Gens Bounce Back With Late Win Over Strasburg
Bryce Teodosio (Clemson) was cleared to play Sunday morning after the second half of his Freshman year at Clemson was ended due to a collarbone injury. With runners on 1st and 3rd, Bryce Teodosio, in only his 4th at-bat with the team, sent a go-ahead 3-Run homer over the centerfield fence in the 8th inning.
The scoring was hard to come by until the top of the 4th. Strasburg started Macklin Ohs got the first two hitters of the inning out, but Teodosio started things with a single. He was attempting to steal when Alex Webb (Chipola) singled to right. Once the ball got by the right fielder, Teodosio came all the way around to score. Dalton Wingo (UCF) followed it up with a single to drive in Webb. The Gens had struck for 2 in the top of the 4th.
Fred Villarreal (Houston) was the starter in the game for the Gens. He worked his way through 6+ innings, but when the Express struck for a double and a single to start the inning, he gave way to Aron Solis (Texas Southern) to get out of the inning. He wasn’t able to strand Villarreal’s 2 runs, but didn’t allow any more damage. The score after 7 complete innings was 2-2.
The Gens didn’t take long to answer. It all started with 2 outs in the 8th. Andrew Orzel (Wofford) walked to get the first runner on. Alex Brait (FGCU) then worked his way on with another walk. Then on a 1-2 count, Bryce Tedosio teed off on a fastball to send it over the center field fence. The 3 run homer put the Gens on top 5-2.
The Strasburg Express would add one run in the bottom of the 8th off Solis. After getting the first out of the inning, Solis let a fastball ride just a little too far inside and hit the batter. He then proceeded to get the next out. However, Strasburg wasn’t going to go away quietly. The next hitter worked a full count walk to put runners on first and second and to bring the tying run to the plate. Michael Koenig then drilled a single to left to score a run, making it 5-3 with runners on first and second again. The go-ahead run was now at the plate, but Solis kept his cool and got a fly out to left. Solis would continue to keep his cool and would work a 1-2-3 ninth to get the Generals off the 3 game losing streak.
Key Performers for Strasburg:
- Keiton Rivers: 2-3, BB, R
- Hogan Brown: 2-4
- Michael Koenig: 2-4, RBI
- Macklin Ohs: ND, 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Key Performers for Waynesboro:
- Fred Villarreal (Houston): ND, 6+ IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
- Aron Solis (Texas Southern): W (2-0), 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
- Bryce Teodosio (Clemson): 2-4, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
- Alex Webb (Chipola): 3-4, R
The Generals (10-12) will try to make it 2 in a row when they return home Monday night to take on Harrisonburg at Kate Collins Field.
Generals Fall in Game 2 as Express Take Home Valley League Title
The Strasburg Express are the 2016 Valley League Champions after defeating the Waynesboro Generals 5-4 in Game 2 of the Championship Series in Waynesboro Friday evening.
The Express take home the Jim Lineweaver Cup for the second consecutive season as they handed the Generals just their third home loss all season.
Strasburg used a big seventh inning where they scored five runs to take a one run lead that would hold until the end of the game. An RBI single by Jake Tisevich followed by a pair of RBI doubles by Tyler Green and Erick Delgado did the damage, allowing the Express to take the 5-4 lead and hold on for the victory.
The two teams traded zeroes early, but the Generals were able to break through in the fourth inning with three runs. After a single by Zach Sterry, Kyle Jackson drove in the first run with an RBI double to the left-center field gap. Andrew Bullock followed with an RBI double of his own to score Jackson, and T.J. Condon drove in Bullock with a single to make it 3-0 Waynesboro.
The Generals were able to put one more run on the board in the sixth when Condon scored Bullock again with an RBI double as the home team took a 4-0 lead before Strasburg’s big seventh inning.
Tyler Howe began the game on the mound for the Generals going six shutout innings before surrendering the five runs in the seventh. He would finish as the losing pitcher while walking two and striking out three. Tanner Kirby pitched three innings of relief, allowing only three hits with one walk.
Benjamin Dum was the winning pitcher for Strasburg with Abraham Almonte earning the save.
Generals Drop Game 1 of Championship Series 7-6 at Strasburg
The Waynesboro Generals fell just short in Game 1 of the Valley League Championship Series, losing to the Strasburg Express 7-6 Thursday night.
Strasburg came out of the gate quick with a big three run home run by Brandon Quaranta to give them an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Waynesboro came ready with a response, though, as they put up four runs in the second to take their first lead. Brent Sakurai delivered a two-RBI triple to right field to score the first two and put Waynesboro on the scoreboard. Sam Palensky would follow with a two run single as the Generals took a 4-3 lead.
The Express would come back with three more runs scored in the bottom of the third inning to retake the lead, however. Strasburg used a pair of doubles and singles to take a 6-4 lead in an impressive two-out rally in the inning. They would tack on one more in the fifth when Carter Pharis took home on a wild pitch and lead 7-4.
The Generals were not done yet as Zach Sterry brought them to within one with a two-run home run, his third of the postseason, but Waynesboro was unable to complete the comeback, losing 7-6.
Brett Sasse started on the mound for Waynesboro, only going three and a third innings after allowing six runs on seven hits while striking out two batters. Dylan Burns came on in relief for three and two-thirds innings while giving up one run on two hits. He struck out three and walked one. Darren Kelly pitched the ninth and surrendered just one hit.
Waynesboro now faces elimination for the first time this postseason, as they must win the next two games to win the Jim Lineweaver Cup.
UP NEXT: Game 2 of the best-of-3 Championship series will take place in Waynesboro on Friday evening beginning at 7:00 pm
Six Run Seventh Inning Propels Generals over Strasburg
Brett Sasse had a strong relief appearance, pitching 6.1 innings and allowing only one run in earning the win for the Generals.
Using six runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Waynesboro Generals (26-10) edged out the Strasburg Express (26-11) 8-7 on Thursday night at Linco Park.
Strasburg got on the scoreboard first on an RBI groundout in the top of the first inning. Starting pitcher Tyler Elwer was able to escape further damage with runners on, though, making it 1-0. The Express would extend their lead with a big four run third inning to make the score 5-0. Brandon Quaranta had a two-run home run followed by a bases loaded hit batsman and a sacrifice fly extended the lead to five runs.
Waynesboro finally got on the board in the bottom of the third as Tanner Poole drove in Brent Sakurai with an RBI single. They would not score again until the bottom of the sixth inning when Tracy Hadley tripled and came home to score on a passed ball to make it 5-2.
Sakurai delivered an RBI single to score T.J. Condon to make it a 5-3 game. Then, back-to-back hit batsmen and a walk with the bases loaded scored another run to pull the Generals within one. Hadley then came through with a clutch two-RBI single to give the team a 6-5 lead. Andrew Bullock followed with another single to score to more, and Waynesboro ended the inning with a 8-5 lead.
Strasburg would score in the eighth and ninth inning to pull within one run, but the Generals would hold them off just enough to come away with 8-7 victory.
Elwer went just two innings, allowing five runs on six hits with two walks and one strikeout. Brett Sasse came on in relief and pitched six and one-third innings in an effort that earned him the win. He gave up two runs on three hits and struck out five batters. Tanner Kirby got the final two outs of the game in his two-thirds of an inning.
Coach Williams’ Players of the Game: P Brett Sasse (6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 5 SO) and 3B Tracy Hadley (2-4, 3B, 1B, 2 R, 2 RBI).
UP NEXT: The Generals will travel to New Market to take on the Rebels Friday evening beginning at 7:00 pm.
Waynesboro Loses to Strasburg on Walk-Off
The Strasburg Express (24-9) handed the Waynesboro Generals (21-10) their first loss in eight games Friday evening in a tightly contested 3-2 game in Strasburg.
Brandon Quaranta delivered a walk-off double in the bottom of the ninth to score Carter Pharis and give the Express the victory.
Neither team would score a run until the sixth inning when the Generals finally put one on the board. Zach Sterry hit an RBI single to score Tanner Poole and give Waynesboro the first lead of the game. Strasburg would answer in the bottom of the seventh with two runs of their own and take the lead. Poole hit a solo home run in the top of the eighth for the Generals to tie the game again before Strasburg would win in the ninth.
Campbell Scholl started for Waynesboro and went seven innings while allowing two runs on five hits. He had no walks or strikeouts in his start. Ivanniel Vazquez was the losing pitcher for Waynesboro, giving up the winning run in the ninth. In his relief appearance, Vazquez struck out one and walked one batter.
Alex Schnell earned the win in relieving for the Express.
UP NEXT: The Generals will return home to face the Covington Lumberjacks Saturday night at 7:00 pm.
Generals Fall to Strasburg 4-1
After winning six straight games, the Waynesboro Generals (6-3) fell to the Strasburg Express (8-1) for their first home loss of the season Sunday night 4-1.
Strasburg got on the board first where they put one run up in the top of the second after a ball got by the first baseman and allowed left fielder Drew Avans to score from first. The Express were able to put another on the board in the third when Eric Delgado had an RBI groundout to score Joseph Fernando from third to make the score 2-0.
The Generals were held hitless until the sixth inning where they scored their first run of the game. Bryant Bowen broke through with a single up the middle. Nick Spangler came in to pitch run and was able to advance to third after a throwing error by the shortstop. Charles Zaloumis drove in the run with a sac fly to shrink the Express lead to 2-1.
Strasburg was able to push two more insurance runs across in the top of the ninth after an RBI single by Donovan May and a sacrifice fly by Erick Delgado pushed the lead to 4-1 which would hold until the end of the game.
Starting pitcher Benjamin Dum had a strong start for Strasburg in picking up the win. After throwing five perfect innings, Dum finished with a line of one run on three hits with five strikeouts. Joshua Green pitched the final three innings allowing no runs on just two hits with two strikeouts and one walk.
“Hats off to Dum. He just did an outstanding job,” Coach Matt Williams said post-game of the impressive start from the Strasburg pitcher.
Tyler Howe got his first start of the season for the Generals going five innings for two runs with one earned on 4 hits, two strikeouts, and four walks. Christian Cok pitched one and two-thirds innings of relief allowing just two hits and Darren Kelly finished the game allowing the final two runs on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Howe was credited with the loss.
UP NEXT: The Generals will take on the Purcelville Cannons at 7:00 pm at home.
Waynesboro defeats Strasburg, 6-3, to claim Valley League title
Corey Armentrout gave up one run in five innings on the mound on two days rest, Waynesboro hit three home runs, and reliever Sean Buchholz closed things out with two innings of scoreless relief, lifting the Generals to a 6-3 win over the Strasburg Express in the deciding Game 3 of the Valley League Championship Series on Tuesday.
The VBL title is the fifth for Waynesboro, and the first for the franchise since 2007. It came at the end of an improbable run for the Generals, who were the last team to qualify for the South Division playoffs, on the final day of the 2013 regular season, and had to knock off two nationally-ranked teams just to get to the Championship Series. Read more
Championship Notebook: The game inside the game
First Homer of the Season: Kevin Fagan (freshman, Stetson) picked a good time to go deep for the first time in 2013. Fagan homered in the fifth inning of the Waynesboro Generals’ 6-3 win over Strasburg that clinched the 2013 Valley League title for Waynesboro.
It wasn’t only Fagan’s first homer in VBL play, but the calendar year. The Freshman All-American hit .275 with 25 RBI, but didn’t hit a long ball in his college season.
“I was looking first-pitch fastball because they were feeding me fastballs all night. I got a really good pitch to drive, and it felt good,” Fagan said.
Mazeika’s Insurance: Patrick Mazeika (freshman, Stetson) came to bat with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning with Waynesboro leading Strasburg, 4-3.
The Express had cut what had been a 4-0 lead to a single run, and the Generals could certainly use some insurance with a VBL title on the line.
Here’s how Mazeika described his at bat, which resulted in a two-run single that propelled the Generals to their 6-3 win:
“I was definitely taking the first pitch. He had been a little wild. He threw the first pitch in there, and I battled to a 2-2 count, took a hack at a 2-1 pitch, just missed that. He came back with a fastball. I was real surprised. I tried to let it get deep just because I was thinking he might try to get a changeup in there.
“I got the fastball up and away and took it up the middle.
“As it was going, I was thinking, This kid has already robbed me once this weekend, he’s not getting this one. It snuck through there, and it feels pretty good.”
Dogpile: Sean Buchholz (junior, Southern Miss) is a fan of post-championship dogpiles, and then he isn’t
“That was my first time being on the very bottom, and I can say I don’t want to do that again,” said Buchholz, who recorded the save in the series clincher with two scoreless innings of work in which he struck out four Strasburg hitters, including the final two that he faced.
After seeing video of the dogpile, Buchholz said “it seemed like it went on a lot longer when I was in there than what it looked like on video.”
Two words hint as to why: Sikes Orvis.
“Sikes Orvis over there, big fellow, tackled me, and everyone else just piled on right after that,” Buchholz said.
“I couldn’t breathe for a little while, but it’s worth it,” Buchholz said.
Winning It All for Waynesboro: It meant a lot to Generals players to win the Valley League title for their hosts for the summer in Waynesboro.
“The community itself is awesome. Everybody in Waynesboro is just very lovely people. It’s very good to get this win and do it for them,” Buchholz said.
Playoff MVP Corey Armentrout (sophomore, Bridgewater) said it was great to be able to repay Generals fans for their season-long support.
“They come out and support us so much, from little stuff like food after the games to fan support that we have playing ballgames. Even the stuff just out and about in Waynesboro, people saying, You play for the Generals, hey, we love you guys. It’s great being able to take that back home and show them how much their support means,” Armentrout said.
