Friday: The Turks had difficulties closing out rival New Market at home, but even a six-run rally in the eighth and ninth innings couldn’t push the Rebels past the 9-1 lead Harrisonburg had piled up by the sixth inning. Turks pitcher Connor Kaden earned his first win of the season; second baseman Andy Perez finished 2 of 4 with 3 RBI.

Saturday: Perez was brilliant again, going 3 for 3 with an RBI down in Rockbridge, but the Rapids carved up the Turk’s pitching to the tune of 13 hits as Harrisonburg lost 7-4. Rockbridge is 3-0 against Harrisonburg, and 2-7 against all other teams.

Sunday: Deadlocked in a 3-3 extra-innings battle in Waynesboro, Harrisonburg broke through thanks to a solo shot from catcher Connor Lynch that led off the 11th inning as well as the triumphant return of former Turks hero Chris Pike. Pike played a major part in the Turks’ championship run during the 2012 playoffs and led the VBL in saves for a majority of last summer; on Sunday night, Pike pitched the final 4 2/3 innings in  shutout fashion and earned a win in his first appearance of the summer.

Monday: On the day he was named Turks Player of the Week, Perez — this time playing third base — went on another tear against New Market to bookend a 3-1 weekend for the Turks. Perez went 3 for 5 with an RBI and 3 runs plated. Perez was one of six Turks to post a multi-hit game on Monday night, the others being center fielder John Welborn, left fielder Eric Kalbfleisch, first baseman Mike Warren, shortstop RJ Perucki and catcher Josh Clark, who finished with a game-high 3 RBI. Brett Morgan improved his record to 2-2 after 3 1/3 innings in middle relief.

Tuesday’s game in Staunton was postponed to July 11. Harrisonburg and Staunton have both won three games since last Friday; only the Woodstock River Bandits have won more games (4) in that time period. Woodstock is 8-2; Staunton is 10-3.

Harrisonburg (7-5) was chasing New Market (7-6) last week, but with two head-to-head wins in four days, Harrisonburg is now in second-place in the southern division and half a game ahead of the Rebels. The Turks still trail Staunton by 2.5 games.

Harrisonburg is scheduled to play the Aldie Senators on Wednesday evening, and return to Veterans Memorial Park for a three-game home stand on Thursday, June 20.

This week’s Harrisonburg Turks Player of the Week is Duke University second baseman Andy Perez. The sophomore right hander is coming off a terrific year at Duke. Perez batted .316 with 25 RBIs and was named to the all ACC team. The rising blue devil entered Harrisonburg with high expectations as being one of the cornerstones of the infield. The Georgia native has not disappointed.

Perez came into last Monday’s game against the Staunton Braves with a batting average of .250 with 5 RBIs. After last night’s game against the Waynesboro Generals, Perez is now batting an impressive .327 with 9 RBI’s. Perez’s tear of a week has bumped his average up .77 points in five games and nearly doubled his runs batted in. In those five games he has 8 hits, 3 being extra base hits. Perez’s strong performance this week has kept the Turks in the Southern division hunt with a 6-5 record. He even caught the eye of head coach Bob Wease who nominated him for the VBL player of the week. If Perez can stay hot Turks fans could possibly find themselves watching their team in another championship series.

Daily News Record
Area Baseball

Waynesboro, VA

Catcher Connor Lynch hit a solo home run in the top of the 11th inning to help Harrisonburg beat Waynesboro 4-3 in a Valley Baseball League game Sunday.

The Turks improved to 6-5; the Generals dropped to 5-7.

Justin Camp (Auburn) fires a pitch Sunday night in Waynesboro.

It was the only hit of the game and the first home run of the season for Lynch; a former Georgia Tech player who is looking to transfer before next college baseball season.

Harrisonburg lost 7-4 to Rockbridge on Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park.

Second baseman Andy Perez (Duke) went 3-for-3 with two walks, a run and an RBI in the loss and followed that performance with two more hits in Sunday’s win.

Sunday
Harrisonburg   000   101    010    01  - 4  9  2
Waynesboro     000   000   300   00 –  3  4  2

Camp, Pike (7) and Lynch; Woodrey, Danielson (4), Young (7), Conley (8), Alan (11).

W-Pike  L-Conley.  HR’s-Lynch (1)

Saturday
Rockbridge      042  001  000 – 7  13 2
Harrisonburg  001  021  000 – 4    8  2

Constand, Edens (8) and Guerini; Harper, Boghosian (7), and Nichols.

W-Constand (1-0).  L-Harper (1-2).  Save-Edena (1)

Spend your Saturday night with the Harrisonburg Turks on our first PACK THE PARK night of the season!

Pack the Park Night, sponsored by our wonderful friends at Mountain View Dental Team (4100 Quarles Court off of Rt. 33 just outside of Harrisonburg), offers plenty of alternatives to a boring Saturday night indoors. Enjoy refreshments, face painting, and other great activities!

And don’t forget about the baseball game! Harrisonburg will be hosting Rockbridge in an important Southern Division battle; after last night’s 10-7 win over New Market, the Turks are pushing toward the top of the VBL standings.

If you picked up a copy of Friday’s Daily News Record, a coupon in the sports section can get you and your family into the game free of charge! Otherwise, admission is only the cost of a regular game. So what are you waiting for — finalize your Saturday night plans now! Come out to Turks PACK THE PARK night!

W: Connor Kaden (1-0)
L: Reiss Stanley (1-1)
Thanks in part to a 5-run second inning effort, the Turks jumped out to an early lead and never relinquished it in front of a packed Massanutten Regional Library Summer Reading Program FREE FRIDAY crowd, earning their first win of the season against New Market 10-7.

New Market scored one run in the top of the first, but it was all Turks all night after that. Leading off in the second frame, third baseman Joe Napolitano singled into the gap, and left fielder Eric Kalbfleisch took a walk. Then, in one of the night’s many highlight reel plays, right fielder John Welborn laid a picture-perfect punt down the third base line that loaded the bases.

When catcher Connor Lynch doubled down the left field line, the rout was on.

Harrisonburg (5-4) finished with five runs off of five hits in the second inning, and scored at least one run in the third, fourth and fifth inning. Every starter finished with either a hit or a run scored, and six of the nine starters finished with one of each.

Even amongst the collective fireworks, second baseman Andy Perez stood out. Perez finished 2 of 4 with 3 RBI. He’s batting .275 on the season thus far; fellow Turks second baseman Thomas Smith is batting .385.

Trailing 9-1 entering the eighth inning, New Market (6-5) staged a significant rally late. The Rebels scored 3 runs in each of the final two frames to make the game close, but the Turks never felt threatened.

Reiss Stanley takes the loss for New Market. Stanley, now 1-1, was credited for all 5 of the earned runs in the second inning.

Connor Kaden, who allowed one run in six full innings and struck out nine Rebels, takes the win. It is his first of the summer.

Harrisonburg will be at home again on Saturday evening, taking on the Rockbridge Rapids for the third time this season. The Rapids are 2-0 against the Turks this season so far.

The Harrisonburg Chapter of the JMU Alumni Association are planning to make Saturday, June 29th at Veterans Memorial Park when the Harrisonburg Turks host the Waynesboro Generals an official JMU Alumni Night event.  JMU Alumni are encouraged to register on-line so they have an accurate head count.

JMU alum and strongman competitor Mike Jenkins — a member of the 2004 national championship football team — will be on hand for pictures and autographs at 7 p.m. Mike won the 2012 Arnold Strongman Classic and placed fifth at the 2012 World’s Strongest Man (check out Mike’s website).  Come out and say hello to Strongman Mike and shower him with some JMU purple pride!

The game is a Pack the Park sponsored night so admission is free with the sponsor coupon from Friday,June 28th Daily News Record sports section compliments of the following generous sponsors:

CommonWealth One Credit Union located at 42 Teri Drive, Harrisonburg and JMU’s Branch at 5 Bluestone Drive on campus

Fairfield Inn & Suites located at 1946 Medical Avenue, Harrisonburg

Advantage Physical Therapy & Sports Performance with 3 locations; 313 Neff Avenue Suite C  in Harrisonburg, Village Square Plaza  54 Frankline Street in Weyers Cave, and Shen Elk Plaza 800 Shenandoah Avenue Suite 140 Elkton.

Wood Grill Buffet located at 1711 Reservoir Street, Harrisonburg

Game time is 7:30 p.m. at JMU Veterans Memorial Park.

W: Adam Emerson (1-0)
L: Brett Morgan (1-2)
S: Daniel Bridgeman (3)

The Turks had trouble capitalizing on scoring opportunities against the Express on Wednesday night, dropping a close 3-2 game after some late Straburg heroics.

Harrisonburg (4-4) had trailed 2-1 since the top of the fourth, but it mounted a promising comeback in the bottom of the seventh. Strasburg opted to replace starter Patrick McGavin with Evan Kirsch, but Kirsch immediately hit Turks left fielder John Welborn. Right fielder Jace Whitley grounded into a fielder’s choice that advanced Welborn to second, and he stole third soon after. The bases were loaded after Kirsch walked center fielder Thomas Spitz and hit DH Andy Perez.

After the bases were loaded courtesy of a walk and two HBP, the Express swapped Kirsch for Adam Emerson. Second baseman Thomas Smith hit a sac fly into center that scored Welborn to knot the score at 2 apiece.

But the fanfare wouldn’t last long. Shortstop RJ Perucki flew out to third to end the inning, and in the top of the eight, Express first baseman Erik Armstrong blasted his first homer of the season off Turks reliever Brett Morgan, who had just entered the game one batter earlier. The solo shot would eventually be the difference; Harrisonburg grounded into a double play to end the eighth inning, and another infield flyout doomed a second bases loaded scenario in the bottom of the ninth.

Strasburg’s offense came largely from Armstrong, second baseman Terry McClinton, and center fielder Jordan Tarsovich. Those three finished 6 of 13, while the rest of the Express were 5 of 23.

Seven Turks registered a hit, but no Harrisonburg player had a multi-hit game.

Brett Morgan takes the loss for Harrisonburg. Starter Garrett Ford receives his second straight no decision, allowing two runs and striking out two batters in seven innings on the mound.

Harrisonburg is scheduled to play a doubleheader in Covington on Thursday, if the weather cooperates. The first of the 7-inning doubleheaders will start at 4:00 p.m.