6/18/04 – Daily News Record

By AARON GRAY Daily News-Record NEW MARKET – Harrisonburg Turks manager Bob Wease didn’t enjoy his trip north up Interstate 81. The New Market Rebels sure enjoyed the Turks’ visit. The Rebels pounced for six runs in the first inning en route to a 12-7 victory over Harrisonburg in a Valley League baseball game Thursday. The Turks (6-4) looked sluggish early and committed two errors in the first inning. New Market catcher Steve Smith said it was the Rebels’ quickest start of the season. "We’ve put some numbers up, but not like that," said Smith, who was 3-for-5 to lead New Market (6-4) on offense. "It also makes our pitcher’s job easier." Rebels pitcher Tim Norton, the Valley League’s Pitcher of the Week, didn’t need much help. Norton held the Turks scoreless through the first four innings, striking out the side in the second. Trailing 9-0 in the fourth, the Turks started to rally. They got an RBI-single from shortstop Gered Mochizuki and asingle from Jeff Halbert that drove in two more runs. "Those guys were the only bright spots tonight," Wease said. As the top of the Turks’ line-up struggled with Norton, Halbert and right-fielder Kevin Koski – the number eight and the number nine hitters – starred at the plate. The pair reached base seven times in eight combined plate appearances. But it wasn’t enough as the Turks stranded nine runners.