Five-run rally lifts Waynesboro to wild 15-14 win

Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

A four-run top of the 12th seemed to give Woodstock one of the wildest games in the 87-year history of the Valley League. But we weren’t even close in terms of how wild things were going to get.

Five consecutive two-out walks, the last one drawn by nine-hole hitter Jon Clinard, gave Waynesboro an improbable 15-14 win at Mathers Park Friday night.

Clinard had led off the 12th with a walk off Zachary Tobolowski. Colin Harrington followed with a single, and Chase Worthington flew out to center for the first out of the inning. Drew Turocy picked up his fourth hit of the night with a flare to short left-center that loaded the bases. Grant Fillipitch followed with an RBI fielders choice that scored Clinard and made it 14-11, but left the Generals with two outs.

That’s when things got crazy.

Devin Smith walked to reload the bases, and Chase Cowell, a catcher, was summoned in with the River Bandits short on available pitchers to get the final out. Waynesboro reliever Andrew Blackwell, in his second plate appearance of the season, drew a walk to force in a run that made it 14-12. Jared King walked on a 3-2 pitch to draw the Generals to within 14-13. Catcher Alan Stoupa walked to tie the game at 14, leading to another pitching change, with second baseman Foster Dunigan brought in to face Clinard. Dunigan wasn’t close on any of his four offerings to Clinard on the walkoff.

The win improves Waynesboro to 18-17 on the season and gives the Generals a three-game playoff-berth cushion between where the Generals are in fifth place and Woodstock and Staunton, an 11-4 loser at Winchester on Friday, are at 15-20 and in a tie for ninth place, with nine games to go in the 2010 regular season.

Blackwell (2-1) picked up the win in relief.

Kuban hit lifts Generals over Woodstock

Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
 

A T.J. Kuban eighth-inning single broke a 4-4 tie and lifted Waynesboro to a 5-4 win over Woodstock Wednesday night.

The Kuban single came one batter after Cody Hudson was thrown out at the plate trying to score from third with no outs on a grounder off the bat of Alan Stoupa. Hudson had reached on a two-base error to lead off the eighth and stolen third base after a walk to Zephan Guyear.

Guyear scored from third on the Kuban base hit.

Justin Thompson (1-0) picked up the win with two innings of scoreless relief. Mark Lamm recorded his second save, allowing two base runners in the ninth before getting Karl Johnston to ground out to end it.

Starter Brian Atkins gave up four runs in six innings of work, but rallied nicely after giving up a threespot in the Woodstock first.

Colin Harrington was 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI hitting out of the leadoff spot.

The win was the Generals’ fourth in a row away from home and fifth in their last seven overall.

Woodstock knocks off Generals, 5-2

Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
 

Six strong innings from Vince Voiro and a lack of clutch hitting by Waynesboro doomed the Generals to a tough 5-2 loss Wednesday night at Mathers Park.

Voiro (3-1) came into the game with a 1.53 ERA and pitched as advertised, giving up two runs on five hits in his six innings of work.

Voiro outdueled Waynesboro starter Michael Reed (0-2), who scattered eight hits in his six innings of work but left down 3-2.

The River Bandits made it 5-2 with a pair of runs in the eighth off reliever Wade Bilbrey.

Waynesboro left 11 runners on base, including leaving the bases loaded in both the fourth and the seventh.

Terrell Thompson was 2-for-4 at the plate for the Generals.

Generals’ rally falls short in Woodstock

Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
 

A furious rally in the late innings fell just short as Waynesboro lost a tough one on the road at Woodstock 7-5 Thursday.

Down 7-0 entering the eighth, the Generals (3-2) scored three runs on one hit, an RBI single by Drew Turocy, an error on a ground ball off the bat of Grant Fillipitch and a pitch that hit pinch-hitter Kevin McCall.

The Generals then scored two in the ninth on a pair of RBI walks to Kenny Fleming and Fillipitch before McCall grounded out with two out and the bases loaded to end it.

Mike Hernandez (1-1) took the loss after giving up seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in six and two-thirds innings.

Vince Voiro (1-1) got the win for Woodstock (4-1). Voiro shut out the Generals on three hits in seven and a third while striking out eight.