Big Innings Help Turks Take Down Braves
Written by Staff Report
Staunton News Leader
STAUNTON — The Harrisonburg Turks put up a pair of big innings Thursday against the Staunton Braves, then held on for a 9-6 victory in Valley Baseball League action at John Moxie Memorial Stadium.
The loss drops the Braves to 22-14, leaving them 3½ games behind the South Division-leading Turks, and two games behind second-place New Market, a 6-5 winner over Covington on Thursday, with seven games remaining in the season.
The Turks broke the game open with a four-run fifth inning, followed by a five-run sixth to take a 9-3 lead. The Braves came back with three in the bottom of the seventh, then had runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the eighth, but could not bring anyone home, despite having the heart of the order up.
It was rough night for Braves ace Max Povse (2-2). The rising sophomore out of North Carolina-Greensboro gave up five runs (four earned) on six hits in 42⁄3 innings.
Kurt Wertz Jr. had two hits, including a double, and three RBIs for the Braves. Tommy Williams also had two hits and two RBIs.
John Welborn put the game out of reach for Harrisonburg in the sixth with a pinch-hit, three-run homer. Eric Kalbfleisch led the Turks’ attack, going 3-for-5 on the night.
The Braves return to action at 7:30 p.m. Friday against the Waynesboro Generals at Moxie Memorial Stadium. They travel to Rockbridge on Saturday for a 7 p.m. clash with the Rapids, then it’s back home on Sunday for a 7:30 p.m. game with the Covington Lumberjacks.