06/28/2009 – Turks Tidbits
Written By Matthew Vanover James Madison University Intern The Turks pushed their win streak to four games as they beat Luray in eleven innings, 5-4. The game started off as a pitching duel with both teams getting good performances from their starting pitchers. Aaron Luchterhand (Ipswich, Australia/Redlands C.C.) pitched seven strong innings for the Turks giving up two runs on five hits. Luchterhand struck out six while walking only one as the teams exchanged zeros on the scoreboard through four innings. Luray broke the scoring open with one run in top of the fifth. It was not until the seventh inning that the game became a thriller. After Luray scored a run in the top of the seventh to make the score 2-0, the Turks responded in the bottom half of the inning. With one out, Ryan Eden (Slidell, Lahttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/Univ. of New Orleans) started a rally with an infield single. Two batters later with two outs, Bobby Brown (San Diego, Califhttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/Arizona) got the second of his three hits on the day with a single to left field. After Jack Posey (Leesburg, Gahttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/Florida State) walked to load the bases, Mike Schwartz (Tampa, Flahttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/Tampa) came through in the clutch with a two run single through the right side. Manager Bob Wease was impressed with the clutch hitting from Schwartz. “I call Mike “Big League” because of the way he carries himself. Before he got the game tieing hit, he walked up to me and promised he would get a hit,” Wease recalled. Luray regained the lead in the very next inning when they scored two more runs to push the score to 4-2. Harrisonburg went to bat in the bottom of the ninth down two and needing another heroic comeback. Thomas Nichols (Georgia Tech) was the first Turk to reach base when he was hit by a pitch with one out. Next batter Bobby Brown (San Diego, Califhttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/Arizona) doubled to right center to score Nichols. An error by the right fielder allowed Brown to advance to third. That error proved costly as Brown would soon score on a passed ball to send the game into extra innings. Chris Sorce (Pace, Flahttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/Troy) provided the pitching relief the Turks needed. Although he walked two batters, he shut down the bats of Luray allowing no hits over the course of the last three innings. With the score knotted at four and sunset upon Long Field, the Turks made their move in the bottom of the eleventh. Ryan Eden (Slidell, Lahttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/Univ. of New Orleans) started another Turks rally with a single up the middle. The Turks played small ball when Thomas Nichols (Georgia Tech) successfully advanced Eden to second with a sacrifice bunt. Next batter Bobby Brown (San Diego, Califhttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/Arizona) finished off his three for four day with a walk to put runners on first and second. Eden and Brown both advanced to second and third on a passed ball. With two outs, pinch hitter Raymond Quinones (New York, N.Yhttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/UNC-Greensboro) became the hero with a walk off single to left field. Quinones is a guy that has been in and out of the lineup battling a hand injury. “The hand feels good now. It has been a little frustrating coming off of the bench, but it feels good to come through for my teammates tonight,” Quinones said with a smile. Coach Wease reflected after yet another memorable battle with Luray. “That was just a tremendous ball game. Our team has a lot of heart,” Wease said with a sigh of relief. Wease was encouraged by the fact that the team continues to hit the ball better and better each game. “As I’ve said, we have great pitching. If we continue to hit the ball like we have been, we are a team to be reckoned with,” Wease said. The Turks improve their record to 10-7 as they approach the midway point of the season. They will play their next home Wednesday night at 5 p.m. when they host Rockbridge.