W: Dillon Ortman (6-2)
L: Ryan Jones (3-2)

 

Dillon Ortman threw a masterful complete game shutout Friday night to give the Harrisonburg Turks a leg up against the Rockbridge Rapids in the first round of the 2012 Valley League playoffs.

Ortman threw a one hitter with seven strikeouts. He recorded no walks. In fact, only two batters reached base at all– Renegar, whose single in the third was the only hit of the game for the Rapids, and Willingham, who got to first just before Renegar on an infield error.

This is his Ortman’s third straight high-quality start and his second straight complete game shutout. In that three-game span, he has 20 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings pitched. He has allowed just one run since July 13.

Harrisonburg took a 1-0 sixth inning lead when quietly consistent shortstop RJ Perucki drew a bases loaded walk. That lead was  doubled when Perucki scored on Ryan Lee’s eighth inning double. Perucki finished 3 of 3; no other Harrisonburg player finished with more than one hit.

This marks the second game in seven days when Harrisonburg has earned the go-ahead run in a shutout victory on a bases loaded walk. The other came last Saturday in a 1-0 victory at New Market.

 

The Turks can clinch their spot in the semifinals with a win tonight in Rockbridge. Regarding a Sunday night home game for the Turks, the following Saturday night scenarios are all possible:

 

-Harrisonburg loses to Rockbridge; Harrisonburg will play again Sunday night regardless of the Waynesboro-New Market game.
-Harrisonburg beats Rockbridge, Waynesboro beats New Market; Harrisonburg plays at Waynesboro Sunday night.
-Harrisonburg beats Rockbridge, Waynesboro loses to New Market; Harrisonburg will not play Sunday night.
Watch the Valley League Scoreboard to see how this weekend will play out!