Generals Beat Covington 9-1, Take 1-0 Series Lead
Kyle Jackson crushed two home runs and had four RBIs in the Game 1 victory.
The Waynesboro Generals topped the Covington Lumberjacks 9-1 in Game 1 of the VBL Semifinals Sunday evening to take a 1-0 series lead.
Waynesboro broke through early with four runs in the first inning as they took a 4-0 lead. Andrew Bullock started the scoring with a bases loaded sacrifice fly to score the first run of the game. Kyle Jackson then crushed a three-run home run to left field as the Generals took a four run lead. The home team was able to add one more in the second inning with Tanner Poole’s RBI single to take a 5-0 lead.
The scoring did not stop in the first two innings for the Generals, though, as they were able to push three more across in the third. T.J. Condon blasted a solo home run, scoring the first run, and Sam Palensky brought the next two home with a two-RBI double to make it 8-0 Waynesboro. Jackson added another home run in the fourth, this one a solo shot, giving the Generals a nine run lead.
The Lumberjacks were able to score one run in the top of the ninth, but that was all as the Generals would take Game 1 of the series 9-1.
Campbell Scholl got the ball to start the game and went five scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Tyler Elwer came on in relief for two innings, walked one batter, and struck out one as well. Tanner Kirby pitched the final two innings, giving up just the one run on three hits with a walk and a strikeout.
Coach Williams’ Player of the Game: RF Kyle Jackson (2-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI)
UP NEXT: Game 2 of the Semifinals will be in Covington on Monday evening, beginning at 7:00 pm.
Generals Top Front Royal 4-3 in 12 Innings
Right Fielder Kyle Jackson was the hero for the Generals with the game winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 12th inning.
A sacrifice fly by Kyle Jackson in the bottom of the twelfth inning gave the Waynesboro Generals (8-3) a walk off win over the Front Royal Cardinals (5-6) by a score of 4-3.
Tanner Poole got the scoring started for the Generals with a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning to put Waynesboro up 1-0. Front Royal would respond, though in the bottom of the inning where an Emilio Abreu double play groundout with the bases loaded was able to push across one run to tie the game.
Poole would help the Generals reclaim the lead in the bottom of the second with an RBI single to score Sam Palensky who reached on a single of his own and advanced to third on a base hit by Charles Zaloumis.
T.J. Condon checked in with a solo home run of his home in the sixth inning, his second of the year, to widen the Waynesboro lead to 3-1.
Front Royal was able to battle back in the ninth inning to extend the game, however, as they put two runs across to tie the game. After a leadoff walk and an error by the third baseman Zaloumis, an errant throw by the catcher Condon allowed both runners to move into scoring positions. A single by Tyler Kaiser was able to score one run, but the second runner was cut down by right fielder Kyle Jackson at the plate. Following that play, though, Kevin Williams, Jr. came off the bench to double home the tying run.
The game would go three more innings into the twelfth before the Generals would walk off with the victory. The inning began with Poole’s fifth hit of the game in the form of a single to left. A balk by the Front Royal pitcher allowed Poole to advance to second before Brent Sakurai would move the runner over with a sacrifice bunt. Two intentional walks followed to Zach Sterry and Andrew Bullock to load the bases before Jackson drove in the winning run with his sacrifice fly.
Poole was an impossible out in the game going 5-5 with the solo home run and four singles with an intentional walk in addition to scoring the winning run.
Ivanniel Vazquez was the winning pitcher for Waynesboro after pitching the eleventh and twelfth innings for the Generals. Vazquez allowed no runs, no hits, and struck out four batters.
Generals starting pitcher Tyler Elwer went four full innings allowing just one run on four hits with one walk and one strikeout. David Ehmen came on in relief to toss two perfect innings with two strikeouts. Dylan Burns would follow Ehmen for his first appearance of the year and threw two innings of scoreless relief while giving up two hits with one strikeout. Tanner Kirby gave up the tying two runs after throwing two innings of relief allowing two hits with two strikeouts and one walk.
Jacob Ramos was the losing pitcher for the Cardinals after allowing the winning run.
Coach Williams Player of the Game: RF Kyle Jackson (Game Winning Sacrifice Fly)
UP NEXT: The Generals will hit the road for three straight beginning tomorrow night at Covington to face the Lumberjacks starting at 7:30 pm.
