7/9/04 – Daily News Record
By MICHAEL ROTHSTEIN Daily News-Record It was the most anti-climactic of finishes to a heart-stopping game. Harrisonburg’s Corby Heckman (Indiana) walked in the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning, giving the Turks an 11-10 win over New Market in a Valley League baseball game Friday at Memorial Stadium. With the bases loaded and no outs, New Market reliever Sammy Hart threw Heckman three straight balls, then a fastball strike before tossing another fastball. This time, it was off the plate, walking in Cameron Clarke (Oklahoma City) from third base. "Yeah, we’ll take it," Heckman said. "I haven’t been swinging the bat well, so yeah, I’ll take the bases-loaded walk." Harrisonburg tied the game in the bottom of the ninth after right fielder Ryan Gotcher (Southwest Missouri State) singled off Chris Browsten (Tennessee Wesleyan) to score Gered Mochizuki (Yavapai JC) and Nick Pereira (San Francisco). The two runs forced the Turks’ second straight extra-inning game at home. "These guys don’t know when to give up," Harrisonburg coach Bob Wease said. "They won’t quit. They just won’t quit." Harrisonburg (19-10) was put into the come-from-behind scenario because closer Scott Brune (Iowa) blew his first save of the season. Brune entered the game with Harrisonburg up 7-6 and Ben Crowell (UNC Pembroke) batting. Crowell singled to center field, scoring Trent Hill (Mississippi State) and Tim Norton (Connecticut) to give New Market (12-17) an 8-7 edge. "You can’t come out here every night and expect a kid to dominate every night," Wease said. "He did a good job. He just didn’t have his best stuff tonight."