Generals Take Game 1 of Quarterfinals 6-0
Winning Pitcher Tyler Howe threw a complete game shutout with nine strikeouts in the victory over Staunton.
The Waynesboro Generals (31-12) took a 1-0 series lead with a 6-0 shutout of the Staunton Braves (15-28) at Kate Collins Field Thursday evening.
Tyler Howe dominated on the mound, throwing a complete game shutout while allowing only two hits to the Staunton offense. He struck out nine batters while only walking three in the Generals’ fourth home shutout of the Braves.
“I just filled up the zone and tried to throw every pitch with purpose,” Howe said post game. He finished with 119 pitches thrown with 70 strikes. “Tyler did a great job of making them earn everything,” Coach Matt Williams said of his pitcher.
The Generals got on the board first in the bottom of the third inning when Zach Sterry drove in a run with an RBI single. Then, in the second inning after a double, T.J. Condon would come in to score on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 Waynesboro.
Waynesboro would break things open in the bottom of the eighth inning with four runs to extend their lead to six runs. Eli Putnam got the scoring started with an RBI single to score Kyle Jackson. Brent Sakurai then scored added two more runs to the lead with a triple to score Condon and Putnam, making it a 5-0 lead. Tanner Poole would follow with a sacrifice fly to score the final run of the game, sealing the Generals victory at 6-0.
Coach Williams’ Player of the Game: P Tyler Howe (CG, 0 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 9 SO).
UP NEXT: The Generals will face the Braves again in Game 2 of the Quarterfinals in Staunton Friday night beginning at 7:30 pm.
Generals Cap Regular Season with 8-0 Shutout of Staunton
Starting pitcher Adam Tarver threw two perfect innings in his start Tuesday against Staunton.
The Waynesboro Generals (30-12) finished off the regular season with a 8-0 shutout of the Staunton Braves (15-27) in their final home game Tuesday evening.
Seven Waynesboro pitchers combined to throw the shutout while allowing just two hits all game. The offense also came to play as the team scored the eight runs on fourteen hits.
The Generals broke through on the scoreboard in the third inning when Tanner Poole blasted his sixth home run of the season, a two-run shot, to make it 2-0 Waynesboro.
The home team would add three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning as the stretched the lead to five runs. Brent Sakurai dropped a bunt with a runner on third to score the first run, and Poole came through again with a two-RBI triple to add two more.
In the fifth, Tracy Hadley came home to score on a wild pitch followed by a bloop single by Kyle Jackson to score two more runs and give the Generals a 7-0 lead. Waynesboro would add one more as Sam Palensky came in to score after a throwing error by the right fielder on a Zach Sterry single, making the final score 8-0.
Adam Tarver was the starting pitcher for Waynesboro, pitching perfect first and second innings with one strikeout. Tyler Elwer came in for the third and allowed just one hit with one strikeout as well. Newcomer Jonathan Murphy pitched perfect fourth and fifth innings and struck out one while also earning the win. Tyler Davis followed him in the sixth with two strikeouts and one walk. Darren Kelly, Brett Sasse, and Conner Loeprich finished the game in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings, respectively. Kelly and Sasse both struck out two in their scoreless innings of work while Loeprich allowed one hit with one strikeout.
With the win, the Waynesboro Generals finish the year with the best winning percentage in history at .714. The Generals also ended with a 19-2 home record.
Coach Williams’ Players of the Game: Starting Pitcher Adam Tarver (2.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 SO), and Catcher T.J. Condon (2-2, 2 1B).
UP NEXT: The Generals have a day off before beginning the first round of the Playoffs. Game 1 of their series against the Staunton Braves will be Thursday at home starting at 7:00 pm.
Generals Top Staunton, Win Seventh Straight
The Waynesboro Generals’ (21-9) offense continued its hot streak Thursday night against the Staunton Braves (11-19) with a 14-5 road victory.
Waynesboro continued to score runs at a torrid pace as the team has now scored 73 runs in their last six games.
Zach Sterry started the scoring off with a solo home run in the top of the first, his eleventh of the season, to make it 1-0. Another run tacked on by an Eli Putnam solo shot in the second gave the Generals an early 2-0 lead. Romy Gonzalez answered right back for Staunton with his own solo home run in the bottom of the second to cut the lead in half. Brent Sakurai scored in the top of the third on a wild pitch followed by another Staunton run to make it a 3-2 ballgame.
The Generals picked up another run in the sixth on an Andrew Bullock home run, his fourth straight game with a homer, to make it 4-2. Staunton would come back to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh, however, on a Jordan Fucci two-run home run before the Generals broke the game open in the final two innings with ten runs.
In the eighth, Tracy Hadley delivered a single with the bases loaded and an error by the right fielder allowed all three runs to come home and score, making it 7-4. Hadley and Tanner Poole would later score in the inning on a fielder’s choice to put the run tally at five for the inning. Errors cost the Braves dearly as all five runs scored by the Generals were unearned.
Staunton scored one more run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 9-5, but the Generals piled on five more runs in the top of the ninth to extend their lead. Hadley delivered again with a two-RBI double and would score on a Poole triple to make the score 12-5. Sterry drove in the final two runs with a double to give the Generals a nine run advantage would hold for the rest of the game.
David Ehmen was the winning pitcher for the Generals after throwing seven innings while allowing four runs on eight hits with four strikeouts. Tanner Kirby pitched the final two innings, giving up just one run on two hits. He struck out two and walked one batter.
UP NEXT: The Generals will travel again to face the North Division-leading Strasburg Express in a game that will begin at 7:00 pm.
Offense and Pitching Combine in 17-0 Blowout of Staunton
Winning pitcher Tyler Howe threw six and one-third scoreless innings against the Braves Monday.
A combined shutout from three pitchers along with seventeen runs on nineteen hits gave the Waynesboro Generals (20-9) a huge 17-0 home win over the Staunton Braves (10-17) Monday evening.
Eleven Waynesboro players hit safely in the game with eight having a multiple hit game. The Waynesboro offense continues to score runs in abundance recently with 59 runs scored in their last five games.
A big bottom of the first inning gave the Generals a quick 5-0 lead over Staunton. Zach Sterry scored the first run with an RBI single followed by another single by Eli Putnam that score two more. Andrew Bullock then crushed his third home run of the year, a two-run shot, to score two more and put their lead at five.
The offense continued to deliver in the bottom of the second scoring four more runs to extend the lead. Staunton miscues allowed the bases loaded before a bases loaded walk, fielder’s choice, and sacrifice fly scored three runs. Bullock delivered an RBI double to give the Generals a 9-0 lead.
Waynesboro would tack on two more runs in the bottom of the third to continue the rout. Sam Palensky drove in Brent Sakurai with a sacrifice fly before Sterry came through with another RBI single to make it 11-0 Generals.
Three more runs in the bottom of the fourth put the Generals up 14-0. T.J. Condon deposited an RBI single, then Brent Sakurai drove in two more runs with a double to left. Two more would score in the sixth on a two-RBI single by Bryant Bowen, and the lead widened to sixteen runs. Only one more would come across in the bottom of the eighth as the Generals came out on top 17-0.
Tyler Howe began the game on the mound for Waynesboro and pitched six and one third scoreless innings while allowing only two hits in picking up the win. He also finished with five strikeouts and two walks. Dylan Burns pitched two innings of relief giving up two hits as well with two strikeouts and one walk. Conner Loeprich finished the game in the ninth and allowed no hits with one strikeout.
Coach Williams’ Player of the Game: SP Tyler Howe (6.1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 SO)
UP NEXT: The Generals will face the Harrisonburg Turks in a home game at 7:00 pm Tuesday evening with a chance to take the division lead.
Generals Lose at Staunton in High Scoring Affair
The Waynesboro Generals (14-8) lost their third straight game Thursday evening this time at the hands of the Staunton Braves (8-12) by a score of 11-10.
Staunton used a big bottom of the sixth inning, in which they scored four runs, to break open what had been a tightly contested game. The two teams combine for twenty-one runs and twenty-nine hits as both offenses came to life at John Moxie Memorial Stadium.
Both teams used the second innings to score two runs a piece. For the Generals, Kyle Jackson hit a two-run home run, his second of the year.
Waynesboro put one run on the board in the third after Tanner Poole doubled and Zach Sterry drove him in with an RBI single. Staunton responded with two in the bottom of the inning to take the lead at 4-3.
Poole helped the Generals score three runs in the top of the fourth as his single scored two runs. He also scored when Brent Sakurai drove him in with an RBI single. Two more runs by Staunton in the bottom of the inning would lock the game at 6.
Two miscues by the Braves allowed two more Waynesboro runs to score in the fifth. Tracy Hadley came home on a wild pitch and T.J. Condon scored after the opposing pitcher balked. Adam Sisk responded for Staunton with a home run in the bottom of the inning before the Braves take the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth.
Waynesboro was able to put two more runs on the board, one in the eighth and one in the ninth, but could not complete the comeback.
Poole had a strong showing at the plate going 4-5 with three RBIs and his fourteenth stolen base on the year. Sterry also had an impressive game as he went 2-5 with a home run and two RBIs.
Waynesboro used four pitchers on the evening in what became an offensive showcase. Alex Ernestine started the game and only lasted four innings. He allowed six runs on eight hits with two walks and one strikeout. Darren Kelly earned the loss on the night as he tossed one and one-third in allowing three runs on three hits with one walk and one strikeout each. Tanner Kirby allowed the final two runs in his one and two-third innings of work with three walks. Tyler Elwer was the only Generals pitcher who did not allow a run in one inning of relief.
Jared Talley earned the win for Staunton, and Garrison Vandeventer got the save.
UP NEXT: The Generals will travel to take on the Harrisonburg Turks on Friday July 1 beginning at 7:00 pm.
Generals Top Staunton to Win Sixth Straight
The Waynesboro Generals (6-2) continued to make a habit out of winning recently after topping the Staunton Braves (2-6) Saturday night by a score of 8-4 for their sixth consecutive victory.
Despite falling behind early by two runs, Waynesboro stormed back for three runs in each of the second and third innings to take a lead they would not relinquish. In the second inning, a double by Eli Putnam followed by a single by Andrew Bullock put the Generals on the board. T.J. Condon then doubled as well to advance Bullock to third, who would later score on a wild pitch. Sam Palensky drove Condon home with an RBI single to give the Generals a 3-2 lead.
The third inning saw Waynesboro score three more runs. After Zach Sterry and Putnam reached base, another Bullock single followed by an error by the right fielder allowed both runners to score and extend the lead. Another Condon double scored Bullock to push the lead to 6-2.
Staunton was able to gain one run back in the fifth but the Generals posted one run in the seventh and in the eighth inning to extend the lead. Tanner Poole led off the seventh with a triple before scoring on a fielder’s choice, and Kyle Jackson hit a solo home run in the eighth to widen the margin. The Braves were only able to put one across in the ninth on a Keegan Maronpot solo homer as the Generals secured the victory.
Alex Ernestine was called on to start for the Generals and, despite only allowing three runs on four hits, struggled with control allowing seven walks compared to three strikeouts. Merritt Huber earned the win after pitching one and one-third allowing no runs and only one hit. Ivanniel Vazquez pitched two innings of scoreless relief giving up one hit with one strikeout and one walk. Connor Loeprich pitched the ninth and allowed one run on one hit.
Damon Frazier was credited with the loss for the Braves after pitching three and a third and allowing six runs on nine hits in his brief start.
UP NEXT: The Generals return home to face the Strasburg Express at 7:00 pm in a make up game that was originally scheduled for June 2.
Generals Edge Staunton 1-0 in Pitcher’s Duel
Strong pitching led the Generals again including a strong start from Tyler Davis who pitched 5 scoreless with 7 K’s.
Pitching was the name of the game Wednesday night in Waynesboro as the Generals (3-2) outlasted the Staunton Braves (1-4) 1-0 in a game that lasted just over two hours.
Generals pitchers held the Braves to no runs on just two hits as starter Tyler Davis and reliever Tanner Kirby combined to shut down the Staunton offense. Davis threw five innings allowing two hits with seven strikeouts and three walks. Kirby in relief was lights out despite first reporting to the Generals earlier in the day with no hits allowed and four strikeouts in four innings pitched.
“I just wanted to stick with the plan and pound the zone,” Davis said post game. He was able to do just that as he was nearly flawless in his start.
“Tonight was a great job on the bump by our two guys,” head coach Matt Williams mentioned after the game, “[Tyler] did a good job of commanding his off speed and kept the hitters off-balanced.”
The Generals lone run of the evening came in the fourth inning when Brent Sakurai scored on a wild pitch by Braves starter Eric Harp. Sakurai led the inning off with a single followed by stealing second base during the next at bat. A groundout by Sam Palensky moved the runner over before Sakurai scored during the at bat of Cory Alexander II.
Harp went five innings as well for Staunton giving up one run on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Thaddeus Ward came on in relief and pitched three scoreless innings only surrendering two hits with two strikeouts.
Waynesboro was led on offense by third-baseman Trey Stine who had three singles in four at bats to raise his batting average to .429. Sakurai was two for three with two singles and the one run scored.
Coach Williams Player of the Game: P Tyler Davis (5 IP, 2 H, 7 K, 3 BB, 0 R)
UP NEXT: The Generals travel to Covington Thursday Night to take on the Lumberjacks at 7:00 pm.
Walk-off RBI single lifts Staunton to series-clinching win over Waynesboro
For the second time in three nights, Staunton got a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth to break a tie score to walk off with a win over Waynesboro.
Monday night, it was Jordan Taylor taking a two-strike, two-out pitch from reliever Jamal Wilson just over the right side of the infield to score Brad Jarreau from third with the series-clinching run in a 5-4 Braves win.
The victory sends Staunton (34-15) to the championship series against Strasburg.
With the loss, the two-time defending champion Generals (25-23) are done for 2015, but not without putting up a heckuva fight.
Staunton took the lead in the bottom of the first on a one-out RBI double by Brad Jarreau that scored Jordan Howard.
Waynesboro answered in the second on a sacrifice fly to short-center by Austin Hale that scored Jeremy Taylor from third.
The Braves broke through with a run in the bottom of the second on an RBI single by Howard that made it 2-1 Staunton, and it could have been worse, but Joseph Estrada gunned down William Kinney at the plate trying to score on a fly ball to left off the bat of Jarreau to keep the margin at one.
An Estrada two-out RBI single scored Kevin Phillips to tie the game at 2-2, but it was the Braves’ turn to gun down a runner at the plate, with Jarreau cutting down Jonathan Camp at the plate from right-center.
A Taylor home run in the fourth made it 3-2 Staunton, and an Austin Edens RBI double in the fifth chased Generals starter Kevin Fagan with the score 4-2 Staunton.
Waynesboro answered with small ball in the sixth. Jonathan Camp led off the inning with a walk, and Jeremy Taylor, attempting to sacrifice him to second, beat the throw to first for an infield hit, and Camp advanced to third on an error by Braves starting pitcher Garrett Cave.
Camp scored on a wild pitch, with Taylor advancing to second. Taylor later stole third and scored on a two-out error by Kam Gellinger, tying the score at 4-4.
It would stay that way into the ninth, which began with Jarreau getting hit by a pitch from Wilson. Austin Edens grounded out to third for the first out of the inning, but Jarreau was able to advance to second on the play. Ryan Crile was retired for the second out on a grounder to first that allowed Jarreau to advance to third.
Wilson then walked Kevin Abraham and Kam Gellinger, the walk to Gellinger on a close 3-2 pitch that was called a ball.
Taylor worked the count to 1-2 before hitting a sinking liner over the head of Waynesboro second baseman Stephen Pitarra for the game-winning hit.
Damon Frazier (2-0, 1.89 ERA) earned the win for Staunton with three innings of two-hit, scoreless relief.
Wilson (3-4, 4.73 ERA) took the loss, giving up a run on three hits in an inning and two-thirds.
Chris Cook, in his first outing on the mound of the summer for the Generals, struck out five and walked two in two and two-thirds of hitless, scoreless relief.
Jeremy Taylor was 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored. Estrada and Clayton Taylor each had two hits for Waynesboro.
