fielder Terrance Jackson. In the top of the 5th 2B Joe Huber (St. Josephs) led off with a single followed by a double from Terrance Jackson. After Connor Winn was struck out, Bobby Brown hit a sacrificial fly ball to right field, bringing in Huber and giving the Turks some breathing space, leading 5-1. Richie Rodriguez stepped to the plate in the bottom of the 5th and belted a lead off home run for the ‘Jacks bringing them within three runs, 5-2. Catcher Brett Armour followed this up with a bare handed catch off a pop-up bunt by Giuseppe Papaccio for the out. Another strike out from Luchterhand and a ground out to short stop Connor Winn closed out the inning.

With the score still holding tight at 5-2 both teams made pitching changes in the 7th. Harrisonburg brought in Ryan Sorce (Pensacola CC) to patrol the mound, and he did just that. Holding the ‘Jacks scoreless the rest of the way Sorce threw out a runner at first base, and struck out the next for the last two outs of the game. Somewhere off in the dense forest, just as Sorce got the last strikeout a very faint “Timber!” could be heard as the ‘Jacks hopes for a win collapsed and fell. The first place Turks return home Friday to face the Woodstock River Bandits at JMU Veteran’s Memorial Park, game time is 730. Everyone come out to the ballpark for DuPont Community Credit Union Booster Night. Be sure to clip coupon out of Thursday’s paper for free admission to the game.