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

Tom Sox Walk Off Turks in the 9th

Written By Brien Krug 
Turks Staff Writer 
July 7, 2021

The Turks looked to push their record to the .500 mark as they traveled across the mountain to play the red hot Charlottesville Tom Sox.

After a couple of quiet innings, the Turks got the scoring started in the 4th. Bryce Safferwich would lead off the inning by getting hit by the pitch and the Turks would use a little small ball to move him around the bases. A sac bunt and a groundout would move Safferwich to 3rd before Carlos Marte would knock a single into center for a 2 out RBI.

The Tom Sox would quickly respond in the home half. A 1 out triple combined with a throwing error from Bryce Safferwich would allow Sox right fielder, Garrett Spikes, to come around to tie the game. The Turks would use small ball again to manufacture another run in the 5th. Back to back hit by pitches to start the inning had the Turks in business. A fielder’s choice would get the runner out at 2nd but still left Harrisonburg with runners at the corners. With 2 outs the Turks would execute a perfect 1st and 3rd double steal to take back the lead 2-1.

Adam Riggleman, who got the call from manager Bob Wease to make his 2nd start of the season, would finally run into some trouble in the 5th. A leadoff walk followed shortly by a double out to left-center would get the rally started for Charlottesville. A single would put runners at the corners causing the Turks to go to the bullpen. Logan McClure, who was just recently selected as a VBL All-Star, would get a crucial K of Garrett Spikes bringing up Sox DH Adam Cecere with 2 outs. Cecere would then launch a ball to deep right for a homer and would shortly be followed by a Wyatt Langford solo shot and all of a sudden the Sox had broken it open to take the 6-2 lead.

But the Turks weren’t done yet. In the very next half-inning, Harrisonburg would strike back. After the first 2 base runners of the inning reached base safely the Turks were in business. Back-to-back strikeouts had the rally in jeopardy but Michael Rosario would come to save the day. On the first pitch of the AB Rosario would launch an absolute no-doubter to right for a 3 run homer cutting the Sox lead to 1.

McClure, who had some trouble in the 5th, would keep the Turks in it late. The West Virginia Tech product would only allow 1 baserunner while striking out 4 over his next 3 innings of work keeping the score at 6-5. The Turks would continue to battle in the 9th. A leadoff single from Logan McNeely shortly followed by a wild pitch had the tying run in scoring position with no one down. A ground out would move McNeely to 3rd, setting the stage for Frederic Walter. Walter, who struggled early in the season and has really come along as of late hitting .307 in his last 13 games, would hit a single out to left scoring McNeely and tying the game at 6.

Michael Rosario would then come on for McClure in the 9th. The Sox rally started with a single to right. After a couple of questionable calls from the umpires on a ground ball and a double steal, the Sox had the winning run at 3rd with only 1 out for right fielder Elijah Nunez. Nunez, who was subbed into the game in the 6th, would hit a seeing-eye single through the right side to walk it off for Charlottesville.

The Turks (12-14) will be back in action tonight as they play host to south division foe the Staunton Braves (13-16) at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park with the first pitch set for 7:30 PM.