WP: Horkey (4-1)- 6 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
LP: McCoy (3-2)- 5 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
S: Romano (6)
HARRISONBURG, Va., July 31, 2015 – The 2015 Turks season has come to an end with a 3-2 loss to the Waynesboro Generals at Veterans Memorial Park on Friday night.
After a slow start by both teams, Waynesboro was first to strike in the fourth. Jeremy Taylor got things started with a one-out single off of Turks starter Tucker McCoy. During the next at-bat, Taylor took off for and stole second base and moved to third on a throwing error by Eric Garcia behind the plate. Joseph Garcia then singled to bring him home, giving the Generals a 1-0 lead.
With the win the Generals take the series, 2-1 and advance to the Valley Baseball League semifinals where they will face the winner of the Staunton-Covington series. The Turks finish the year with a 30-16 record including the regular season and the playoffs.
The Generals sent Matt Horkey out to the mound to start tonight’s game and he did not disappoint for the away team. Despite allowing eight hits, the lefty limited the Turks to two runs (both earned) while walking one and striking out two. Alexander Mauricio came in from the bullpen with the bases loaded in the seventh and prevailed, striking out Kameron Esthay to end the threat. After Mauricio’s 1.1 innings of work, Frankie Romano earned the save with a three up, three down ninth inning.
Harrisonburg’s breakthrough at the plate came in the seventh inning in the form of a two-out rally. Kameron Esthay (1-for-4) gave the Turks a jolt of energy with a solo home run over the right field fence to put the team on the board. Tripp Shelton followed with a single and Shane Billings (1-for-5, 1 RBI) brought all the way home from first with a triple into the right field corner. Those two runs, the Turks only offensive production on the night, proved to come up just short.
The Generals extended their lead to 3-0 in the fifth, forcing McCoy out of the game.
The James Madison product allowed two earned runs (three total) on nine hits while striking out three in five innings of work. Jared Datoc did all he could to keep the Turks in the game with three scoreless innings of relief before Tyler Brown replaced him and tossed a scoreless inning of his own in the ninth.
Mike Brosseau led the Generals with a 2-for-5 line including a run scored. Clayton Taylor, Jeremy Taylor and Joseph Estrada accounted for Waynesboro’s three runs batted in.
It was another great season for the Turks and everyone involved with the organization. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported the team and staff all season long whether it be in the ball park or at home. Go Turks.