Leather impressive in 2-1 Generals win

Waynesboro starter Tim Leather was magnificent, giving up one run on four hits in seven innings in a 2-1 Generals win over Rockbridge.

Leather (1-0) struck out six and got to only one three-ball count against the Rapids, and the rising Belhaven junior retired 13 straight after a third-inning homer by Rockbridge designated hitter Richard Palase.

Cameron Finch pitched a perfect eighth, and Andrew Reck earned his fourth save with a perfect ninth inning.

The Generals got on the board in the first inning on a two-out single by Dykota Spiess that scored Jordan Walton from second. Walton had reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on a passed ball with two strikes on Spiess, who promptly delivered the next pitch into center field for the run-scoring hit.

After the Palase home run tied the game at 1-1, Waynesboro answered in the fourth on an RBI sacrifice fly by centerfielder Shane Halley, in his first game with the Generals two days after finishing up his junior season at the University of Virginia in the College World Series.

Halley’s sac fly scored Spiess from third with what would turn out to be the winning run.

The win coupled with a loss by first-place Staunton moves the Generals to within a game and a half of the Braves. Waynesboro and Staunton will meet Monday night at Kate Collins Field for a makeup game for a game rained out last week.
    

Photo of the Game

– To view the entire 2011 season in photos, visit photographer Mark Miller’s Waynesboro Generals gallery online at http://markmillerphotography.zenfolio.com/p533176921.