Generals blank Rapids

The Waynesboro Generals ended their three-game losing streak with a 4-0 shutout win over the visiting Rockbridge Rapids on Sunday evening at Fishburne Military School Park at Kate Collins Field.

“It feels good to get off the losing streak,” said assistant coach Kurt Davidson, speaking for head coach Andy Chalot. “We played good defense tonight with no errors and we were able to get some hits which we haven’t been doing lately.”

The Generals struck first in the bottom half of the second as AJ Kirby Jones led off the inning with a double to the gap and Ryan Mathews followed with a bloop single advancing Jones to third.

Cory Kovanda flew out to shallow right field, which was not deep enought to allow Jones to tag on the play. Rhett Stafford followed, doubling a pitch from Dominic Favazza to the base of the wall scoring Jones for the game’s first run.

The No. 8 hitter Sean Bukovich hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield allowing the tagging Mathew to score, giving the Generals the early 2-0 lead.

The Generals jumped of Favazza again in the third with a leadoff single by Alex McClure and a one-out hit by Tony Caldwell put runners on the corners, but Jones grounded into an inning ending double play.

With one-out in the bottom of the sixth the Generals started another rally. Caldwell doubled down the third base line and Jones followed with a line drive single over the shortstop.

Mathews followed with his second hit of the evening plating Caldwell from third. The run would be the only the Generals could muster in the inning after Kovanda grounded into a double play to end the attack.

Quietly Waynesboro starting pitcher Ricky Marshall was having his way with the Rapids hitters. Marshall got himself into a few jams throughout his seven innings of work, but was always able to escape with no harm done.

“He [Marshall] got ahead of hitters early tonight and you have to do that to have success,” Davidson said. “The key for him was to work at his own pace and get ahead of hitters which he did tonight.”

Marshall left in the eighth inning after giving up a leadoff single to Rob Froio. Marshall kept the Rapids off the board giving up no runs and six hits while striking out seven batters for his third win of the season.

Evan Stobbs came in for Marshall and shut down the Rapids making way for Chris Enourato in the ninth.

The Generals added an insurance run in the ninth on an RBI single by Kovanda scored Jones from second to give the Generals the 4-0 lead. Enourato shut the door on the Rapids in the ninth ending the losing skid.

Jones and Mathews led the Generals both going 3-for-4. Mathews also added an RBI and Bukovich went 2-for-3 with an RBI.

The Generals improved to 11-8 on the season. Waynesboro will be on the road Tuesday night against cross-county rival Staunton.