The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) – The Covington Lumberjacks couldn’t overcome a seven-run sixth inning by Waynesboro on Saturday night, falling 12-8 in their home opener despite a late rally effort.
Covington, which opened the season with an 8-6 road victory over Waynesboro on Friday, led 3-1 through five innings before the visitors erupted for seven runs in the sixth to take control.
The Lumberjacks scored first in the opening inning when Frankie Clark delivered a sacrifice fly, but Waynesboro answered with three runs in the top half of the frame. Covington chipped away with single runs in the third and fifth innings to tie the game at 3-3 before the decisive sixth inning.
Trailing 10-3 entering the eighth, Covington mounted a comeback. The Lumberjacks scored twice in the eighth and added three more in the ninth, but were unable to erase the deficit.
Chris Carroll paced the offense, going 3-for-6 with two runs scored, an RBI and two stolen bases. Frankie Clark finished with a hit, two RBIs and a walk, while Thomas Fratto connected for Covington’s first home run of the season, finishing with two RBIs and a run scored.
Jacob Levesque added a hit, run scored and walk, George Pardo Jr. crossed the plate twice, Mason Reid drove in a run and reached base three times via a hit and two walks, and Isaac Lopez scored once while drawing three walks and collecting an RBI.
Covington was aggressive on the bases, stealing five bags. Carroll stole two bases while Luis Ascosta and Darrius Brown added steals, with Brown swiping two bases.
On the mound, Carlos Manzueta started and allowed three earned runs. Deundre Jones followed with four innings of relief, allowing just one hit while striking out two. Nelson Martinez was charged with the loss after surrendering seven runs in 1.1 innings during Waynesboro’s sixth-inning surge.
Daniel Perruc worked three innings, allowing two runs while striking out four, and Eli Porter recorded two strikeouts in the final two outs of the game.
Waynesboro finished with 13 hits while Covington collected seven. Neither team committed an error. The Jacks will be on the road Sunday night in New Market where they will face off with the rebels. The rebels have won their first two games of the season and will look to continue that streak.
