Generals Surge Late to Nip Strasburg

The Waynesboro Generals opened their home schedule at Kate Collins Field with a three run 7^th and a four run 8^th to post an 8-5 comeback victory over the Strasburg Express.

Usually in an 8-5 ballgame, there would be plenty of hitting going on. However Wednesday night, that was not the case. Strasburg opened the scoring with a bases loaded walk in the top of the second. That lead didn’t last long though, as Dalton Wingo (UCF) lead off the bottom half with a monstrous solo homer that landed, and eventually crossed, Hopeman Parkway to even the score at 1-1.

The scoring picked back up in the 4^th for Strasburg when Austin Thompson ripped a 2-RBI single to centerfield off of starter Bryan Wilcox (Florida Gulf Coast). Two batters later Tyler Krabbe rolled a ball to third that was mishandled by General third baseman Tyler Trovinger (Oakland), allowing another run to score and lengthen Strasburg’s lead to 3.

After a few quiet middle innings, Waynesboro sprung for 3 runs in the bottom of the 7^th inning to tie the game at 4. Jordan Ammons (Mercer) came through with a one-out RBI single to right to drive in Jackson Webb (UCF). Later in the inning, Tanner Thomas (Tallahassee CC) hit a ground ball to Express first baseman Stephen Baughan, who threw the ball into right field to allow Ammons to score the second run of the inning. Two pitches later, a pickoff attempt caught Thomas in a rundown between first and second. When Kyle Wrighte (William & Mary) tried stealing home while Thomas was in a pickle, he was caught by Stephen Baughan. Later in the same at-bat, Thomas stole third and forced an errant throw from catcher Jimmy Jefferies, allowing Thomas to score the tying run.

Patrick O’Shea (St. Mary’s) replaced Hunter Shuff (USC Aiken) to start the top of the 8^th, but allowed a leadoff walk to come around to score on another RBI single by Austin Thompson, moving the score to 5-4.

The Generals did most of their damage off of Strasburg’s Sylvester Toe in the bottom of the 8^th. Toe loaded the bases and then walked in the tying run. He lasted 0.1 innings giving up four earned runs on one hit and 3 walks.

Jordan Ammons came through in another clutch situation with a sacrifice fly to right field to give Waynesboro the lead. After a balk, Kyle Wrighte hit a 2-RBI single to right field for some insurance runs. The score moved to 8-5 in favor of the Gens after 8 complete.

Gio Soto (FIU) came on to fire an impressive 9^th inning to earn his first save of the summer, racking up 2 strikeouts in the process.

Strasburg Key Performers:

• Austin Thompson: 2-4, 3 RBI, 2 SB
• Jimmy Jeffries: 1-2, 2 BB, 2 R
• Garrett Richards (ND): 4 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

Waynesboro Key Performers

• Dalton Wingo (UCF): 2-3, Solo HR (1)
• Jordan Ammons (Mercer): 1-3, 2 RBI
• Kyle Wrighte (William & Mary): 1-4, BB, 2 RBI
• Hunter Shuff (USC Aiken): 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K

The Generals (2-1) are back in action tomorrow night, June 7^th, at home vs. the Purcellville Cannons (2-2) at Kate Collins Field.