On the road Sunday, the Covington Lumberjacks (5-9) traveled to Front Royal to take on the Cardinals (6-8) in a doubleheader.
The two teams split the doubleheader with the Lumberjacks winning the first game 3-2 and the Cardinals winning the second game 5-4 on a walk-off.
Just a few days ago, the Lumberjacks ended their season long six game losing streak by scoring a season-high 14 runs in a win over the Staunton Braves. The would then drop their next game to the Harrisonburg Turks.
In the first game of the doubleheader, the Lumberjack got back to their winning ways.
The Lumberjacks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning following a Michael Pavelchak (1-for-3) RBI single.
Ben Nippolt (1-for-3) and Ryder Hernandez (0-for-3) provided the Lumberjacks with RBI’s in the fifth inning to put the team ahead 3-0.
The teams three run lead would not last long as the Cardinals cut into their deficit with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Trent Jeffcoat (1-for-3) had an RBI single in the inning.
The Cardinals pitching held the Lumberjacks offense in the final two innings by retiring the final six batters they faced.
Down to their final three outs, the Cardinals would come up short in their final at bats as Kyle Music (S, 2) came in the seventh inning and pitched a perfect inning to secure his second save of the season.
Aaron Potter (1-1), picked up his first win of the season following a solid outing on the mound for the Lumberjacks where he allowed two runs (both earned) on two hits, walked five, and struck out one over five innings. Garrett Bonnett, who came in relief of Potter in the sixth inning, pitched a shutout sixth inning.
Gavin Baird (2-for-4) and John Schroeder (2-for-4), led the Lumberjacks with a pair of hits each. Schroeder had the Lumberjacks only extra base hit coming on a double.
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Sunday, June 19
Game 1 – Lumberjacks at Cardinals
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
CL 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 3 7 0
FC 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 2 3
Lumberjacks Batting
Batter AB H RBI R W SO
Pajer 4 1 0 1 0 3
Baird 4 2 1 1 0 0
Nippolt 3 1 1 0 1 0
Schroeder 4 2 0 0 0 1
Breen 3 0 0 0 0 2
Hernandez 3 0 1 0 0 1
Bogan 3 0 0 1 0 1
Rodriguez 2 0 0 0 1 0
Pavelchak 3 1 1 0 0 1
TOTAL 29 7 3 3 2 9
Cardinals Batting
Batter AB H RBI R W SO
Hite 4 1 0 0 0 1
Jeffcoat 3 1 1 0 1 0
Frost 1 0 0 0 2 0
Hay 2 0 0 0 0 0
Harper 2 0 0 0 0 0
Bristow 0 0 0 0 1 0
Camp 2 0 0 0 0 1
Carter 1 0 0 0 0 0
Swarmer 2 0 0 0 1 0
Frost 2 0 0 1 1 1
Poppell 2 0 0 1 1 0
TOTAL 21 2 1 2 7 3
Lumberjacks Pitching
Pitcher IP H R ER BB S0
Potter (W) 5 2 2 2 5 1
Bonnett 1 0 0 0 2 1
Music (S) 1 0 0 0 0 1
TOTAL 7 2 2 2 7 3
Cardinals Pitching
Pitcher IP H R ER BB SO
Cossa (L) 4 7 3 2 2 4
Adams 3 0 0 0 0 5
TOTAL 7 7 3 2 2 9
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The Lumberjacks got things started right away in the second game of the doubleheader after jumping on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning on a Ben Nippolt RBI single to give the team an early 1-0 lead.
That lead would only last for so long as the Cardinals responded in the home half of the first inning by tying the game on a fielder’s choice.
With the score tied at 1-1, the Cardinals would grab their first lead of the day in the bottom of the second inning by scoring two runs that was highlighted by an RBI single from Dallas Hite.
Much like the Lumberjacks early one run lead, the Cardinals two run lead would not last long. In the top half of the third inning, the Lumberjacks answered with a three-run inning to take a 4-3 lead. Cooper George and Will Hudler, each provided RBI’s in the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, with a runner in scoring position and two outs, Jack Hay delivered a game-tying RBI double.
The Lumberjacks would be held in check during the final three innings where the team did not have a single runner in scoring position.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, after walking the leadoff batter, Zeus Ponder, settled down and retired the final three batters he faced.
The Lumberjacks were led on offense by Nippolt who led the team with two hits in the second game and also provided the team with an RBI.
Meanwhile, between both games, the Lumberjacks pitching was great. In the second game, the team held the Cardinals to just five hits and eight total across both games.
In his first start of the season, Landon Lucas (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up four runs (two earned) on five hits, one walk, and striking out six in five innings pitch.
The Lumberjacks are on the road tonight in Harrisonburg against the Turks. The team will be back at home at Casey Field tomorrow against the Waynesboro Generals. This will be part of a three-game homestand for the Lumberjacks.
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Sunday, June 19
Game 2 – Lumberjacks at Cardinals
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
CL 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 4 8 2
FC 1 2 0 0 1 0 1 5 5 3
Lumberjacks Batting
Batter AB H RBI R W SO
Pajer 3 1 0 1 0 1
Pavelchak 0 0 0 0 1 0
Nippolt 3 2 1 1 0 0
Hernandez 1 0 0 0 0 0
Stocum 3 0 0 0 1 0
Ketzner 2 1 0 1 1 0
George 2 1 1 1 0 0
Hudler 3 1 1 0 0 0
Lohry 3 0 0 0 0 2
Bogan 2 1 0 0 0 0
Wickeri 1 0 0 0 0 0
Castillo 3 1 0 0 0 0
TOTAL 29 7 1 3 2 9
Cardinals Batting
Batter AB H RBI R W SO
Hite 4 1 1 2 0 0
Jeffcoat 3 1 0 0 1 2
Frost 3 0 1 0 0 3
Hay 3 2 2 0 0 0
Camp 2 0 0 0 1 0
Carter 3 1 0 0 0 1
Bristow 3 0 0 1 0 0
Chisholm 2 0 0 0 0 0
Frost 2 0 0 2 1 1
TOTAL 25 5 4 5 3 7
Lumberjacks Pitching
Pitcher IP H R ER BB S0
Lucas (L) 5 5 4 2 1 6
Gorczyca 1.2 0 1 1 2 1
TOTAL 6.2 5 5 3 3 7
Cardinals Pitching
Pitcher IP H R ER BB SO
Schultz 5 8 4 1 2 2
Munoz 1 0 0 0 0 1
Ponder 1 0 0 0 1 0
TOTAL 7 8 4 1 3 3
