Updated July 21 2015
Twenty-one is the magic number today for the Generals as they defeated the Martinsville Mustangs in comeback fashion 9-8 in ten innings. With the win the Generals improve to 21-21 overall and 11-4 in the second half of the season to remain a top of the East Division standings. While the Mustangs fall to 18-25 overall and 5-11 in the second half.
Twenty-one is the number of players that played for the Generals today. Seven of the twenty-one were pitchers starting with Carter Siweck (Chowan University) who went 1 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on five hits and passed out four walks. Siweck faced five batters and allowed four runs before he got his first out as Datillo flied out right-field to move the runner, but the next batter Choruby’s SAC RBI put the fifth run on the board to start the game.
Petersburg would slightly chip away in the bottom half of the first as a double by Carlos Lopez (Dominican College) brought home Austin Wade (TCU) to cut the Mustangs lead to four, 5-1. Siweck continued to have problems in the second inning as two out of the first three batters got on base and the Generals went to the bullpen early to call Brady Ward (Tiffin University), who went 2 2/3 innings allowing three runs on three hits. During this time Petersburg struggled offensively leaving runners in on the base in the second, third, and fourth innings.
Martinsville would tack on two more in the fourth inning to take the 8-1 lead heading into the fifth when the Generals made a pitching change bringing in Jamar Hinton (North Carolina Central University) who pitched a solid inning allowing two hits, but no runs were scored. The bottom half of the inning saw the first bit of fireworks. With two outs and bases loaded Robert Kosch (Newberry College) doubled on the hit and run play to trim the Mustangs lead to 8-4. The Generals would go to the bullpen again to pull out Robbie Cook (St. Leo University) in the sixth inning, Luke Simpson (Longwood University) in the seventh, and Sean Collins (University of Richmond) in the eighth each going one inning and not allowing a hit or a run.
During the Generals carousal of pitchers, Martinsville made their first change in the seventh inning as Lane Hobbs (Concordia) came in for Jonathan Morin (Texas-Arlington) who went six innings. Petersburg’s first two batters Christopher (Chowan) and Loew (Francis Marion) both singled to get on base. After Kosch grounded out to move the runners Andre Moore (Norfolk State University) grounded out to the first baseman to score Christopher. Devin Sweet (North Carolina Central University) followed with a RBI single to leftfield to score Loew and cut the Mustangs’ lead, 8-6 bottom of seven. Nathaniel Leon (St. Peters) would come in for Hobbs then Cooper Jones (Norfolk State University) would take the mound with bases loaded to retire the side and maintain the Martinsville lead.
The side-arm reliever Cameron Busby (Georgia College and State University) would come in to keep the Mustangs at bay and keep the Generals hopes alive. With three outs left Sweet doubled to start the bottom half of the ninth inning. A single by Collin Fleischer (VMI) and a SAC, RBI by Jansen Fraser (University of Richmond) would score Sweet to cut the lead to one. With two outs Taylor Hackett doubled down the right field line to score the tying run.
Unable to break the tie at the top of the tenth the Generals loaded the bases after back to back singles by Kosch and Spires (Winthrop University) add in a Sweet walk the bases were loaded for GK Young. He hit a deep fly ball to centerfield to score Kosch and win the game.
The Generals are 2-1 in extra-inning games this year. Cameron Busby (3-0) gets the win and Cooper Jones (1-2) gets the loss. The Generals will be off tomorrow before they take on the Steamers on back to back nights starting on Thursday away and Friday home.
For additional information, please call 804-733-2394 or 804-722-0141 or visit us on the web at www.petersburggenerals.com.
The Coastal Plain League is the nation’s premier summer collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 22nd season in 2018, the CPL features 16 teams playing in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The CPL has had over 1,450 alumni drafted and 111 of those – including 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young winner Justin Verlander – make their Major League debut; while another notable alum – Russell Wilson – won Super Bowl XLVIII. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at www.coastalplain.com and follow us via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat @CPLBaseball..Contact:Derrick Sydnor
Phone:804-722-0141