WEEK IN REVIEW: GENERALS ADD MOMENTS TO HIGHLIGHT REEL

Waynesboro suited up nine times across weeks four and five of the VBL season, bearing witness to a number of standout individual performances that led the way to multiple victories.

GAME SIXTEEN (6/20): WINCHESTER – 12, WAYNESBORO – 1 (F/7)

After falling to the Generals 15-1 back on June 4, the Royals took the field with something to prove and vociferously defended their home turf. The VBL’s top offensive team recorded 19 hits and scored multiple runs in four of seven frames.

Key Pitching Performance(s): Alex Miller – 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 0 K (ND)

Key Hitting Performance(s): Alex McCoy – 2/3, RBI, 2 SB (1 CS)

Waynesboro Record (Streak): 6-10 (L2)

GAME SEVENTEEN (6/23): FRONT ROYAL – 7, WAYNESBORO – 6

The Gens were eager to get back on the field following the Winchester outing, but rain wiped out their slated Wednesday and Thursday contests. Both teams brought great energy throughout the entirety of the night, but a tiebreaking three-run homer from Brantley Willis in the sixth proved to be enough for the Cardinals to hold off a ninth inning rally.

Key Pitching Performance(s): Tyler Cirone & David Wilson: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 1 K (ND)

Key Hitting Performance(s): Parker Stroh – 1/4, 2 RBI, BB, K

Waynesboro Record (Streak): 6-11 (L3)

GAME EIGHTEEN (6/24): WAYNESBORO – 7, HARRISONBURG – 6 (F/10)

Waynesboro entered this game determined to both gather momentum ahead of the All-Star break and get revenge on the rival Turks for a one-run defeat eleven days prior. But through five and a half innings, emotions were bleak: manager Matty Holem had been ejected, the starting lineup had accrued only two hits and Harrisonburg had just finished extending their lead to 5-0 behind a three-run frame.

In the bottom of the sixth though, things changed. The top three hitters of the Generals’ batting order scratched their way aboard, giving Sean Shelly a chance with the bases loaded and one out. On a 2-2 count, the Barry Buccaneer ended a personal streak of six consecutive strikeouts by unleashing a grand slam, cutting his squad’s deficit to one while giving his teammates and fanbase a jolt of #GENERGY at the time they needed it most.

Braden Forchic – another Barry player – scored the tying run in the eighth and drove home the winning run in the tenth, notching his first RBI of the summer in walk-off fashion.

Key Pitching Performance(s): Nate Scott – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 8 K (ND)

Key Hitting Performance(s): Sean Shelly – 2/4, HR, R, 4 RBI, 2 K; Braden Forchic – 2/4, 2 R, RBI, BB, K

Waynesboro Record (Streak): 7-11 (W1)

The Generals only played three times in week four of the VBL due to weather postponements. Because of the limited number of games, there were no hitter or pitcher of the week awards.

GAME NINETEEN (6/27): CULPEPER – 4, WAYNESBORO – 2

Steve Proko made his best start of the year for the Generals in a tough road atmosphere, helping build a 2-0 advantage through the first half of the game. But multiple errors in the Cavaliers’ four-run fifth saddled him with a tough-luck loss.

Key Pitching Performance(s): Steve Proko – 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R (1 ER), 4 BB, 5 K (L); Jaxson Lucas – 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R (0 ER), 3 BB, 4 K (ND)

Key Hitting Performance(s): Sean Shelly – 1/3, HR, R, RBI, BB, K

Waynesboro Record (Streak): 7-12 (L1)

GAME TWENTY (6/28): CULPEPER – 12, WAYNESBORO – 10

Waynesboro battled it out with the expansion Cavs for the second time in as many days after making up a previously postponed game on Tuesday. The Gens led for the majority of the night, but allowed Culpeper to score in eight different innings and surrendered the win by yielding four runs in the top of the ninth.

Key Pitching Performance(s): Jack Sullivan – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 0 K (ND)

Key Hitting Performance(s): Brandon Parks – 3/4, 2 2B, 3 R, RBI, 2 BB, SB; Isaiah Mirabal – 2/2, 2B, R, 3 BB

Waynesboro Record (Streak): 7-13 (L2)

GAME TWENTY-ONE (6/29): COVINGTON – 9, WAYNESBORO – 2

The ebbs and flows of baseball had their effect on the Generals during their second trip to Covington. Waynesboro’s scoring was capped by great defense from the Lumberjacks and three straight K’s in the top of the eighth during at-bats that began with the bases loaded.

Key Pitching Performance(s): Alex Miller – 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 0 K (ND)

Key Hitting Performance(s): Max Smyley – 1/4, RBI

Waynesboro Record (Streak): 7-14 (L3)

GAME TWENTY-TWO (6/30): STRASBURG – 10, WAYNESBORO – 5

The Generals stood toe-to-toe with the Valley’s first place team through seven innings at Union Home Mortgage Park. But the Express offense woke up in the top of the eighth, swatting three extra-base hits and swiping five of their season-high twelve stolen bases in that frame to break the previously tied ballgame open for good.

Key Pitching Performance(s): Charlie Dohemann – 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 1 K (ND)

Key Hitting Performance(s): Alex Miller – 2/5, 3 RBI; Max Smyley – 2/3, 2 R, HBP

Waynesboro Record (Streak): 7-15 (L4)

GAME TWENTY-THREE (7/2): WAYNESBORO – 16, PURCELLVILLE – 9

The offense and starting pitching worked in tandem for Waynesboro on its longest bus trip of the season. When the third inning concluded, the Gens were in front 11-0.

Every member of the Generals starting lineup scored a run. Ten different batters reached base, with nine recording at least one hit and one RBI.

Key Pitching Performance(s): Benito Valle-Jhanda – 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 5 K (W)

Key Hitting Performance(s): The entire Waynesboro lineup

Waynesboro Record (Streak): 8-15 (W1)

GAME TWENTY-FOUR (7/3): CHARLOTTESVILLE – 13, WAYNESBORO – 3 (F/5)

Charlottesville wasted little time continuing its offensive renaissance, plating six in the first and four in the third to quickly build a large margin. The game was called in the bottom of the fifth inning due to weather.

Key Pitching Performance: None

Key Hitting Performance: Braden Forchic – 2/3, 2 2B, 2 RBI

Waynesboro Record (Streak): 8-16 (L1)

INTERESTING TIDBITS

NEW CONTRIBUTORS

It’s no secret that the Generals’ offensive attack has been its driving force this summer. But the display of depth got even more immense over the past two weeks.

Alex Miller established a spot in the everyday lineup by going 7/18 (.389 AVG.) with four runs and six RBI in his past five games. The same could be said for Max Smyley, who has more than doubled his season hit total (four à ten) and quadrupled his RBI total (two à eight) by going 6/17 (.353 AVG.) in his last five appearances.

Getting this level of offensive production from two of Matty Holem’s most trusted defensive options only bodes well for the Gens’ second half prospects.

BITTERSWEET GOODBYES

Another big reason the increased offensive output from Miller and Smyley is significant is that Waynesboro lost two big cogs from its lineup this weekend. OF Jason Brown (college internship) and 2023 VBL All-Star 3B Luis Ramirez (thumb) departed following the Purcellville trip. A Hawk out of Maryland-Eastern Shore, Brown ranked second on the Generals in extra-base hits (6) and stolen bases (13). Ramirez – a Bloomfield product – sat amongst the team leaders in runs and RBI.

We are extremely grateful to Jason and Luis for their contributions this summer, and know they will be bringing the #GENERGY in all of their future endeavors.

Weaver Insurance & Financial Advisors Pitcher of the Week: E.J. Melendez – 3 APP. (0 S): 2.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 4 K; 0-0, 3.86 ERA

Sabre Cats Bats Hitter of the Week: Alex Miller – 5 G (5 S): 7/18 (.389 AVG), 2B, 4 R, 6 RBI, 4 BB, 5 K, SB

STANDINGS UPDATE

Weather has had a big impact on the VBL this summer, leading teams to play a wide range of games through Independence Day. Culpeper, Front Royal and New Market have taken the field most frequently (25 games played); Covington has suited up the least (20 games played).

Strasburg (16-7) sits alone in first place. The Express have won 13 of their last 16 games, including two over second place Charlottesville (14-7) in the process. The aforementioned Lumberjacks (12-8) hold bronze medal positioning and have claimed victory in eight of their last ten outings.

Winchester (13-10), Harrisonburg (13-11) and Front Royal (13-12) have each split their ten most recent games, and round out the top half of the standings. Woodstock (11-12) sits a game back of the Cardinals for sixth and a game up on both Culpeper (11-14) and Purcellville (10-13) for seventh. The expansion Cavaliers have recorded their first-ever ten game stretch of winning baseball (6-4 since June 20) and currently hold the last playoff spot over the struggling Cannons (2-12 since June 13) because of winning percentage.

New Market (10-15) slots at tenth, with Staunton (8-14) and Waynesboro (8-16) residing in eleventh and twelfth.

WEEK SIX/SEVEN SCHEDULE

The Gens play 13 times in the next 12 days – including a doubleheader in New Market on July 14 – with no scheduled evening off until July 17. The first three contests are at Kate Collins Field.

7/5: vs. New Market

7/6: vs. Front Royal

7/7: vs. New Market

7/8: @ Woodstock

7/9: vs. Strasburg

7/10: @ Front Royal

7/11: vs. Covington

7/12: vs. Winchester

7/13: @ Harrisonburg

7/14: @ New Market (DOUBLEHEADER)

7/15: @ Staunton

7/16: vs. Charlottesville

Follow the Generals all season long on all social media platforms, including Tik Tok (@wborogenerals), Facebook (Waynesboro Generals), Instagram (@waynesborogeneralsva) and Twitter (@wborogenerals).

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