Turks Lose Thriller in Extra Innings

07/30/2009 – Turks Tidbits

Written By Matt Wojay

James Madison University Intern

Luray , Va- The Turks lost a heart breaker tonight in 11 innings at Luray 7-6. This loss was devastating for two reasons. One, for how they lost it. Two, this result will more then likely mean that the Turks will not be playing in the playoffs in August, and their season will be wrapped up after they play New Market tomorrow night at 7:30.

This game tonight was probably the most exciting one that the Turks were apart of all summer. It had everything from clutch hitting and great pitching, to the Luray head coach Mike Bocock getting ejected and throwing bats onto the field during his temper tantrum. Another Luray player, Drew Rucinski, who is a pitcher and pitched 4.1 innings tonight, was also ejected from the game in the 10th inning just like Bocock for arguing with the home plate umpire over balls and strikes.

This incident took place with one out in the inning. With two outs Victor Croglio came up with a timely RBI single that ricocheted off of the pitcher Phil Reamy, who replaced Rucinski after getting ejected, and drove in the go ahead run Thomas Nichols to give the Turks the temporary lead 6-5. In the bottom of the 10th D.J. Hicks put another dagger into the hearts of the Turks (he hit the game winning grand slam on Sunday to beat the Turks) by hitting a game tying home run. In the bottom of the 11th Luray more then likely put the final nail in the coffin of the Turks season when Cory Johnson hit the first pitch he saw over the right field wall to win the game in walk-off fashion 7-6.

Before the game turned chaotic in the 10th Luray started the contest in fine form by getting up on the Turks early 3-0 in the first inning. Then in the fourth inning the Turks bats finally woke up when Jack Posey got the Turks on the board with an RBI single that drove in Shaun Cooper to make it 3-1. The Turks took the lead in the next inning when Cooper, who had a great night hitting, hit a 3 run home run to give the Turks a 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the fifth. After Luray tied it in the bottom of the inning they took the lead when Cory Johnson hit his first home run on the night in the sixth inning to make it 5-4. The Turks fought back again and tied the game at 5 in the seventh when Nichols came up with a clutch piece of hitting by getting an RBI single with two outs that drove in Cooper.

On the mound tonight the Turks got great relief pitching from Brad Riddle who took over for the starter Aaron Lucterhand who left in the top of the sixth with no one out. Riddle did not give up a run in his three innings of work. In those three innings he struck out six Luray hitters and only gave up one hit.

The Turks will more then likely end their summer campaign tomorrow at New Market. Hopefully the Turks can end their summer on a good note by beating New Market and denting their chances of making the playoffs.