06/27/2010 – Turks Tidbits

By Todd Jones James Madison University Intern

Haymarket, VA – The Haymarket Senators played host to your Harrisonburg Turks on Sunday night and vetoed the Turks’ proposition for a win. Harrisonburg was fresh off a disappointing loss to Winchester on Saturday night that was the Turks’ first loss following a seven game win streak. The first three innings saw three batters come up and go down for Harrisonburg as the heat from the summer air hadn’t yet warmed up the bats. Haymarket made their first appearance on the scoreboard in the bottom of the 1^st. Starting pitcher Emilio Pagan (Gardner Webb) struck out the first batter he faced, but Senators’ infielder Eric Stamets stepped up next and knocked a homer over the center field wall, giving Haymarket the 1-0 advantage. The inning was closed out after 3B Scott Dalrymple (Okl. City) made a foul ball catch in front of the Turks’ dugout and Terrance Jackson (Okl. City) followed up with a spectacular diving grab in center field. The bottom of the second was highlighted by the defensive play of Dalrymple who fielded a strong grounder, tagged third base for the out and rocketed a throw to 1B Patrick Savage (Auburn) for the double play. In the 4^th inning Harrisonburg began to stage a revolt against the Senators. After Jackson hit a ground-out, short stop Connor Winn (Ga. Tech) got things started with a single into center field. Bobby Brown ( Ariz ) then mirrored Winn’s hit with a single of his own into center field. After Savage slammed a double into the center field wall, Winn and Brown both scored putting the Turks on top 2-1. After a pop-out by Dalrymple, Shaun Cooper ( Ariz. ) hit a double into left field bringing home Savage and giving Harrisonburg a two-run cushion. After a ground-out the Turks were back on ‘D’ as two singles by the Senators started off the bottom of the fourth. Pagan struck out the next batter, but two walks later brought in the forced run for Haymarket, bringing them within 3-2. After a sacrificial fly ball was hit to center field another run scored, evening the count at 3-3.

All three Turks’ batters were struck out in the 5^th and after being walked the Senators’ Tyler White capitalized by scoring off another sacrificial fly ball that reestablished the lead for Haymarket, 4-3. The top of the 6^th inning was cut short for the Turks after a ground-out and a double play made by the Senators. The Turks would answer with a double play of their own in the bottom of the inning after Shaun Cooper made a catch in left field and threw the runner out at third base. Both teams made pitching changes in the 7^th inning as the Turks briefly brought in Joseph Hollowell (Yavapai CC) to face four batters but then replaced him with submarine pitcher Gabriel Grinder (Southeastern). In the 8^th inning Winn was struck out and two pop-outs to the outfield spoiled a near homer from Bobby Brown that bounced off the wall in right-center field. The Senators’ first batter then was walked and later stole second base, eventually being brought home on a fast grounder over the second base bag into center field. After another grounder was hit and another base stolen the final score of the evening was ushered in on another sacrificial fly ball to left field, giving Haymarket the 6-3 lead. The top of the 9th would ultimately be the last appeal made by Harrisonburg to the Senators. Shaun Cooper led off the inning by blasting a home run over the left field wall bringing the Turks to within two runs. However after a strikeout and two singles from JJ Loker (USC-Aiken) and Joe Huber (St. Josephs), Jackson hit a grounder to the short stop prompting a Senators’ double play and sealing the win for Haymarket. Harrisonburg , with a record of 12-7 is now tied atop the standings with Winchester , and Haymarket is close in the rear view at a respectable 12-8. The Turks return home to JMU Veteran’s Memorial Stadium to face the Luray Wranglers on Tuesday, June 29^th at 730.