Oberholtzer brilliant as Braves take 1-0 lead
September 2, 2009 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Danville Otterbots News Release
ELIZABETHTON, TN - Braves starter Brett Oberholtzer tossed a complete game Wednesday night to pace the Danville Braves to a 7-1 win over the Elizabethton Twins in Game 1 of the Appy League Championship Series. The best-of-three series moves to Danville on Thursday at 7 p.m. as the Braves look for their second Appy League title.
The made the first mark on the board in the second inning off Oberholtzer. Derek McCallum doubled with one out, moved to third on a groundout and scored on Oberholtzer's only wild pitch of the night.
The Braves' left-hander settled down from there allowing just two hits and one walk over the final seven innings. He struck out six, but mostly relied on the Twins to swing at quality pitches. During the regular season opponents hit just .191 off him.
The Braves tied the game in the fifth inning after Elizabethton starter Tom Stuifbergen no-hit Danville through the first four innings. With one down, Christian Bethancourt, Robby Hefflinger and Jordan Kreke each singled, the latter's single scoring Bethancourt to make it 1-1.
Danville took a 3-1 lead in the sixth inning as Matt Weaver singled and Cory Harrilchak doubled to put runners in scoring position with no one out. The Braves' RBI leader Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburg followed with a two-run single.
With Oberholtzer in cruise control, the Braves offense tallied another run in the eighth as Bethancourt delivered a two-out RBI single that scored Harrilchak.
Danville put the game away with a three-spot in the ninth off Twins reliever Tony Davis. Kreke and L.V. Ware singled and Mycal Jones moved them into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Weaver's single to left scored Kreke and put runners on second and third as the Weaver advanced to second on the throw home. Harrilchak's sac fly made it 6-1 and Spanjer-Furstenburg's double scored Weaver to cap the scoring.
Oberholtzer (1-0) was brilliant, covering nine innings, surrendering just one run on five hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Stuifbergen (0-1) allowed four runs on eight hits after no-hitting the Braves through the first four frames. He added seven strikeouts.
Weaver, Bethancourt and Kreke had two hits apiece. Spanjer-Furstenburg, the league's batting champion, was 2-3 with an intentional walk and three RBI.
The series moves to Danville on Thursday at 7 p.m. and the Braves will host Thirsty Thursday (sponsored by Back to Bogie's). They will also give away Braves Rally Flags to the first 400 fans at the ballpark. Left-hander Matt Crim (10-2, 3.18 ERA), D-Braves single-season record holder for wins, goes for the title against Twins southpaw Edgar Ibarra (6-2, 2.84 ERA).
Fans can follow all Braves play-by-play action for home games on WMNA 106.3 FM or on the station's website www.espninva.com. For other information on the schedule, tickets, group nights, and/or partnership opportunities please contact the Danville Braves office at (434) 797-3792, info@dbraves.com, or log on to www.dbraves.com.
Appalachian League Stories from September 2, 2009
- Oberholtzer brilliant as Braves take 1-0 lead - Danville Otterbots
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