Author: afpadmin

by afpadmin

Turks Lose to Finish off Homestand

Written by Brien Krug
Turks Staff Writer
June 29, 2021

The Turks were looking to carry the momentum of their come-from-behind win as they hosted the 1st place Charlottesville Tom Sox in a South division matchup.

Bob Wease would call on Christian Ciuffetelli (0-0, 0.00 ERA), who was making his 3rd appearance but only 1st start of the season. After a solid 1-2-3 inning to start the game, the Oregon Duck, Ciuffetelli would run into some trouble in the 2nd. A 1 out homer from Sox catcher Cal Stark gave Charlottesville the early 1-0 lead. After recording the 2nd out of the inning the Tom Sox would put together quite the 2 out rally. The next 5 Charlottesville batters would reach base with a 3B, 2 1B, and 2 BB scoring 4 more runs giving the Tom Sox a 5-0 lead.

The Turks would quickly respond in the home half. A leadoff single from the red-hot Logan McNeely would get the rally started for Harrisonburg. A single from Derek Crum would move McNeely over to 3rd bringing up big 1st baseman Jordan Sweeney. Sweeney knocked a ball about 395 feet out to the warning track in center for a sac fly, cutting into the Tom Sox lead.

Will Carter would come on in relief of Ciuffetelli in the 3rd and quickly struggle. A hit by a pitch and a double had the Sox threatening with runners at 2nd and 3rd with no one down. A RBI single and a manufactured 1st and 3rd run would extend the Sox lead before Carter could strike out Charlottesville right fielder Elijah Nunez, stranding the bases loaded.

After the rough 3rd Carter would settle down and really keep the Turks in the game. Over the next 3 innings, Carter would only allow 1 hit and give up 0 runs. The Turks would make things interesting in the 5th. A leadoff walk followed by a double down the right-field line had Harrisonburg in business. In stepped Frederic Walter, the Frenchman would hit a ball out into the right-center gap that would drop for a 2 run double, and all of a sudden the Turks were within “slam range” of the Sox. However, the next 3 Turks batters would be set down including two strikeouts stranding Walter at 3rd.

Charlottesville would put the final nail in the coffin in the 7th. With Carter still on the mound, the Tom Sox would get back-to-back singles with a stolen base in between to extend their lead to 8-3 over the Turks.

Harrisonburg would get an unearned run from Michael Dansky in the 8th but it was too little too late for the Turks who would drop the final game of their 4 game homestand 8-4. Turks fall to 10-9 on the year and go 1-3 on the homestand. Harrisonburg will be back in action tomorrow as they travel over the mountain to Charlottesville to take on the same Charlottesville Tom Sox (14-6) with 1st pitch at 7:00 PM.

 

by afpadmin

Turks Mine ACC

Daily News Record
Sports Department
Written By Paul Montana

HARRISONBURG – Wake Forest baseball coach Tom Walter is picky about which Valley League teams get his players.

“There are several teams, including a couple teams in that league, where we just won’t send players,” Walter said by phone Wednesday, citing “trust” issues.

The Harrisonburg Turks aren’t one of those teams – and the roster reflects it.

The Turks recruited four Demon Deacons this year, part of a 13-player haul from the Atlantic Coast Conference. In addition to the Wake Forest contingent, Harrisonburg will have four from Georgia Tech, four from Duke and one from Florida State – and it’s partly because coaches around the league trust Turks manager/owner Bob Wease to give their athletes playing time but not run them into the ground. Continue reading “Turks Mine ACC” →

by afpadmin

The Ecks Factor: David Eckstein

In 2002, a dashing 27-year-old shortstop named David Eckstein received a special invitation  dinner at the White House with President George W. Bush. He did what any single, all-American guy would do; he took his mother, Patricia, as his date. In a private conversation, the President told the mother,” I will always hold up the integrity of this office; that’s why I like your son so much. David plays the game with such integrity.”

From his early days as a Harrisonburg Turk in 1995-96 to a member of the 2002 World Series Champion Anaheim Angels, David Eckstein has based his life on integrity and determination. As a walk on at the University of Florida, David became a fixture at second base, as the team captured 3rd place in the 1996 College World Series. Signed by the Boston Red Sox in the 19th round of the 1997 draft for a mere $1,000.00, he played flawless defense at second base in his first three minor league stops. Batting better than .300, Eckstein worked his way onto Bostons 40-man roster in 2000. Following spring training in Fort Myers, Florida, he was assigned to Triple A Pawtucket. Continue reading “The Ecks Factor: David Eckstein” →

by afpadmin

The late bloomer: Jesse Foppert

The 2003 San Francisco Giants top minor league prospect is non other than 2000 Turk alum Jesse Foppert. Foppert was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the second round of the 2001 draft. It took Foppert only one short year to move his way up to Triple A ball through the Pacific Coast League. The 66, 210-pound right- hander, logged remarkable 109 strikeouts in 79 innings with the Fresno Grizzlies. He led the minor league with impressive 11.7 strikeouts per nine innings.

To have such a remarkable record in only one season is amazing but even more so is that Jesse didnt become a pitcher until his senior year at the University of San Francisco. USF head coach Nino Giarratano noticed something special about Fopperts throw from his position at third base across the diamond to first. In a discussion with Jesse and his father, Coach Giarratano, shared his opinion of what it would take for Jesse to make it in professional baseball. The idea was to turn Jesse into a pitcher. Continue reading “The late bloomer: Jesse Foppert” →

by afpadmin

Big man on campus: Jon Rauch

In the spring of 1998 Turks owner Bob Wease, took a chance on signing an unknown RHP from Morehead State University to come and play for the Turks that summer. From the day that Jon Rauch arrived in Harrisonburg, the 6’10” 220 lb. pitcher made his presence known. Rauch who was quickly tagged “Lurch” (for the butler from the TV series “The Addams Family”) by his fans, proved to be an intimidating figure on the mound as his new namesake. Continue reading “Big man on campus: Jon Rauch” →