Purcellville Cannons vs. Waynesboro Generals – 7/19/2023 – By: Lauren Fulton
The Cannons walk away with a win! Tonight, the boys took on the Waynesboro Generals, in their fourth matchup this season. Although this game was a close one, the boys were able to successfully walk away with a 12-9 win over the Generals! After last night’s loss against the Cardinals, the boys were eager to come back and return to the win column. From the pitching to the offense, the boys worked behind one another to get the job done throughout the game. From an outsider’s perspective, it was a fun game to watch – the boys had fun with one another, and played true Cannons baseball, just as they had at the beginning of the season.
Our starting pitcher for the evening was Seth Sumner, (JR; Cal State Fullerton), who pitched for 4 innings, giving up just 6 hits, 3 walks, and 4 earned runs. The coaches were happy to see that Sumner gave a good effort, allowing the bullpen to get “fully ready” toward the middle of the game. Any time a starting pitcher can go past 3 innings demonstrates their ability to get the job done in a manner of longevity, and Sumner proved his worth in doing so. First in relief for tonight was newcomer Noah Moody, (SR; Columbia International University), who pitched for 2 innings, giving up just 2 hits, 1 walk, and 1 earned run. Following him out of the bullpen was Mac Yarbrough, (SO; Norfolk State University), who gave up 3 walks, and 3 earned runs. He was quickly relieved by yet another newcomer, (SR; Shepherd University), who pitched for 2 innings, giving up 2 hits, 1 walk, and 1 earned run. Our final pitcher for the evening who got the “save” during tonight’s matchup, was Andrew Washington, (SR; Georgia Gwinnett College), who pitched for 1 inning, solidifying the win and setting down the Generals with 2 clutch strikeouts. The pitching staff rebounded from the previous night’s loss, and worked behind the Cannons offense yet again, to secure a much-needed Cannons win.
The defense for the night played together seamlessly, allowing no errors to further help cushion the Cannon’s lead over the Generals. Catching for the evening was Jose Torres, (SR; University of Louisiana Lafayette), playing first base was Ryne Guida, (SR; Florida International University), at second base was Brayden Caskey, (JR; Arkansas State University), at shortstop was Justin Acal, (SR; University of Pittsburgh), and finishing off the defense at third base, (which should come as no shock to anyone by now), was Keegan Knuston, (SO; San Jacinto College North). Our outfielders for the evening began with Jackson Micheels, (JR; University of Purdue Fort Wayne), in left field, Daryl Buggs 2nd, (SR; University of Alabama Birmingham), in center field, and Bear Horowicz, (University of North Carolina Chapel Hill), in right field.
The offense for the Cannons has once again put up double-digit numbers, with players stepping up in big ways over the course of tonight’s game. Ryne Guida had yet another fantastic night at the plate, going 4 for 5 with a grand slam! Guida also walked away from tonight’s game with 6 RBIs, scoring half of the acquired runs throughout tonight’s game. Guida is currently batting with a .481 batting average, making him one of the most successful hitters in Valley League history. Another notable hitter for tonight’s game was Jackson Micheels, who went 3 for 4, with a double and 2 singles. Jose Torres also came up big going 3 for 5 with 3 singles and 2 walks, getting on base every single time he was up to bat during the matchup against the Generals. Torres also walked away with 2 RBIs, proving once again how good of a team player he is. The Cannons collectively had 16 hits on the evening, putting up 12 accompanying runs. Lately, the Cannons offense has been the most successful factor in their recent successes, so as the season draws to a close, they hope to build on their continual success.
The Cannons will hit the road tomorrow to take on the Strasburg Express in Strasburg, VA. The Express has been experiencing a lot of success this season, so hopefully the Cannons will be able to show them just the kind of power they have throughout their team. The boys will then return back to Fireman’s Field on July 21st, to take on the first-place Harrisonburg Turks at 7:00 pm. This should be a good test to each team’s ability to battle until the end, so we hope to see y’all back at Fireman’s for this much-anticipated matchup.