Valley League releases 2012 schedule
Waynesboro opens the 2012 Valley League season with a home game with rival Staunton on Friday, June 1, at 7 p.m.
The Valley League released the 2012 schedule on Monday. The 12-team league will be broken up into two six-team divisions. In 2011, there were three four-team divisions.
The Generals will meet the Staunton Braves eight times – with home games on June 1, June 14, July 13 and July 20 and road games on June 7, June 13, June 27 and July 14.
Waynesboro took nine of the 10 games in the season series with Staunton in 2011 en route to winning the South Division championship.
2012 Valley League Schedule
| Date | Status | Away | Home |
| Fri, June 1 | 7:00 | Strasburg | Luray |
| 7:00 | Woodstock | Winchester | |
| 7:00 | New Market | Rockbridge | |
| 7:00 | Staunton | Waynesboro | |
| 7:30 | Covington | Harrisonburg | |
| 7:30 | Front Royal | Haymarket | |
| Sat, June 2 | 7:00 | Haymarket | Luray |
| 7:00 | Winchester | Front Royal | |
| 7:00 | Waynesboro | Covington | |
| 7:30 | Harrisonburg | New Market | |
| 7:30 | Rockbridge | Staunton | |
| 7:30 | Strasburg | Woodstock | |
| Sun, June 3 | 6:00 | Strasburg | Haymarket |
| 7:00 | Luray | Winchester | |
| 7:00 | New Market | Waynesboro | |
| 7:00 | Staunton | Covington | |
| 7:30 | Rockbridge | Harrisonburg | |
| 7:30 | Front Royal | Woodstock | |
| Mon, June 4 | 7:15 | VBL Meeting | |
| Tue, June 5 | 7:00 | Woodstock | Luray |
| 7:00 | Strasburg | Front Royal | |
| 7:00 | Covington | Rockbridge | |
| 7:30 | Staunton | New Market | |
| 7:30 | Waynesboro | Harrisonburg | |
| 7:30 | Winchester | Haymarket | |
| Wed, June 6 | 7:00 | Strasburg | Winchester |
| 7:00 | Front Royal | Luray | |
| 7:00 | New Market | Covington | |
| 7:00 | Rockbridge | Waynesboro | |
| 7:30 | Harrisonburg | Staunton | |
| 7:30 | Haymarket | Woodstock | |
| Thur, June 7 | 6:30 | Luray | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | Haymarket | Front Royal | |
| 7:00 | Harrisonburg | Covington | |
| 7:00 | New Market | Rockbridge | |
| 7:30 | Waynesboro | Staunton | |
| 7:30 | Winchester | Woodstock | |
| Fri, June 8 | 6:30 | Woodstock | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | Staunton | Rockbridge | |
| 7:00 | Winchester | Front Royal | |
| 7:00 | Covington | Waynesboro | |
| 7:30 | Harrisonburg | New Market | |
| 7:30 | Luray | Haymarket | |
| Sat, June 9 | 6:30 | Haymarket | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | Winchester | Luray | |
| 7:00 | Harrisonburg | Rockbridge | |
| 7:30 | Waynesboro | New Market | |
| 7:30 | Covington | Staunton | |
| 7:30 | Front Royal | Woodstock | |
| Sun, June 10 | 6:30 | Front Royal | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | Haymarket | Winchester | |
| 7:00 | Harrisonburg | Waynesboro | |
| 7:00 | Rockbridge | Covington | |
| 7:30 | New Market | Staunton | |
| 7:30 | Luray | Woodstock | |
| Mon, June 11 | Rain Date | ||
| Tue, June 12 | 6:30 | Winchester | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | Front Royal | Luray | |
| 7:00 | Rockbridge | Waynesboro | |
| 7:00 | New Market | Covington | |
| 7:30 | Staunton | Harrisonburg | |
| 7:30 | Woodstock | Haymarket | |
| Wed, June 13 | 7:00 | Covington | Rockbridge |
| 7:00 | Strasburg | Winchester | |
| 7:00 | Haymarket | Front Royal | |
| 7:30 | Harrisonburg | Woodstock | |
| 7:30 | Luray | New Market | |
| 7:30 | Waynesboro | Staunton | |
| Thurs, June 14 | 6:30 | Luray | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | Front Royal | Haymarket | |
| 7:00 | Woodstock | Winchester | |
| 7:00 | Staunton | Waynesboro | |
| 7:30 | Covington | Harrisonburg | |
| 7:30 | Rockbridge | New Market | |
| Fri, June 15 | 7:00 | Haymarket | Luray |
| 7:30 | Strasburg | Woodstock | |
| 7:00 | Winchester | Front Royal | |
| 7:30 | New Market | Harrisonburg | |
| 7:30 | Rockbridge | Staunton | |
| 7:00 | Waynesboro | Covington | |
| Sat, June 16 | 7:00 | Luray | Winchester |
| 7:00 | Woodstock | Front Royal | |
| 7:00 | Harrisonburg | Rockbridge | |
| 7:00 | New Market | Waynesboro | |
| 7:00 | Staunton | Covington | |
| 7:30 | Strasburg | Haymarket | |
| Sun, June 17 | 6:00 | Winchester | Haymarket |
| 6:30 | Front Royal | Strasburg | |
| 7:00 | Woodstock | Luray | |
| 7:00 | Covington | Rockbridge | |
| 7:30 | Staunton | New Market | |
| 7:30 | Waynesboro | Harrisonburg | |
| Mon, June 18 | Rain Date | ||
| Tues, June 19 | 7:00 | Strasburg | Winchester |
| 7:00 | Luray | Front Royal | |
| 7:00 | Waynesboro | Rockbridge | |
| 7:30 | Haymarket | Woodstock | |
| 7:30 | Covington | New Market | |
| 7:30 | Harrisonburg | Staunton | |
| Wed, June 20 | 6:30 | Rockbridge | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | Front Royal | Covington | |
| 7:00 | New Market | Luray | |
| 7:00 | Winchester | Waynesboro | |
| 7:30 | Staunton | Woodstock | |
| 7:30 | Harrisonburg | Haymarket | |
| Thurs, June 21 | 7:00 | Luray | Rockbridge |
| 7:00 | Woodstock | Waynesboro | |
| 7:00 | Winchester | Covington | |
| 7:30 | Haymarket | New Market | |
| 7:30 | Front Royal | Harrisonburg | |
| 7:30 | Strasburg | Staunton | |
| Fri, June 22 | 6:30 | Waynesboro | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | New Market | Front Royal | |
| 7:00 | Staunton | Luray | |
| 7:30 | Covington | Woodstock | |
| 7:30 | Winchester | Harrisonburg | |
| 7:30 | Rockbridge | Haymarket | |
| Sat, June 23 | 7:00 | Front Royal | Rockbridge |
| 7:00 | New Market | Winchester | |
| 7:00 | Luray | Waynesboro | |
| 7:00 | Strasburg | Covington | |
| 7:30 | Harrisonburg | Woodstock | |
| 7:30 | Haymarket | Staunton | |
| Sun, June 24 | 6:00 | Waynesboro | Haymarket |
| 7:00 | Staunton | Front Royal | |
| 7:00 | Covington | Luray | |
| 7:00 | Winchester | Rockbridge | |
| 7:30 | Strasburg | Harrisonburg | |
| 7:30 | Woodstock | New Market | |
| Mon, June 25 | Rain Date | ||
| Tues, June 26 | 6:30 | New Market | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | Front Royal | Waynesboro | |
| 7:00 | Haymarket | Covington | |
| 7:00 | Woodstock | Rockbridge | |
| 7:00 | Staunton | Winchester | |
| 7:30 | Luray | Harrisonburg | |
| Wed, June 27 | 7:00 | Haymarket | Front Royal |
| 7:00 | Strasburg | Luray | |
| 7:00 | Harrisonburg | Covington | |
| 7:30 | Rockbridge | New Market | |
| 7:30 | Waynesboro | Staunton | |
| 7:30 | Winchester | Woodstock | |
| Thurs, June 28 | 6:30 | Woodstock | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | Staunton | Rockbridge | |
| 7:00 | Front Royal | Winchester | |
| 7:00 | Covington | Waynesboro | |
| 7:30 | New Market | Harrisonburg | |
| 7:30 | Luray | Haymarket | |
| Fri, June 29 | 6:30 | Haymarket | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | Winchester | Luray | |
| 7:30 | Front Royal | Woodstock | |
| 7:30 | Rockbridge | Harrisonburg | |
| 7:30 | Waynesboro | New Market | |
| 7:30 | Covington | Staunton | |
| Sat, June 30 | 7:00 | Haymarket | Winchester |
| 7:00 | Strasburg | Front Royal | |
| 7:00 | Harrisonburg | Waynesboro | |
| 7:00 | Rockbridge | Covington | |
| 7:30 | New Market | Staunton | |
| 7:30 | Luray | Woodstock | |
| Sun, July 1 | 6:00 | Woodstock | Haymarket |
| 6:30 | Winchester | Strasburg | |
| 7:00 | Luray | Front Royal | |
| 7:00 | Waynesboro | Rockbridge | |
| 7:30 | Covington | New Market | |
| 7:30 | Staunton | Harrisonburg | |
| Mon, July 2 | 7:00 | Covington | Front Royal |
| 7:00 | Strasburg | Rockbridge | |
| 7:00 | Waynesboro | Winchester | |
| 7:30 | Haymarket | Harrisonburg | |
| 7:30 | Luray | New Market | |
| 7:30 | Woodstock | Staunton | |
| Tues, July 3 | 6:00 | Covington | Winchester |
| 6:30 | Staunton | Strasburg | |
| 7:00 | Harrisonburg | Front Royal | |
| 7:00 | Rockbridge | Luray | |
| 7:30 | Waynesboro | Woodstock | |
| 7:30 | New Market | Haymarket | |
| Wed, July 4 | No Games Scheduled | ||
| Thurs, July 5 | 6:30 | Harrisonburg | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | Haymarket | Waynesboro | |
| 7:00 | Luray | Covington | |
| 7:00 | Rockbridge | Winchester | |
| 7:30 | Front Royal | Staunton | |
| 7:30 | New Market | Woodstock | |
| Fri, July 6 | 7:00 | Haymarket | Rockbridge |
| 7:00 | Strasburg | Waynesboro | |
| 7:00 | Harrisonburg | Winchester | |
| 7:00 | Woodstock | Covington | |
| 7:30 | Luray | Staunton | |
| 7:30 | Front Royal | New Market | |
| Sat, July 7 | 6:30 | Covington | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | Rockbridge | Front Royal | |
| 7:00 | Waynesboro | Luray | |
| 7:30 | Staunton | Haymarket | |
| 7:30 | Woodstock | Harrisonburg | |
| 7:30 | Winchester | New Market | |
| Sun, July 8 | 7:30 | VBL All-Star Game | |
| At Front Royal | |||
| Mon, July 9 | Rain Date | ||
| Tues, July 10 | Rain Date | ||
| Wed, July 11 | 7:00 | Waynesboro | Front Royal |
| 7:00 | Harrisonburg | Luray | |
| 7:30 | Winchester | Staunton | |
| 7:30 | Covington | Haymarket | |
| 7:30 | Strasburg | New Market | |
| 7:30 | Rockbridge | Woodstock | |
| Thurs, July 12 | 7:00 | Luray | Winchester |
| 7:00 | Woodstock | Front Royal | |
| 7:00 | New Market | Waynesboro | |
| 7:00 | Staunton | Covington | |
| 7:30 | Strasburg | Haymarket | |
| 7:30 | Rockbridge | Harrisonburg | |
| Fri, July 13 | 6:30 | Woodstock | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | New Market | Luray | |
| 7:00 | Staunton | Waynesboro | |
| 7:00 | Rockbridge | Covington | |
| 7:30 | Winchester | Harrisonburg | |
| 7:30 | Front Royal | Haymarket | |
| Sat, July 14 | 6:30 | Luray | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | Haymarket | Front Royal | |
| 7:00 | Woodstock | Winchester | |
| 7:00 | New Market | Rockbridge | |
| 7:30 | Covington | Harrisonburg | |
| 7:30 | Waynesboro | Staunton | |
| Sun, July 15 | 7:00 | Haymarket | Luray |
| 7:00 | Front Royal | Winchester | |
| 7:00 | Waynesboro | Covington | |
| 7:30 | Strasburg | Woodstock | |
| 7:30 | Harrisonburg | New Market | |
| 7:30 | Rockbridge | Staunton | |
| Mon, July 16 | Rain Date | ||
| Tues, July 17 | 6:30 | Front Royal | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | Woodstock | Luray | |
| 7:00 | Covington | Rockbridge | |
| 7:00 | Harrisonburg | Waynesboro | |
| 7:30 | Winchester | Haymarket | |
| 7:30 | Staunton | New Market | |
| Wed, July 18 | 7:00 | Strasburg | Winchester |
| 7:00 | Front Royal | Luray | |
| 7:00 | New Market | Covington | |
| 7:00 | Rockbridge | Waynesboro | |
| 7:30 | Woodstock | Haymarket | |
| 7:30 | Staunton | Harrisonburg | |
| Thurs, July 19 | 6:30 | Winchester | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | Luray | Front Royal | |
| 7:00 | Waynesboro | Rockbridge | |
| 7:30 | Haymarket | Woodstock | |
| 7:30 | Covington | New Market | |
| 7:30 | Harrisonburg | Staunton | |
| Fri, July 20 | 7:00 | Strasburg | Luray |
| 7:00 | Harrisonburg | Covington | |
| 7:00 | Staunton | Waynesboro | |
| 7:30 | Front Royal | Haymarket | |
| 7:30 | Winchester | Woodstock | |
| 7:30 | Rockbridge | New Market | |
| Sat, July 21 | 6:30 | Woodstock | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | Front Royal | Winchester | |
| 7:00 | Staunton | Rockbridge | |
| 7:00 | Covington | Waynesboro | |
| 7:30 | New Market | Harrisonburg | |
| 7:30 | Luray | Haymarket | |
| Sun, July 22 | 6:30 | Haymarket | Strasburg |
| 7:00 | Winchester | Luray | |
| 7:00 | Woodstock | Front Royal | |
| 7:00 | Harrisonburg | Rockbridge | |
| 7:30 | Waynesboro | New Market | |
| 7:30 | Covington | Staunton | |
| Mon, July 23 | 7:00 | Haymarket | Winchester |
| 7:00 | Strasburg | Front Royal | |
| 7:00 | Rockbridge | Covington | |
| 7:30 | Luray | Woodstock | |
| 7:30 | New Market | Staunton | |
| 7:30 | Waynesboro | Harrisonburg | |
Generals shut out – again – in Valley League honors
Waynesboro, at 15-10, has the second-best record in the Valley League.
We’re tied for the league lead in a category that you wouldn’t expect.
Fewest kids named to the Players of the Week list.
At zero.
Yep. It’s us, Luray (9-16) and Woodstock (9-18) still looking for our first honoree of 2011.
The tough thing is that the Players of the Week are being done this year on a division-by-division basis. Meaning there are six of them named each week – one position player and one pitcher.
We have the league’s fourth-best hitter (Jordan Walton, .364). Our closer, Andrew Reck, is tied for second in the league in saves (at five, with a 1.69 ERA and 12 Ks in 10.2 IP).
Tim Leather was 2-0 for us this week in three games (two starts), and beat Rockbridge twice, 2-1 on June 26 and 3-2 on July 2, with a two-scoreless-inning relief appearance on June 29 against Covington thrown in for good measure.
(His line for the week: 16 IP, 3 ER, 11 H, 11 K, 2 BB.)
Walton was 10-for-20 with seven runs batted in and a 5-for-5 line Sunday night at Covington.
Oh, and do I have to mention that we won six of seven last week?
In the Southern Division, Staunton has had one Player of the Week so far this year, Covington three, and Rockbridge, currently bringing up the rear in the Southern Division at 12-14, has had four.
Memo to the powers-that-be: We play in the Valley League, too.
Halley shines in first start with Generals
Two nights earlier, Shane Halley was manning center field in the late innings of one of the more memorable College World Series games ever played. Sunday night, Halley, a University of Virginia junior, was in center at Kate Collins Field, and picking up the game-winning RBI for the Waynesboro Generals.
“The College World Series was a blast. We had a great time. We were welcomed with wide arms there. It didn’t end the way we wanted it to,” said Halley, an outfielder and pitcher for the top-ranked Cavs, who were knocked out of the College World Series by South Carolina in a 3-2, 13-inning final on Friday night.
Halley hit a one-out, fourth-inning fly ball to left field that scored Dykota Spiess from third. The sacrifice fly made it 2-1 Waynesboro, and that score held up as the final behind a game performance by starting pitcher Tim Leather, who gave up a run on four hits in seven innings on the mound.
Halley went 1-for-2 at the plate, getting on base on a seventh-inning single.
Not bad for that quick transition from one season to another.
“I wanted to get on the field to start playing, get some ABs. I want to get as many ABs as possible. This is my chance,” Halley said.
Former Generals aiming for spot in College World Series
A pair of former Waynesboro Generals will play key roles for the top-ranked Virginia Cavaliers as they face off with Cal-Irvine this weekend for a spot in the College World Series.
“It will definitely be a good weekend of baseball. Two really good teams. It’s golng to come down to who can execute. This time of year, it’s all about who can execute when they have the chance to. The #1 seed doesn’t mean anything in this. Everyone just has to play great baseball now to win. Teams made it this far for a reason,” said Justin Thompson, a relief pitcher for the Cavs this spring who credits his experience in Waynesboro in 2010 with getting him ready for college baseball this year.
Thompson and teammate Jared King, the starting first baseman at Virginia, attended the Waynesboro-Rockbridge game at Kate Collins Field Wednesday night to check in on their old stomping grounds. Virginia and Cal-Irvine will begin their best-of-three Super Regional series on Saturday at 1 p.m. Game 2 is set for Sunday at 1 p.m., with Game 3, if necessary, scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday.
Thompson has been the eighth-inning setup man for coach Brian O’Connor in 2011, compiling a 3-1 record and 2.97 ERA in 20 appearances.
“I came into last year here not having thrown too much for Virginia, and then I came to the Valley League and got time to work on different stuff,” Thompson said. “It really helped me going into fall ball, and I was able to win a position going into spring season. The Valley definitely helped for the experience and picking up stuff from different schools and guys you played with.”
King’s summer in Waynesboro in 2010 followed a redshirt season at UVa. following shoulder surgery.
“This gave me the opportunity to go out and play every day. With my throwing program last summer, if I wasn’t playing in the field, I was going to DH, and that was the biggest thing for me, was just getting at-bats,” said King, who is hitting .324 for a homer and 25 RBI for Virginia in 2011.
Three of their teammates – first baseman/catcher Ryan Levine, pitcher/outfielder Shane Halley and pitcher Ryan Ashooh – will join the Generals this summer once the UVa. season is done. Thompson said he and King have given the trio a scouting report on the Valley League.
“We told them the coaching staff here is great. They help all the players get better, let us play loose and just have fun playing. You’re trying to get better. And told them that traveling around the Valley League is nice. The bus trips aren’t bad, so it’s not like it’s going to beat you down most trips. Mainly just trying to get better every day, and the Valley League is the place to do it, because you’re playing every day,” Thompson said.
Generals pitch in at Wenonah Field Day
Friday is get-down-to-business time for the Waynesboro Generals, who open their season on the road at Rockbridge. Thursday was a break from the preparations for the 2011 Valley League season for several members of the team who helped Wenonah Elementary School with its annual Field Day.
“We’re just playing around with the kids, just having a good time,” said Michael Davis, a catcher from Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tenn.
For Joseph Lucas, a Bridgewater College product and Waynesboro native, the day was also about reconnecting with people who watched him pitch for Waynesboro High School a few years ago.
“I remember looking up to the Generals as being big-name baseball players. Now to fill that role is an honor,” Lucas said.
Work progresses on North Park concession stand
The effort led by Mathers Construction and the Waynesboro Generals to provide a concession stand for the new youth-baseball facility in Waynesboro’s North Park is rolling along.
The 24-foot by 24-foot structure is on pace to be completed by Friday, April 1.
The concession stand is a final piece in the puzzle for the renovation of the North Park baseball field, which was aided by a $125,000 grant from Major League Baseball that will add lights to the ballfield, giving Waynesboro its first lighted youth-baseball facility.
The value of the materials and labor being provided by Mathers and the Generals to the project is approximately $22,220.
Mathers, Linco, Generals donation to city will put finishing touches on lighted ballfield
Mathers Construction Team, Linco Inc. and the Waynesboro Generals are partnering with the City of Waynesboro to provide a concession stand for the new youth-baseball facility in the City’s North Park.
Mathers, Linco and the Generals are providing materials and labor to complete the 24-foot by 24-foot structure from the ground up. The City will provide utilities to the building and complete electrical and plumbing work at the site.
The value of the materials and labor being provided by Mathers and Linco is approximately $22,220.
“We’re excited to be able to assist the city in this project,” said Teresa Gauldin, president of the Mathers Construction Team.
The concession stand will be a final piece in the puzzle for the renovation of the North Park baseball field, which was aided by a $125,000 grant from Major League Baseball that will add lights to the ballfield, giving Waynesboro its first lighted youth-baseball facility.
“The City is sincerely grateful to the partners who have stepped forward to contribute so substantially to the project,” said City Manager Mike Hamp. “Their involvement is obviously beneficial from a financial perspective, but the contribution provides an element of community involvement that would not have otherwise been a part of the facility. The City thanks the partners for their community spirit and their support of youth baseball and softball. ”
The new concession stand will be ready in time to be open for business at the start of the 2011 little league season in April.
“The Waynesboro Generals want to be involved in this because not only do we want to put a winning team out on the field in the Valley League, but we want to do our part to help the next generation of baseball players,” said Jim Critzer, of Linco Inc. and the Generals.
The Waynesboro Generals have a history of these kinds of donations to local youth athletics. In recent years the team has made substantial donations to high-school baseball programs across the Waynesboro-Augusta County area.
“This baseball facility is important to the youth of Waynesboro. We’re glad from the standpoint of Mathers, Linco and the Generals to be able to help the City put the finishing touches on it.” Gauldin said.
Three Generals named to All-Valley teams
Taylor Sandeur and Drew Turocy were first-team All-Valley League selections, and Cody Hudson was named to the All-Valley second team, in selections announced on Saturday.
Sandefur was dominant on the mound for Waynesboro in 2010, going 7-0 in 13 appearances, including eight starts, with a 2.26 ERA. Sandefur, a 6-2, 245-pound freshman from Western Carolina, had 60 strikeouts in 59 and two-thirds innings pitched and allowed opposing hitters to bat just .215 on the season.
Turocy, a 6-3, 190-pound junior centerfielder from Akron, led the Generals in batting average at .370 with a home run and 31 RBIs. Turocy also had eight stolen bases in 10 attempts and seven outfield assists.
Hudson, a 5-11, 183-pound freshman leftfielder from Austin Peay, hit .303 with 24 RBI, a team-high 36 runs scored and 12 stolen bases in 14 attempts.
A notable omission from the All-Valley teams was Waynesboro third baseman Grant Fillipitch, who led the team with six home runs, 34 RBI and a .497 slugging percentage while hitting .302 on the season.
Named first-team All-Valley League at third base was Mike Garza from Woodstock (.388, 3 HR, 30 RBI), and named to the second-team at third base was Brant Jones (.356, 5 HR, 34 RBI).
Story by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Keywords: waynesboro virginia, waynesboro generals
Cards drop Waynesboro, 9-3, end Generals’ season
Front Royal got to Waynesboro starter Chastin Akers early and cruised to a 9-3 win in the deciding Game 3 of the teams’ first-round Valley League playoff series on Saturday night.
The Generals trailed 2-0 after one, but had a chance in the third to make it a game when a two-out walk to Chase Worthington loaded the bases for T.J. Kuban. Kuban flied out to deep right to leave the bases loaded, and Front Royal seized control with a threespot in the bottom of the third that knocked out Akers (1-1).
Waynesboro left 12 runners on base for the game.
First-team All-Valley outfielder Drew Turocy had three hits for Waynesboro.
The loss ends Waynesboro’s 2010 season.
Story by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Generals win, force deciding game in playoff series
Tim Leather had a rocky top of the first in his first start of the season, but after getting out of the bases-loaded, one-out jam with no damage, Leather was dominant, pitching seven scoreless innings to push Waynesboro to a 4-3 win over Front Royal in Game 2 of the teams’ first-round playoff series Friday night.
The win means there will be a deciding Game 3 Saturday night in Front Royal. First pitch in Bing Crosby Stadium is at 7:30 p.m.
Leather (1-0) also had to work his way out of a second-and-third, one-out situation in the third, striking out Cardinals’ cleanup hitter James Roche and getting Pete Greskoff to fly out to right. The Generals then put up a threespot in the bottom of the third, getting a leadoff single by Colin Harrington, a base on balls issued by Front Royal starter Ricky Ott (2-3) to Cody Hudson, and a wild RBI single by Grant Fillipitch that scored Harrington from second. On that play, Cards’ centerfielder Will Walsh tried to throw Hudson out at third base, but the ball hit Hudson on his slide into the bag and got away from third baseman Steve Rogers. Hudson scored, and Rogers’ throw home also got away from catcher Andy Drexel, allowing Fillipitch to advance to third, where he scored when Drew Turocy hit a sacrifice fly to left.
The Generals made it 4-0 in the fourth on another sac-fly RBI, this one off the bat of Harrington, scoring designated hitter Haskell Fink.
Leather handed a 4-0 lead to the bullpen in the eighth, but Front Royal got to the first man out of the pen, Zach McElroy, getting back-to-back doubles by Roche and Greskoff and an RBI groundout by A.J. Albee to make it 4-3 Waynesboro. Mark Lamm got the final two outs of the eighth, then closer Andrew Blackwell pitched a scoreless ninth, getting Matt Holland to fly out to Hudson in left to end it.
Story by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Keywords: waynesboro virginia, front royal virginia
Generals-Cards Game 2 pushed back another night
Heavy rain creating poor field conditions have once again delayed Game 2 of the Waynesboro-Front Royal first-round Valley League playoff series.
The game will be completed on Friday at 7 p.m. at Mathers Park at Kate Collins Field. The contest had gotten under way on Wednesday night, but was put into a delay with the score at 0-0 in the top of the second inning.
Heavy rain on Wednesday had pushed the completion of the game to Thursday at 7 p.m. Heavy rains in the Waynesboro area Thursday afternoon, with more in the forecast for the evening and night hours, forced the additional delay.
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Keywords: waynesboro virginia, front royal virginia

















