The Shadow
HARRISONBURG, Va. (VR) – The Covington Lumberjacks erased a four-run deficit with a late offensive surge to defeat the Harrisonburg Turks, 11-7, on the road. Covington finished with 11 runs on 14 hits and took advantage of four Harrisonburg errors, while the Turks were limited to seven runs on five hits.
The Lumberjacks struck first with two runs in the opening inning. Dariel Castillo delivered an RBI single to score Darrius Brown before Jan Oquendo followed with an RBI single to give Covington a 2-0 lead.
Harrisonburg answered with four runs in the third inning on RBI singles by Elijah Guilliams and Andrew Fonte to move in front 4-2. The Turks added two more runs in the fourth to stretch the advantage to 6-2.
Covington began its comeback in the sixth. Frankie Clark drew an RBI walk before Brown was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, cutting the deficit to 6-4. The Lumberjacks pulled within one in the seventh when Thomas Fratto lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Oquendo. Covington broke through in the eighth.
An error allowed Luis Acosta to score the tying run before Brown lined an RBI single to put the Lumberjacks ahead 7-6. Zach Doorlag followed with a two-run single to extend the lead to 9-6.
The Lumberjacks added two insurance runs in the ninth when Peter Crespo reached on a bunt single and a throwing error allowed Acosta and Fratto to score for an 11-6 advantage. Harrisonburg added its final run in the bottom of the ninth on Bennett Gary’s RBI double.
Brown led the offense by going 2-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Acosta finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a walk, while Fratto went 2-for-3 with two runs, an RBI and a double. Castillo was 2-for-5 with an RBI, Doorlag drove in two runs, Oquendo added an RBI, and Clark collected an RBI and scored once.
Covington also stayed aggressive on the bases with 10 stolen bases. Castillo stole three bases, Oquendo added three, Brown stole one, Doorlag swiped one and Levesque recorded one steal.
Luke Richards started for the Lumberjacks, allowing four earned runs on two hits over three innings while striking out three. Dylan Andino Camacho was charged with two earned runs without recording an out.
Quindon Wright earned the win, improving to 1-3 after allowing one run on two hits over the final six innings. He struck out three and walked one while shutting down the Turks after the fourth inning. Covington turned two double plays behind its pitching staff.
