The Shadow
HARRISONBURG – The Covington Lumberjacks used a 12-run eighth inning to erase a 4-3 deficit and help snap a four-game losing streak as they topped the Harrisonburg Turks Thursday night, 15-5.
Jake Ramsey (Oral Roberts) started on the mound for the Lumberjacks and picked up his third win of the summer with seven strong innings. Ramsey allowed four runs on seven hits, while striking out 10 and walking one.
The Lumberjacks trailed 4-3 heading into the top of the eight inning, but benefitted from five walks, four wild pitches and two hit batters by Harrisonburg pitchers.
Reliever Kurt Wunderlich hit Andrew Longley (South Florida) to lead-off the inning, walked Robby Stahl (Florida State) and gave up a bunt single to Giuseppe Papaccio (Seton Hall) to load the bags with no outs.
Wunderlich then issued a bases-loaded walk to Andrew Caron (Mount St. Mary’s) before uncorking a wild pitch that allowed Stahl to score and both Papaccio and Caron to advance 90 feet.
Wunderlich was relieved by Mario Mena, but Mena’s control was not any better.
Pinch runner Justin Gonzalez (Florida State) scored on a passed ball and Mena walked Michael Garcia (Eastern Kentucky) and Brandon Turner (Bethune-Cookman).
Mena’s day was done as Emilio Pagan came on in relief and the first batter he faced, Richie Rodriquez (Eastern Kentucky), ripped an two-run double down the left field line. Rodriquez then stole third and scored on a throwing error by Harrisonburg catcher Scott Dalrymple.
Pagan then walked Florida State’s Sherman Johnson and Mike Martinez followed with a two-run bomb to left field.
Longley was then hit by pitch for the second time in the inning and Ryan Dineen (Eastern Illinois) singled. Gonzalez then stepped into the box and deliverd a three-run shot to left-center field to clear the bases.
Harrisonburg elected to bring in Joseph Hollowell, their fourth pitcher in the inning, to try and end the onslaught.
Hollowell gave up a single to Casey Selsor (University of Texas-San Antonio) and Turner followed with a double down the left field line to put runners in scoring position. Selsor would score the Lumberjacks’ 12th run of the inning on a wild pitch to give Covington a 15-4 lead.
Steven Holt (Alleghany H.S./Ferrum College) worked a perfect inning of relief in the eighth inning and Ryan Harvey pitched in the ninth as the Lumberjacks ended a four-game slide with the 15-5 win.
Rodriquez led the Jacks at the plate with a 3-for-5, two RBI night.
Johnson added two hits and an RBI, while Gonzalez was 1-for-1 with three RBI.
The Lumberjacks (12-14) return home tonight to host the New Market Rebels. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m.
Four Lumberjack players will represent Covington on the 2010 Valley League South All-Star Roster. Rodriquez, Ramsey, Martinez and Longley were named to Valley League South All-Star team, who will take on the North All-Stars Sunday on Eagle Field on the campus of James Madison University in the 2010 Valley League All-Star game.
Rodriquez and Martinez will also participate in Sunday’s Home Run Derby which is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. prior to the beginning of Sunday’s Valley League All-Star game.
