Pilots Split DH with Edenton
Published on June 15, 2016 under Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Peninsula Pilots News Release
HAMPTON, Va. - Will Shepherd hit a walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh inning of the second game of the doubleheader to lift the Pilots to a doubleheader split with Edenton Steamers on Tuesday night at War Memorial Stadium.
Shepherd's double in the seventh inning lifted the Pilots to a 2-1 victory in the second game to avenge a 10-7 loss in the first game.
After scoring 10 runs in the first game, the Steamers picked up where they left off with a run in the first inning. Richard Cunningham (Baylor) tripled to right-center with one out and came around to score on Tony Rosselli's (Indiana State) sacrifice fly to take an early lead.
After three scoreless innings, the Pilots put pressure on the Steamers in the fourth inning. Will Shepherd (Liberty) doubled to lead off the inning but was thrown out on a fielder's choice by Darian Carpenter (VCU). Two straight wild pitches allowed Carpenter to move to third with one out but back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat.
Chris Gau (Jacksonville) did a good job of keeping the Steamers at bay by only giving up a run on three hits in four innings. The right-hander struck out six and did not allow a free pass in his brief stint. Alex Shauger (Chipola), Michael Parmentier (Norfolk State) and Robbie Hiser (Norfolk State) each tossed a shutout inning. Hiser moved to 1-1 on the year with the walk-off victory.
In the sixth, Shepherd knocked his second hit of the game with a single before swiping second. With two outs, Kurt Sinnen (Old Dominion) hit a sharp ground ball to short that he beat out. On the same play, Shepherd never slowed down and beat the throw home to knot the game at one apiece. Evan Fernandez (Jacksonville) followed with a bloop single to put the go-ahead run at third. After a walk to Logan Augustine (Lincoln Memorial) loaded the bases, a groundout ended the threat.
In the seventh and final inning of the double-header, Edenton was held scoreless in the top of inning. The Pilots, however, ended the game in walk-off fashion. Nick Walker (Old Dominion) walked and stole second base to put a man in scoring position. Then, with two outs and a full count, Shepherd striped a laser to the gap in left center to score Walker and win the game in dramatic fashion.
In the first game of the doubleheader, the Steamers got on the board early with a trio of runs in the second inning. Stefan Van Horn (Washington State), Trey Hair (Evansville), and Jimbo Pernetti (California State-Chico) loaded the bases in consecutive at-bats with a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and a bunt single. Ben Prada (UMass-Lowell) then proceeded to score Van Horn on a hard grounder to first. In the next at-bat with two men on, Ryan Byers (Southeastern Louisiana) hooked a two-run double to left field to plate Hair and Pernetti, making it a 3-0 game.
Edenton continued the offense in the top of the fourth inning. Tony Rosselli (Indiana State) led off with a base hit, and Thatcher Coleman (Presbyterian) reached on a walk in the next at-bat. Aaron Aucker (Middle Tennessee State) then batted in Rosselli on a no-out double to left field. However, Van Horn broke the game open in the next at-bat with a three-run shot over the left field wall, making the score 7-0.
Pilots pitcher Tim Edwards (Seton Hall) provided some fireworks on the mound for the Pilots after the four-run third inning. Edwards came out of the bullpen and threw two scoreless innings, striking out three without allowing a hit.
The Pilots hopped on the scoreboard for the first time in the fifth inning. In an inning where seven Pilots batters got on base, Will Shepherd (Liberty) began the offense with a one-out single. Kurt Sinnen (Old Dominion) reached on a walk in the next at-bat, and Darian Carpenter (VCU) proceeded to score Shepherd on a ground ball single that ricocheted off the third baseman's glove into left field. A walk by Andrew Yacyk (Liberty) loaded the bases, and then Edenton pitcher Russell hit Charlie Cody to score Sinnen. Devin Mahoney (St. Louis) batted in Carpenter on a single, making it three straight at-bats that resulted in a run. With two outs and the bases loaded, Joe Poduslenko (Seton Hall) walked to score one more run, this time plating Yacyk. At the end of the fifth, the Steamers led 7-4.
The Pilots continued their hot streak in the sixth inning. After an unpromising start to the inning with the first two outs recorded on a double play, Carpenter hit an infield single and Yacyk was hit by a pitch to put two men on the bases. Cody then hit a single that plated Carpenter, and an error on the hit allowed Drake McNamara (Southern Indiana), who pinch ran for Yacyk, to score the sixth run of the game. At the end of the sixth, the Pilots had cut the deficit to a run.
The Steamers' bats came alive again in the seventh, and final, inning of the first game of the double-header. A leadoff single from Rosselli put a Steamers runner on base, and Van Horn scored Rosselli, who advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, with a single. Hair contributed the final two runs on a triple over the center fielder's head, plating Van Horn from second, with Hair himself scoring on a throwing error during the play.
The Pilots made an attempt at a comeback in the bottom of the seventh. Austin tripled to lead off the inning and Poduslenko plated him on a slow grounder to shortstop, but they could not muster enough offense after that to overcome the four run deficit, making the final score 10-7 in favor of Edenton.
The Pilots travel to Petersburg tomorrow night, but come back to War Memorial Stadium on Thursday to face Petersburg again for Pardi Gras Night. For more information regarding the season, please visit www.peninsulapilots.com. For up to the minute details on Pilots Baseball be sure to "Like" us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @PeninsulaPilots. Use the #PilotsNation to spread the word about the Pilots!
Coastal Plain League Stories from June 15, 2016
- Thornberry Park Arts in the Park Night Tonight - Wilson Tobs
- Three Salamanders Drafted - Holly Springs Salamanders
- Eight Clams Picked from Sea of Amateur Ranks - Edenton Steamers
- Steamers, Pilots Split Doubleheader - Edenton Steamers
- Pilots Split DH with Edenton - Peninsula Pilots
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