Harrisonburg Turks

Member of the Valley Baseball League and NACSB.

  • 1955 VBL Champions
  • 1958 VBL Champions
  • 1959 VBL Champions
  • 1962 VBL Champions
  • 1964 VBL Champions
  • 1969 VBL Champions
  • 1970 VBL Champions
  • 1971 VBL Champions
  • 1977 VBL Champions
  • 1991 VBL Champions
  • 2000 VBL Champions
  • 2012 VBL Champions
  • 2023 VBL Champions

Early Mistakes are the Undoing for the Turks

By Dave Norman
Turks Web Announcer

WAYNESBORO– The Harrisonburg Turks (14-16) traveled to Kate Collins Field in Waynesboro to take on the Generals (16-13) in the last regular season matchup between the two teams. The Generals got started early and the Turks could never come all the way back falling 7-4 in a game that saw 20 combined hits. With the win the Generals won the season series 5-1

The Generals had their offense rolling early. After forcing the Turks to go three up and three down to start they came out and knocked the ball all over the field on starting pitcher Rafe Schindler (University of New Orleans, sophomore). In the first inning the Generals got runners on second and third base through just the first two batters. From there it was an uphill battle for Schindler ended up allowing two runs in the first.

The Turks were able to cut into that lead ever so slightly in the top of the second plating a run behind an Andrew Llewellyn (Wingate, senior) sacrifice fly that brought Paul Castillo (Jacksonville, junior) home. However in the bottom of the second the Turks conceded that run right back to the Generals.

Harrisonburg on the night had a rough time out in the field committing three errors, all of which the Generals scored runs off of. The Turks also walked five and struggled to get out of their own way all night.

In the top of the seventh Harrisonburg had their best inning and tried to fight their way back into the game. The Turks jumped on Waynesboro’s pitcher, Alex Harper-Cook, and put up three hits and one run on him to start the seventh. The Generals then pulled him and put Matthew Nickels in who struck out two and only allowed one more run to cross the plate.

The story of the game though was the Turks being unable to hang a zero on the Generals after they scored a run themselves. The Turks also had some missed opportunities, they left nine runners stranded, and left the bases loaded once. The Turks had the chances but the Generals pitching was able to come in and extinguish any type of threat.

On the night, Waynesboro’s Fred Villarreal (1-1) got the win and Schindler (2-2) came away with the loss. For the Generals, Aron Solis came in the last two innings and picked up the save, his second of the season.

With the loss the Turks fall to 14-16 on the season and 3-7 in their last 10. Harrisonburg is currently in fifth place in the South and 4 games out of first and 1.5 games out of fourth place and a playoff spot.

Next up for the Turks will be the Purcellville Cannons (16-12) up at Fireman’s Field on Thursday, July 12. Purcellville is currently second in the North division and are three games back behind the Front Royal Cardinals.

The next home game for the Turks will be Sunday, July 15 when the New Market Rebels come to Veterans Memorial Park with first pitch slated for 7:30 p.m.