06/14/2008 – Daily News Record

Posted 2008-06-14 Mann Beats Up Generals, 11-3 Written By Brent Johnson Daily News Record HARRISONBURG – The Harrisonburg Turks were well aware it was Friday the 13th. "We talked about watching a scary movie after the game," left fielder David Mann said. The Turks were plenty scary to the Waynesboro Generals on Friday, notching an 11-3 victory at Memorial Stadium to break a Valley Baseball League-worst seven-game losing streak on the calendar’s most ominous day. The previously slumping Mann (Oklahoma City University) went 2-for-4 with four RBIs as Harrisonburg (13-9), last place in the VBL’s South Division, smacked 13 hits against second-place Waynesboro (5-4). "We started clicking," said Mann, who entered the game with one hit in 17 at-bats. Manager Bob Wease, who spent the past few games bemoaning the team’s struggles, had a more thorough explanation. The VBL is a summer wood-bat circuit for college baseball players, and the final players arrived Friday. "We got all of our ballplayers in," Wease said. "I can’t be crying and telling you we can’t win now." One of those players was the team’s new shortstop, Mark Brooks of Bethune-Cookman, who made a series of fleet-footed plays in the field. The Turks’ offense was even better. Waynesboro went up 2-0 in the top of the third inning, but Harrisonburg catcher Mike Pericht (St. Joseph’s of Indiana) hit his third home run of the season in the bottom of the fourth to cut the score to 2-1. The Turks plated four runs an inning later and added six more an inning after that. Third baseman Brett Stewart (Appalachian State) went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run, while right fielder Michael Precise (Troy) went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs. James Kennedy (Rider) got the win for Harrisonburg, striking out five and allowing seven hits, three runs and two walks in 6 1/3 innings to improve to 1-1. Waynesboro 002 000 100 – 3 9 2 Harrisonburg 000 014 60x – 11 13 3 Sinkiewicz, VandenBout (6), Simpson (7), Grove (7); Kennedy, Chaffee (7), Vallen (9). W – Kennedy (1-1). L – Sinkiewicz (1-1). HR – H: Pericht.