The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va (VR) – After several frustrating games without a victory, the Covington Lumberjacks finally found themselves back in the win column — but just barely. In a back-and-forth contest that stretched over five hours and included multiple delays, the Jacks held on to escape with a 9-8 win over the Cavaliers on Saturday night at Casey Field. For a team that’s been on the wrong end of tight games lately, it might have taken everything — including the delays — to finally get over the hump. The extended delays seemed to cool the Cavaliers’ momentum just enough for Covington to regroup and mount a comeback that at times looked out of reach.
Covington opened strong with two runs in the first and three more in the second, fueled by early production from Dariel Castillo, who went 1-for-5 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI. Catcher Jorge Rodriguez added a double and an RBI in a 1-for-4 effort, while designated hitter Victor Sanchez and shortstop Wilfred Gonzalez each drove in crucial runs. Gonzalez’s two-run single in the fifth helped close the gap after a disastrous third inning. The Cavaliers exploded for six runs in that third frame, punishing Covington reliever Hector Escobar with long balls and timely hitting. Ethan Borggren highlighted the rally with a three-run home run — his first of the season — and finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Moments later, Maxwell Molessa launched a three-run shot of his own, giving the Cavaliers what seemed to be a commanding 8-5 lead.
But the Jacks didn’t go quietly. They chipped away in the middle innings, with a sacrifice fly from Gonzalez and a run-scoring single from Ariel Gonzalez bringing them within one. In the seventh, Freddy Oquendo came through with a clutch two-run single to push Covington ahead, 9-8 — a lead that held up thanks to strong bullpen work in the final frames. Jorge Garcia III earned the win in relief, tossing two scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Yannis Rembert was also electric out of the pen, striking out five over 1.2 innings of work. Despite Hector Escobar’s tough outing — eight earned runs on eight hits over two innings — the rest of the Lumberjack staff held firm. Jeffred Fermin added 2.1 scoreless innings in relief to help keep the game within reach.
Offensively, Covington totaled nine hits, with Tyler Tamargo going 2-for-3 with a run and a stolen base. Arquimedes Barrios, despite not recording a hit, drew three walks and crossed the plate twice, providing a consistent presence on the bases. The Cavaliers out-hit the Jacks 11-9 and got multi-hit efforts from Turner, Estes, and Pado, but three errors, seven walks issued, and missed chances with runners on doomed their efforts. For Covington, the game delays may have been the break they needed — literally — to snap a multi-game losing streak. While it wasn’t pretty, and the outcome hung in the balance until the final out, it was the kind of gritty, gutsy win the Jacks desperately needed.
With a win under their belt, Covington aims to keep the momentum going as they close out the season and make a push for the playoffs.
