6/14/2006 – Staunton News Leader

Staunton News Leader Written By Ron Hartlaub Sports Writer HARRISONBURG — After starting the season with six straight losses, Harrisonburg appears to be putting things together. The Turks made it four wins in a row Tuesday, dismantling the Staunton Braves 8-1 in Valley Baseball League play. A pair of newcomers sparked the hosts during the victory. Left-hander Matt Baugh allowed just a pair of hits through six innings in his debut on the mound. And at the plate, Josh Dew provided all the offense that Harrisonburg would need. During the bottom of the first, Josh Richardson and Bobby Spain led off with back-to-back singles against Staunton starter Mike Bowman. Dew followed by cranking an opposite-field home run in his first Valley League at bat. "I was down in the count and hadn’t seen pitching in a while," said the third baseman from Troy University. "I was really trying to fight it off, and he hung a curveball, and I just went with the pitch to right." Bowman would settle down after that, allowing just two hits during the next five innings. One hit, though, was an RBI single by Dew during the fifth. Bowman did not allow a walk and fanned two. Meanwhile, the Braves could not carry over the offensive momentum they seemed to build last week, winning three of their past four. They had just two hits, one of which was a bunt single by Tyler McCarty, and had a total of three balls that got out of the infield. "We looked really sluggish off an off day, and I hope that’s the answer," said Staunton manager Lance Mauck. "Hopefully we come back (today) and swing a little better." The only scoring for the Braves came during the third. Spike Austin walked, stole second and scored on Chad Rice’s line-drive single to left. The Turks put things away with three unearned runs during the seventh, and a run during the eighth that was the result of three walks and a fielder’s-choice grounder. The bullpen again struggled for Staunton, allowing four runs, two hits, four walks and a hit batter in two innings. The Braves (4-6) will try to turn things back around tonight when they travel to Woodstock, a team they have beaten twice early in the season. STAUNTON 001 000 000 — 1 2 2 HARRISONBURG 300 010 31x — 8 8 2 Bowman, Kebodeaux (7), Thorne (8) and Engelhardt. Baugh, Johnson (7) and Denker. W — Baugh. L — Bowman. S — Johnson. HR — Dew (H) 1st, two on. South Division W L Pct. GB Covington 7 2 .778 — Waynesboro 7 2 .778 — Staunton 4 6 .400 31¼ 2 Harrisonburg 4 6 .400 31¼ 2 Woodstock 3 8 .273 5 North Division W L Pct. GB New Market 7 3 .700 — Winchester 6 4 .600 1 Luray 5 6 .455 21¼2 Haymarket 4 6 .400 3 Front Royal 3 7 .300 4 Tuesday’s Games Harrisonburg 8, Staunton 1 Waynesboro 9, Front Royal 4 Covington 6, Woodstock 1 Haymarket 7, New Market 2 Luray 3, Winchester 0 Wednesday’s Games Staunton at Woodstock Covington at Waynesboro Winchester at Harrisonburg Haymarket at Luray Front Royal at New Market