6/22/05 – Daily News Record

Staunton Snaps Turks Five-Game Winning Streak, 9-5 By MARCUS HELTON Daily News-Record The Harrisonburg Turks came into Tuesday’s game with Staunton looking to move into at least a tie for first place in the Valley League’s Southern Division. Unfortunately for the Turks, after a quick start, nothing seemed to go right until it was too late. Staunton snapped Harrisonburg’s five game win streak with a 9-5 win at Memorial Stadium. Staunton improves to 10-6 on the season, Harrisonburg falls to 9-7. Due to first-place Covington’s 5-2 win over Waynesboro on Tuesday, Staunton takes sole possession of second place, a half game behind the Lumberjacks. Harrisonburg is now in third place, one and a half games back. The Turks took control early, as center fielder Scott Cousins (San Francisco) blasted a solo home run off Staunton starter Brantley New (Mercer) to right field in the first inning to put Harrisonburg up 1-0. In the fourth inning, Staunton tied the score at 1-1 when Joe Angelberger (South Florida) came home on a weakly hit grounder to the catcher. After the game, Turks players said Staunton’s Kade Keowen (LSU) kicked the ball away from Harrisonburg catcher Kacy Bruce (Western Kentucky). Then in the fifth Keowen hit an apparent bases-loaded double to left field with two outs that scored three runs. Keowen was called out after the officials said he never touched first base, however, ending the inning. However, the runs were allowed to stand, giving Staunton a 7-2 lead. Staunton manager Lawrence Nesselrodt said he was told that because the Turks took the ball back to mound before appealing, all three runs stood, where if they had thrown the ball back to first immediately after the play, none of the runs would have counted. Turks manager Bob Wease said he was told that because he appealed the play after all three runs scored, the runs would stand. "We allowed all three runs to score," Wease said. "And to me, you’ve got to assume if it’s up to the discretion of the umpire that at least two of the runs are going to score. But there’s no way the runner on first can score before [the batter] goes to first base. I’m not so sure any of the runs were supposed to count, but I’ll have to look that up in the rule book." Making matters worse for the Turks was a hand injury to first baseman Clint Robinson (Troy) in the fifth inning. Robinson – last week’s Southern Division Co-Player of the Week with Cousins – was hit in the hand by a pitch from Staunton reliever Manny Miguelez (Miami) and did not return. The Turks closed the score to 9-5 after scoring three runs in the ninth, but couldn’t get any closer. Despite having their win streak snapped, the Turks sounded confident they can bounce back at home against Waynesboro today. "We’re just going to put this one behind us and come back out [today] with a new attitude and ready to play," Cousins said. "The ninth inning, we can use that momentum going into today." Staunton 000 250 020—9 9 2 Harrisonburg 100 100 003—5 9 2 New, Miguelez (5), Renfrow (8), Korpi (9) and Englehardt; Baugh, Dawson (6), Fessler (9) and Bruce. W- Miguelez (1-0) L— Baugh (1-1). HR: H- Cousins.