The Shadow
COVINGTON – Coming off of a 10-run loss to Waynesboro that ended their 6-game win streak, Covington would begin a new one following a slim 4-1 victory over Staunton on Friday evening at Casey Field in Covington.
It was an offensive struggle from both baseball teams through the first 5 innings where only one run was scored.
Staunton grabbed the first run of the game during the top of the 4th inning after an RBI double from AJ Wenrich (1-for-4). It would be the last time the Braves scored as the team from the 5-9 innings left nine batters stranded on base and 11 from the entire game.
Covington would get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the 6th inning. With a pair of runners on base Gregory Melo (1-for-3) hit a game-tying sacrifice fly to deep center field.
The sixth inning would provide the spark the Lumberjacks needed as the team would take the lead in the bottom of the 7th inning. After the first three batters of the inning reached for the Jacks’, with no out Daniel Restrepo (0-for-2) looked at four straight balls and advanced to first on the walk, while Carlos Castillo (1-for-2) who started the inning off being hit by a pitch scored from third base.
With a 2-1 advantage, Covington would grab a pair of runs during the bottom of the 8th inning to take a 4-1 lead. Castillo, who scored what was essentially the winning run in the last inning, connected on a two-run single to increase the Lumberjacks lead.
In the 9th inning Staunton made things a bit uneasy for the home crowd as the Braves would put the tying and potential go-ahead run at the plate. The Braves would trade the first two outs with base runners. Covington would get an out then the Braves would put a runner on. Eventually with two outs Noah Canterbury (2-for-5) singled to advance the runners to second and third base. With the go-ahead run at the plate and the tying run on at first base, Jorge A. Garcia III (S) struck out Wyatt Campbell (1-for-5) for the final out of the game.
Thomas Marsala (2-for-4) led Covington with two hits in four trips to the plate, while Castillo led the way with a pair of RBIs.
The pitching was top notch from the Lumberjacks. The team used three pitchers to combine for one run on six hits in nine innings. Matthew Irwin (ND) who took no-decision pitched a quality 4.2 innings where he allowed one run on two hits. John Vazquez (W) earned the win after pitching 2.1 shutout innings where he struck out a pair. Garcia III picked up the save following two shutout innings.
Hunter Jones (ND) who started on the mound for Staunton ended with a no-decision. Jones was nearly unhittable in his five innings. The right-hander out of the University of Florida allowed one run on just two hits, while striking out six. The Braves bullpen used two pitchers who allowed three runs on four hits in three innings.
Staunton 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 – 1 6 0
Covington 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 x – 4 6 0
W – John Vazquez. L – Grant Donkin. S – Jorge A. Garcia III.
