WP: Ziemba (3-1)- 9 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
LP: Burchell (0-6)- 4 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
NEW MARKET, Va., July 16, 2015- The Turks arguably played their best game of the season in a 12-3 victory over the New Market Rebels at Rebels Park on Thursday night.
Following singles by Shane Billings, Steve McLean and Tyler Straub to load the bases in the top of the first, Jesse Baker was hit by a pitch to force home the first run of the game. The quick start would only get better from there as Jared Baker and Kameron Esthay subsequently hit sacrifice flies to score two more. J.J. Bissell and Erik Garcia then joined in with back-to-back RBI singles to bring the score to 5-0 before the close of the inning.
With the win, the Turks end their mini-slump in which they lost their last two games to move to 24-10 and retain first place in the South division while New Market extends their losing streak to three as it falls to 13-21 and last place.
The hitting spree that began in the first inning would continue for the entire game with three more runs being scored in the second inning, one in the sixth, two in the eighth and one more for good measure in the ninth. The Turks first four batters in the lineup, Billings (4-for-4 with three runs scored), McLean (3-for-5 with two runs scored), Straub (2-for-5 with two runs scored) and Jesse Baker (1-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI) represented nine of the team’s 15 hits on the night.
James Ziemba played his part to a tee as well. The 6’10” Duke product struck out eight while holding the Rebels to three runs (two earned) on four hits in a stellar complete game effort. This marks the second time Ziemba has thrown a complete game with the first being a rain-shortened no-hitter in June.
The night wasn’t quite as fun for the Rebels. The team struggled to find any rhythm on offense until the ninth inning when they scored two runs, but the comeback effort fell far short.
Starting pitcher Josh Burchell was roughed up for eight runs (six earned) on eight hits in four innings after giving up 11 hits to Winchester in his last outing. Mickey Terzi appeared in relief in hopes of slowing the tide, but failed to do so. The Wellington, Connecticut native allowed three runs on six hits and three walks in four innings. Andrew White was brought on the pitch the final inning; he gave up one run while striking out one.
The Turks will look to roll over their success from this game into tomorrow night’s matchup with Charlottesville at 7:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park. Go Turks!