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.
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.
