7/7/04 – Daily News Record

By AARON GRAY Daily News-Record A pitcher’s duel would be an understatement. Pat Caldwell threw eight inning of no-hit baseball for the Turks, but his nine walks made the difference Tuesday night in Waynesboro’s 3-1 victory over Harrisonburg in front of 400 fans at Memorial Stadium. Adam Poole relieved Caldwell, who plays for Yavapai Junior College in Arizona, in the ninth to preserve the wasted no-hitter. Waynesboro’s Mark Fleischer (Radford) countered with 8 2/3 innings of strong pitching. The right-hander registered at least one strikeout on every batter in the Turks’ lineup. He fanned 12 to earn his second victory of the season. "We won 3-1 and we didn’t even get a hit – I guess that’s just dumb luck," said Fleisher, who retired the Turks in order in the fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Caldwell finished with 11 strikeouts but ran into trouble in the second when he walked four consecutive Generals (6-19), scoring one run. Another run scored on a fielder’s choice from center fielder Brandon Zollerman (Western Carolina). With the Generals leading 2-0 in the eighth, Matt Mercurio (Florida Southern) scored from first base after two Harrisonburg errors on the same play. "We’ve had so many one-run losses and it seems like nothing has gone our way," said Generals coach Derek McDaniel, whose team had lost eight straight heading into the game. "We needed this win so bad." After pouring on 24 hits in their last two games, the Turks (16-10) managed only five in just their second loss in 10 games. First baseman Joe Kemp (Indiana) reached on an error to start a rally in the bottom of the ninth. Fleisher retired the next two batters before shortstop Gered Mochizuki (Yavapai) took an 0-2 pitch to center field to put runners in scoring position. Right fielder Ryan Gotcher (Southwest Missouri State) struck out but reached base on a passed ball. Kemp scored to cut the deficit to 3-1 when Waynesboro catcher Josh Bieneman (Baltimore County) overthrew the play at first. With the tying runners on second and third, third baseman Ryan Parker (Indiana) hit a deep shot, but Generals right fielder Matt Smith (Catawba) made a diving catch to end the threat and the game. "We were flat for 8½ innings tonight," Turks manager Bob Wease said. The Turks were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Waynesboro 020 000 010 – 3 0 3 Harrisonburg 000 000 001 – 1 5 3 Fleischer, Smith (9) and Bieneman; Caldwell, Poole (9) and Weglarz. W – Fleischer (2-3); L – Caldwell (2-2).