Purcellville Cannons vs. New Market Rebels – 7/22/2023 – By: Lauren Fulton
The Cannons hit the road for a brief road game tonight down in New Market, VA, to take on the Rebels for the last time this season. Unfortunately for the Cannons, they were not able to walk away with a win after tonight’s matchup, losing 6-3. The boys have been playing hard for the last several days, and it’s getting to a point in the season where it’s easy to look at all the negatives going on – bodies start aching a little more, sleep becomes less and less of a priority, and the “game of failure” can oftentimes feel more like a burden than a blessing. What’s important to keep in mind, fans, is that the Cannons have done a great job this season pulling through in the moments when it’s mattered, and displaying their ability to play as a team when they want to. With just a few games left in this regular season, the boys and the coaches, are confident in their ability to pull it together and head into playoffs strong.
Our starting pitcher for tonight was Noah Ingle, (JR; Gardner Webb University), who pitched for 6.1 innings, giving up 9 hits, 2 walks, and 6 runs during his time on the mound. Ingle, who just recently committed to GWU, has been a reliable arm for the Cannons bullpen this season, and his ability to go for multiple innings in tonight’s game demonstrated his athleticism. Although the boys weren’t able to walk away with a win, he still did a good job commanding his pitches. First out of the bullpen was Fin Horowicz, (FR; Army West Point), who pitched for 1 inning, giving up 1 walk. Our final pitcher for tonight’s game was Justin Acal, (SR; University of Pittsburgh), who pitched for 0.2 innings, gaining 1 strikeout during his short-lived time on the mound.
Our defense for tonight was fairly successful, allowing just one error throughout the game, proving that once again, the Cannons defense has remained solid the whole season. Our catcher for the evening was Jack McDonald, (SR; Wilmington University), at first base was Ryne Guida, (SR; Florida International University), at second base was Brayden Caskey, (JR; Arkansas State University), at short stop was Mitsuki Kohno, (JR; Sierra Junior College), and finishing off the defense was Keegan Knuston, (SO; San Jacinto College North), at third base. Our outfielders for the evening began with Mikey Brinton, (JR; University of Arkansas Fort Smith), in left field, Daryl Buggs 2nd, (SR; University of Alabama Birmingham), in center, and Jackson Micheels, (JR; University of Purdue Fort Wayne), in right field.
On a more offensive note, Jackson Micheels once again had himself a night at the plate! Micheels went 3 for 5 with 1 double, showing the Rebels the power he has as a dominant lefty in the Cannons lineup. Brayden Caskey and Mitsuki Kohno also had 2 hits on the evening, each providing themselves as baserunners on multiple occurrences throughout the game. They both each had doubles on the evening, with Mikey Brinton also recording yet another of his own during this season. The Cannons recorded 8 hits on the evening, which is relatively good for them – the boys just struggled with generating runs with runners left on base in crucial times. Hopefully tomorrow, they will be able to return back to Purcellville ready to take on new challenges.
The boys will face the Culpeper Cavaliers tomorrow evening at 7:00 pm, here in downtown Purcellville, where a very special ceremony will take place shortly before the game – it’s one you and your family won’t want to miss, so we hope to see y’all in the stands, as we wind down this summer season, with just 2 more home game days left. As always, we appreciate y’all’s support, regardless if we win or lose. So come join us, as we wrap up this season, and celebrate moments and people worth it all!