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 Split with Strasburg Express

Kaelyn Spickler
Turks Staff Writer

Harrisonburg, VA- The Harrisonburg Turks hosted Strasburg Express for a doubleheader last night where the Turks fell in the first game 5-2, but came out on top, 3-0, in the second game.

Jacob Ferris, of Eastern Kentucky University, started on the mound for the Turks and struck out three batters in his five innings. In the top of the second inning, Strasburg scored a three-run homerun, after walking the previous two batters. Not long after, Strasburg hit a two-run double giving the Express an early 5-0 lead.

The Turks took the opportunity to answer back in the bottom of the second with a single from right fielder Aaron Levy, a double from our newest addition, third baseman Cole McNamee, and a flyout from centerfielder Immanuel Wilder to bring in Levy. Two Turks’ batters remained on base, leaving the Turks four runs short going into the third inning.

The sixth inning saw some change for the Turks’ defense. Jack Roberts moves to third base, and McNamee takes the mound, giving him a little taste of everything for his first night at Eagle Field in a Turks’ uniform. McNamee will go on to strike out his first two batters. “I wasn’t nervous. I was more excited to play. It’s the same game, so I didn’t have to change anything. I wanted to be aggressive early, throw strikes, and make the routine plays,” McNamee said.

The scoreboard remains the same until the bottom of the seventh. McNamee hits a double followed by Roberts’ single. Austin Lynch comes in to pinch hit for Wilder and will bring in McNamee leaving the final score of game one, 5-2.

The second game saw UNC Greensboro’s pitcher, Brandon Stephens, on the mound first for the Turks. Stephens struck out three batters and only gave up one hit in his four innings, earning the win on the mound.

The Turks capitalized on a rough start at the mound for the Express. Designated hitter, Travis Reifsnider walks followed by a single from first baseman Josh Madole. Reifsnider scores off a throwing error, and Madole takes second base. Right fielder Aaron Levy, second baseman Jack Roberts, centerfielder Austin Lynch, and catcher Harry Brown all get a free pass bringing in Madole and Levy.

The score remains 3-0 for the remainder of the game; however, the Turks see two more hits- a double from Brown in the bottom of the fourth and a double from Madole in the bottom of the fifth.

Rafe Schindler, of Nunez Community College, takes the mound in the top of the fifth to strike out one batter and make him the saving pitcher.

“The guys bounced back. We only had two hits, but we still won the ball game, and that’s all that matters,” Coach Bob Wease said following the second game.