Written by Daniel Ware
Turks Staff Writer
HARRISONBURG, Va.—The Harrisonburg Turks blew a one-run lead late in the ballgame to lose to the Purcellville Cannons 3-2 at Veterans Memorial Park on Wednesday night.
With a 2-1 lead entering the top of the ninth, reliever Eric Yankey (JMU) gave up two runs (one earned) and picked up the loss. After a one-out walk to Tyler Ratliff (Marshall), Colton Lightner (Stetson) singled to left field. Yankey walked the next batter, Andrew Zban (Marshall), to load the bases for pinch hitter Onassis Matos (Pensacola State College). Matos singled to center field to score Ratliff from third base. During the ensuing at-bat, Lightner scored on a wild pitch to give the Cannons a 3-2 lead.
Yankey fell to 2-2 on the season with the loss, he allowed the two runs on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
The loss spoiled a terrific start by left-hander Donte Lindsay (Bethune-Cookman), who tossed his best game of the season. He threw six straight scoreless innings to begin the game before allowing a run in the seventh. Lindsay scattered four hits over seven innings with a season-high 11 strikeouts and zero walks in the no decision
Lindsay lowered his ERA from 2.52 to 2.25, and with his 11 strikeouts, has 27 punch-outs to just four walks in 32 innings.
The Turks struck first, scoring a run in the bottom of the first off Purcellville starter Matt Copley. After Jonathan Pryor hit a two-out double to left center, Trevor Craport hit his first triple of the season to bring Pryor home. From there, however, Copley settled in, throwing six straight scoreless innings before being relieved to begin the eighth.
Cannons pitchers combined to allow just four hits, two runs (one earned), walked four and struck out six.
Catcher Mason George (UTSA) left the game in the bottom of the fourth after a hard collision at first base in which he collided awkwardly with the lower body of Cannons first baseman Sage Bruhl.
Shortstop Tripp Shelton’s 17-game hitting streak came to an end tonight, as he was replaced by Tanner Dofflemyer (JMU) to begin the fifth inning. Shelton (UNCG) was 0-for-2 with two fly outs in his two at-bats in the game.
With the loss and Waynesboro idle tonight, The Turks (21-10) and Generals (20-9) are tied for first place in the south division.
The Turks are on the road for their next game Thursday night against the Covington Lumberjacks (16-12).