The Shadow
STAUNTON – One game separated Covington and the All-Star break. As the first half of the Valley League Baseball season was concluding, the Lumberjacks were heading in the wrong direction as they were riding a five-game losing streak.
While everything seemed bleak for Covington going into the All-Star break, the Lumberjacks reversed course and pounded Staunton 14-1 in a shortened seven inning game on the road at Gypsy Hill Park Friday evening.
As a team Covington was 15-for-34 at the plate. Six Lumberjacks had two hits apiece. Kaleb Henry (2-for-3) led the team with four RBI’s, including a pair of home runs. Meanwhile, Spencer Williams (2-for-4) added three RBI’s and a home run as well.
The pitching for Covington was outstanding. The Lumberjacks used two pitchers to combine for one run on five hits. Michael Fortes (ND) who started the game on the mound for the Jacks’ had a no-decision after falling one inning short for the minimum to earn a win in the stat book. Fortes in his fourth start of the season tossed four shutout innings where he gave up three hits. Meanwhile Garrett Garner (W/1-1) earned his first win of the season. Out of the bullpen Garner allowed one run on two hits in three innings where he struck out one.
Covington struck gold in the top of the first inning. After Thomas Marsala (2-for-4) led the game off with a single, Williams would follow with a two-run shot on the second pitch of the at-bat.
After being held scoreless in the second and third innings, Covington had a huge fourth inning as the team pushed seven runs across to take a commanding 9-0 lead. The inning was highlighted by Henry’s two-run home run. It was the first of Henry’s two homers in the game.
The Lumberjacks would add five more runs in the seventh inning including Henry’s second two-run home run of the game.
The seventh inning was also highlighted by Alleghany High School alumni Wyatt “Papi” Griffith, who collected his first hit and RBIs of the season. Griffith, who was making just his fourth appearance of the season and only his second at bat, pitch-hit in the seventh and hit a hard line-drive to center field that scored a pair of runs.
The Jacks’ got one back on Staunton after the Braves defeated the Jacks’ 13-3 at home nearly two weeks prior. These two clubs will meet three more times, including on Tuesday at Casey Field.
Covington goes into the All-Star break with a 8-14 record.
Covington 2 0 0 7 0 0 5 – 14 15 0
Staunton 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 – 1 5 1
W – Garrett Darner. L – Zachary Horn.
