By Dave Norman
Turks Web Announcer

PURCELLVILLE–Harrisonburg and road victories continued to be an elusive goal and the Turks bats went silent late in a 5-2 loss at Purcellville.

Jake Brace (Georgia Tech) started for the Turks and was staked to a 1-0 before taking the hill. In all, Brace allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 10 hits in 6 innings of work.

Austin Embler (UNC Greensboro) got things started with a double, was sacrificed to 3rd and scored on a single by Orryn Veillon (New Orleans).

The teams went back and forth scratching out individual runs and the game went tied 2-2, highlighted by North All-star MVP Christian Garabedian’s solo home run in the forth. In the 6th, Gunnar Ricketts and two-out, two-run home run to right-centerfield and the Cannons went on top 4-2.

Daniel Brandon (Longwood) relieved Brace for the 7th and allowed a hit and two steals to Matthew Koehler who was promptly knocked in on a sacrifice fly by Sergio Lopez.

The bullpen has been the story for Purcellville this season and the trio of Dalton Oates, Matthew Marsili and Anthony Zimmerman threw three scoreless innings of relief. Oates and Zimmerman have yet to allow an earned run this season.

In securing the win, James Beasley (3-1) threw six innings for the Cannons, allowing 8 hits and two runs.

Brett Whelton (McNeese State) and Embler, each had two hits for the Turks.

Harrisonburg falls to 14-17 in the Southern Division but remain just a game out of the final playoff spot. The Cannons are now 17-12, firmly in 2nd place in the North, 3 games back of Front Royal.

Harrisonburg is off today and travels to 1st-place Covington on Saturday for a doubleheader. The first game is slated for 5 pm and the second shortly after. Both ball games are scheduled for 7 innings.