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

Braves Pull Off Ninth Inning Comeback Over the Turks

Written by Rodrigo Aviles
Turks Broadcast Intern

Staunton, Va.- The Staunton Braves defeat the Harrisonburg Turks 15-12 after eleven innings. An active ninth inning saw the Turks drop an eleven-point lead to Staunton and the Turks are yet to win in four games.

The Turks started off well with Jed Bryant hitting a sacrifice fly to left field to bat in McCann Mellett. After the first inning the Turks were leading 1-0.

The fourth inning saw the Turks score two more runs. Caston Peter hit a deep home run batting in Jed Bryant and putting the Turks ahead 3-0.

Both teams scored in the fifth inning. In the top of the inning, the Turks’ Zack Budzik got a double and batted in Jack Roberts for another Turks score. Josh Madole later hit a single which allowed Budzik to cross home plate.

Later in the inning, the Braves’ right fielder Eli Davis batted in third baseman Duncan Pastore off a single. After five innings, the Turk were leading 5-1.

The sixth inning saw the Turks increase their lead. Travis Reifsnider was able to steal third base putting the Turks ahead 6-1. McCann Mellett later hit a single and an error from the Braves’ right fielder allowed Mellett to advance to second and Jack Roberts to score for the Turks.

Zack Budzik came up to bat and swatted a double, this time allowing Mellett to score. After six innings of baseball, the Turks had a comfortable lead at 8-1.

The Turks were still leading heading into the ninth inning. A wild pitch allowed Josh Madole to score. With the bases loaded, Harry Brown was hit by a pitch so Caston Peter scored for the Turks. Travis Reifsnider scored after McCann Mellett was walked.

With the bases still loaded, Bryson Smith was walked and Nick Zona crossed home for another Turks score. At the end of the top of the ninth inning, the Turks were winning 12-1.

However, the Braves refused to go down quietly. Eli Davis got things underway for the Braves’ comeback hitting a double and batting in Duncan Pastore. Andrew Czech hit a double and Davis came around for the score.

Collin Hopkins was walked and Czech scored for the Braves. Kent Rooklin was later walked and this time Devon Adams scored. Duncan Pastore hit a double batting in Colin Brophy and Collin Hopkins.

Eli Davis hit a home run for the Braves allowing Kent Rooklin and Duncan Pastore to cross home plate. At this point the Braves were still behind 12-10 to the Turks.

Andrew Czech hit a home run putting the Braves one run behind the Turks.

Devon Adams was up next and hit another home run blasting the ball over left-center field.

A brilliant performance from the Braves in the bottom of the ninth allowed them to erase an eleven-point deficit.

A total of 15 runs were scored in the ninth inning. A spirited Braves team were ready going into extra innings.

In the bottom of the eleventh, Devon Adams hit his second home run of the night and batted in Rooklin and Czech. At the end of eleven innings, the Braves won 15-12.

The Turks utilized four pitchers on the night. Jacob Ferris (E. Kentucky) started the game and pitched a strong 5 innings only giving up 5 hits, 1 earned run, and 5 strike outs. Alex Hoppe (UNC Greensboro) , Andrew Rust (Wake Forest) and Ryan Bergenhagen (Marymount U.) combined for 11 hits, 14 runs, 6earned runs, 9 walks and 8 strike outs.

The Turks will travel to Waynesboro on Sunday to play the Generals at 7 p.m.