Late Saturday Night Contest Sees Braves Over Gens
In a ball game that didn’t get started until 8:30 due to wet field conditions, the Braves outlasted the Generals in a tightly contested Saturday night showdown.
Both teams started their offensive nights with runs in the first frame. In the top of the first, Cole Swiger singled to center to start the night for Staunton. After a walk to the next hitter, Staunton elected to play small ball early on and sacrifice the runners to second and third with one out. After a Braves strike out, Will Simoneit hit an infield single to the hole at shortstop to bring in the first run of the game.
The Generals would answer right back. Gabe Montenegro (Southern Miss) singled to start the night. Bruno Teramoto (New Mexico St) drew a walk to create a carbon copy of the top half of the inning. Chase Cheek (Duke) then went to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but placed it so perfectly that he was able to beat the throw for a bunt single. Andrew Orzel (Wofford) was able to bring in the first General run by taking a pitch off his back for an RBI hit-by-pitch. The bases were still loaded with nobody out when the next hitter rolled into a double play. It did, however, give the Generals the lead at 2-1.
Tyler Bielamowicz (Houston) was the starter for the Generals on Saturday night. After giving up a run in the first, he was able to settle in a bit. With 4 hits and 2 walks, he did have to pitch himself out of some jams, but was able to do so masterfully with 6 strikeouts. It was after his 5 innings were up that trouble set in for the Generals. With the new pitcher in the game, the Braves struck for runs in each of the next 3 innings.
In the 6th, the Braves were able to work their first two on by a walk and HBP. They decided to go with the small ball route again and laid down a sacrifice bunt. Justin Beyer (Wagner) was the new pitcher in the game and tried to force a throw into third base, but ended up throwing the ball into left field, allowing a run to score and runners to second and third. After Beyer walked the next hitter, his night was done. The left-handed Bryan Wilcox (FGCU) came into the ball game to try and get out of the jam. He did just that by getting a shallow fly ball to left for out number one and a 4-6-3 double play for outs 2 and 3 to not allow another run to score. The score was now tied at 2-2.
Unfortunately, the 7th didn’t go as smoothly for Wilcox. After a leadoff single, the runner came all the way around to score on a double into the left field gap. Wilcox managed to strike out the next hitter, but that would be the end of his night. He would give way to Matt Nickles (Randolph-Macon). Nickles wouldn’t be able to strand Wilcox’s last runner as he surrendered a two-out RBI single to Brycen Thomas. The score after 7 complete was 4-2.
In the 8th, there was more of the same. A leadoff single started things out for the Braves. Nickles then got what looked like a 6-4-3 double play ball to delete the runner from first. Umpires came together and ruled that the throw pulled the first baseman from the bag. Cole Swiger would make the Gens pay for the mistake by ripping a double into the left center gap for an RBI. After a groundout to second base to move Swiger to third, he came in to score on a wild pitch. That put the Braves on top by 4 and they were never threatened in the late innings.
The Generals were only able to muster 6 hits total in the game. This marks the 8th time in 14 games that the Gens were held to 4 runs or less.
Key Performers for Staunton:
- Cole Swiger: 4-5, RBI 2B, 2 R
- Eric Conner: 1-4, RBI 2B, R
- Braves Bullpen: 4.1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K.
Key Performers for Waynesboro:
- Tyler Bielamowicz (Houston): ND, 5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
- Gabe Montenegro (Southern Miss): 2-4, R
- Kyle Wrighte (William & Mary): 2-4, 2B
The Generals will have to sleep fast as they take on the Purcellville Cannons at home on Sunday night at 7 PM at Kate Collins Field.
Generals Snap 3-Game Skid In Win Over Front Royal
The Generals had lost 3 straight games to drop under the .500 mark coming into the game Sunday night against the Front Royal Cardinals at Bing Crosby Stadium. The bats came alive for 13 hits to propel them to a win over the North Division leaders.
The scoring started in the top of the 3rd. With one out in the inning, Dalton Wingo (Central Florida)
Dalton Wingo: 3-3, 2B, HR, 3 R
connected on his 2nd homer of the season to begin his fantastic night at the plate. Then in the third inning, Jackson Webb (Central Florida) led off the inning with a single, stole second, and was brought into score on a Chase Cheek (Duke) grounder that couldn’t be handled by the second baseman. The lead after 4 complete innings was 2-0 in favor of the Generals.
Once again, the 5th inning began with a lead-off single. This time it was Tyler Bielamowicz (Houston) getting things started. Dalton Wingo then doubled off the wall in left field to put runners at second and third with nobody out. Kyle Wrighte (William & Mary) came through next with a single to score Bielo. After the RBI single, Gabe Montenegro (Southern Miss) hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Wingo. Going to the bottom of the 5th, the Generals led 4-0.
The Cardinals wouldn’t go away quietly. Evan Gillespie (Faulkner U) was throwing a gem, but would stumble just slightly in the 5th. After getting the first hitter of the inning to fly out, Gillespie gave up a walk and 2 doubles to the next three hitters. However, he would do a nice job working out of the inning with the last double being left stranded at second base. The lead was still intact at 4-2 Waynesboro.
In the top of the 6th, the Generals would make it 4 straight innings with a run. Tyler Trovinger (Oakland) would start the inning off with a single to left. 2 batters later, Dalton Wingo would contribute his third hit in as many at bats. That brought Kyle Wrighte to the plate with runners at first and second with 2 outs. After going down 0-2 in the count, Wrighte scorched a double off the wall in right field to bring in both runners.
Matt Nickles (Randolph-Macon) would sub in for Gillespie in the 6th. He worked a perfect two innings, facing the minimum 6 batters. After 7 complete innings, the Generals led 6-2.
In the bottom of the 8th, the Generals ran into some trouble. The inning seemed to be all but over after recording outs on the first two hitters of the inning. However, Spencer Packard drilled a home run to start a string of 5 straight 2-out hits. Christian Avant hits a double 2 pitches later, followed by Kendall Small hitting a no-doubter to right field. The Generals would then bring in Patrick O’Shea (St Mary’s) for the struggling Jacob Weirich (Southern Miss). O’Shea would surrender 2 straight singles and his night would be finished as well. So with 2 outs in the inning, Coach John Jeanes (Chipola) would turn to his closer Gio Soto (Florida International) for a four out save.
Soto came on, got out of the inning, and then threw a dominant 9th inning to lock down his 3rd save of the year.
Key Performers for Front Royal:
- Andrew Burden: 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI
- Spencer Packard: 1-3 HR (1)
- Kendall Small: 1-4, 2-Run HR (1)
Key Performers for Waynesboro:
- Chase Cheek (Duke): 2-5, 2 SB(3)
- Kyle Wrighte (William & Mary): 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI
- Dalton Wingo (Central Florida): 3-3, 2B, HR(2), 3 R
- Evan Gillespie (Faulkner U): W (1-0), 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
- Gio Soto (Florida International): SV(3), 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
The Generals (5-5) will be looking for back-to-back wins tomorrow, Monday June 18th, when they take on the South Division leaders, the Charlottesville TomSox (8-3). Come out this week and support your Generals. They will have home games Monday and Tuesday (Charlottesville both nights), Thursday (Strasburg), Saturday (Staunton), and Sunday (Purcellville).
Bring your friends and family to Kate Collins field for some high-quality baseball this week. Hope to see you there!
Generals Use Huge 6th Inning to Top Purcellville
The Generals found themselves trailing 1-0 after 5 complete on the road in Purcellville. A big 6th inning, along with a solid outing from the pitching staff, prevented them from losing their third straight.
After the Cannons scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the third, Generals starting pitcher, Tyler Bielamowicz (Houston), worked his way through his outing with 6 strikeouts. He went 4 innings, allowed 2 hits and a run. Matt Nickles (Randolph-Macon) came in to relieve while the Generals were behind 1-0. He threw 2 innings and only gave up a single hit. He earned his first win of the year. Patrick O’Shea (St Mary’s) was the bridge to the 9th. He managed to throw 2 innings, giving up 3 hits, a walk, but striking out 4. This paved the way for Gio Soto (Florida International) to throw a clean 9th for his 2nd save of the year.
As for the offense, Jordan Ammons (Mercer) stepped in to start off the 6th, and immediately drilled a double into the right center gap. He was moved to third by Kyle Wrighte (W&M) on a ground ball to the right side. 2 batters later, Chase Cheek (Duke) drove in Ammons with an infield single. Cheek’s single was the beginning of 4 straight two out hits, including RBI doubles by Alex Webb (Chipola) and Tyler Trovinger (Oakland).
Key Performers for Purcellville:
- Jacob Freeland: 3-4, 2B
- Blade Baker: 1-2, BB, R, SB
Key Performers for Waynesboro:
- Chase Cheek (Duke): 3-4, SB, R, RBI
- Tyler Trovinger (Oakland): 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI
The Generals (4-3) will be back in action tomorrow night at home vs. the Covington Lumberjacks (6-3) at 7 pm. Waynesboro will turn to Justin Beyer (Niagara County CC) on the hill.
Walton, Reck named to Mid-Alantic Classic team
First baseman Jordan Walton and closer Andrew Reck will represent the Waynesboro Generals in the Mid-Atlantic Classic.
The Classic pits all-stars from the Valley League against all-stars from the Cal Ripken League in Maryland. Read more
