Harrisonburg Turks

Member of the Valley Baseball League and NACSB.

  • 1955 VBL Champions
  • 1958 VBL Champions
  • 1959 VBL Champions
  • 1962 VBL Champions
  • 1964 VBL Champions
  • 1969 VBL Champions
  • 1970 VBL Champions
  • 1971 VBL Champions
  • 1977 VBL Champions
  • 1991 VBL Champions
  • 2000 VBL Champions
  • 2012 VBL Champions
  • 2023 VBL Champions

Turks Play a Thriller that Ends in a Tie

Turks News / By /

07/09/2009 – Turks Tidbits

Written by Matthew Vanover James Madison University Intern The Turks came from behind to tie the game at five against Covington tonight, but the game was called after ten thrilling innings due to darkness. The Turks trailed 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth when they took a 2-1 advantage. Thomas Nichols (Georgia Tech) led the inning off with a solo home run over the right field fence. With two outs, Mike Schwartz (Tampa, Flahttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/Tampa) drew a walk to start a small rally. Next batter Nathan Weglarz (Homewood, Illhttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/St. Joseph’s) reached on an error by the second baseman. With runners now on first and second, Nathan Bryan (Andrews, Txhttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/Oklahoma State) and Evan Stehle (Richmond, Va/Richmond) would draw consecutive walks to score Schwartz. Covington wasted no time in reclaiming the lead. In the top of the fifth, Covington put up three runs to take a 4-2 lead. The Turks answered with one run in the bottom of fifth. Raymond Quinones (New York, N.Yhttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/UNC-Greensboro) led the inning off with a line drive single to left field. Next batter Thomas Nichols (Georgia Tech) followed Quinones up with a walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. Three batters later with two outs, Nathan Weglarz (Homewood, Illhttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/St. Joseph’s) who was three-for-four on the day, got the clutch base hit the Turks have been lacking lately. The Turks did not score again until the bottom of the eighth. With the score now 5-3, Mike Schwartz (Tampa, Flahttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/Tampa) led the inning off with yet another walk. Weglarz followed Schwartz with a single to left. With runners on first and second, the Turks were in a situation to put down a sacrifice bunt. Pinch hitter Shaun Cooper (Tucson, Arizhttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/Arizona) showed bunt, but pulled back as the Covington pitcher threw a strike. Lumberjack catcher Andrew Caron (Waynesboro, Pahttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/Mt. St. Mary’s) immediately threw down to second upon catching the ball. Covington was able to pick off Schwartz to get the first out of the inning. This out proved to be costly as Shaun Cooper (Tucson, Arizhttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/Arizona) and Garrett May (Marietta, Gahttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/East Tennessee State) both singled but it only produced one run. With the score 5-4 in the top of the ninth, the Turks defense made the game an instant thriller. After one Lumberjack reached base, two more Covington hitter were able to lay down sacrifice bunts which turned out to be base hits. With the bases now loaded with no outs, the Turks had their work cut out for them to keep the deficit at one. With the Turks infield playing in, Raymond Quinones (New York, N.Yhttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/UNC-Greensboro) received a grounder and his throw to home was in time. With one out, the next Lumberjack batter tried to bunt the run home from third. Turks reliever Brad Riddle (Bethany, Okhttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/Oklahoma City) made a play to be remembered as he dove for the bunt with his glove hand and scooped the throw to Parker Brunelle (Snellville, Gahttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/Florida State) who put a lunging tag on the runner. The Turks got out of the jam when Riddle got the next Covington hitter to ground out to the third baseman. The top of the ninth set the stage for a Turks comeback in the bottom of the ninth as it seemed that Long Field Mauck stadium had come to life after the Turks stellar defensive performance. Thomas Nichols (Georgia Tech) who was one-for-three on the day, led the inning off with one of his three walks. Two batters later, Bobby Brown (San Diego, Califhttps://harrisonburgturks.com/NewsManager/Arizona) got his only hit of the day to be a double to right center to tie the game at five. With Brown on second with one out, the Turks were unable to manage another hit to score him. The Turks and Lumberjacks played a scoreless tenth inning before the umpire called the game just as the Turks took the field in the top of the eleventh. The Turks record now stands at 13-14-1 on the season with rival Luray coming to Harrisonburg this Satuday night at 5 p.m.