Jacks Take Down the Turks 4-2 to Force Game 3
COVINGTON, V.a.—It was a night of frustrations for the Harrisonburg Turks as they could not overcome an early 3-0 deficit to the Covington Lumberjacks and lost the Valley Baseball League playoffs quarterfinal game two 4-2 to the ‘jacks.
After the Turks went 1-2-3 in the top of the first, the Lumberjacks put together a hit by pitch and string of hits highlighted by an RBI single from Hayden Platt (Broward) to put up a three spot in the opening frame. Boone Mokry (UT-San Antonio), the Turks starter, was able to prevent any further damage despite having some shaky defense behind him.
The ‘Jacks three runs in the first would end up being enough although the Turks still fought until the end.
The Turks immediately answered Covington’s three run first inning by plating one in the top of the second on a Steven McLean (Baylor) bases loaded RBI single. There could have been more runs but two batters before McLean, Matt Rose (Georgia State) was cut down at the plate trying to score from second on a Christopher Barr (Miami) single.
Mokry bounced back for a great second inning retiring the Lumberjacks 1-2-3 after surrendering a leadoff walk.
The game would remain quiet until the bottom of the fourth when the Lumberjacks added some insurance after Blake Edwards (Columbus State) scored on an error by Luke Czajkowski (Wake Forest).
The game and pitchers would calm down again as the game remained scoreless for the next three innings as both starters worked in and out of jams.
Mokry’s night finished after the sixth inning when he was taken out for Luke Scherzer (Virginia Tech) but Mokry finished the night giving up four runs (three earned) on nine hits while striking out and walking three batters a piece.
Covington starter Matt Picucci (Hillsborough CC) did a great job all night keeping the Turks bats at bay. He did an incredible job mixing speeds especially with his long looping curveball. His night ended after the sixth inning as well as he allowed only one run (earned) on six hits to go with two strikeouts and three walks.
The Turks got a little hope in the eighth inning when Daniel Nichols (Georgia) got a leadoff double and was able to score two batters later on an RBI double from Czajkowski to make it a 4-2 ballgame but that is all they could muster.
Harrisonburg made no real threat in the ninth as a 2-out walk by Thomas Smith (Georgia Tech) was all they got off of the hard throwing Covington closer, Cody Strayer (Shawnee State), for a final score of 4-2 in Covington’s favor.
The ‘Jacks win forces a decisive game three tonight to determine the winner of the quarterfinal series. First pitch will be at 7:30pm at Veterans Memorial Park. Fans are strongly encouraged to come to support the local team in a huge game towards their championship push.