ERRORLIMINATED

STAUNTON—The sticks were hit hard on both ends, but errors and big innings doomed Waynesboro as Staunton doubling up the Generals 16-8 Tuesday night at John Moxie Memorial Stadium.

The win eliminated the Generals from playoff contention, guaranteeing that Covington would be the second team to make the playoffs from the South Division.

The Braves did the season-ending damage in the third inning.

Robert Sabo was stuck on the mound during the rough thirty minutes for the men in navy blue as the Generals committed four errors in the third inning accounting for eight Staunton runs.

“It will kill you when you get teams four and five outs,” Waynesboro coach Derek McDaniel said. “They put up eight in the one inning and that was just too much.”

Donovan Huffer led off for the Braves, reaching on a fielding error by Alex McClure.

Back-to-back singles from Blake McDade and Kyle Blackburn brought Huffer home.

After John Dishon flew out to center, it would take another six batters before another Brave would be retired, this time by reliever Jeremy Dobbs.

Anthony Mesa, Anthony Porter, Zac Caito, and Will Owens, the bottom of the Braves order reached without the benefit of a hit.

Mesa made it when Evan Stobbs couldn’t dig out Tyler Biddix’s throw from third, bringing home McDade.

Porter hit a ball to deep left, but Rhett Stafford could not get a read on the ball with it hitting off his glove before landing on the outfield sod. Blackburn and Mesa both scored on the play.

After Sabo walked Caito to put runners at first and second, Owens grounded a ball back to the pitcher.

Sabo threw to McClure to try to turn the double play, but the throw went into the outfield, bringing Porter home.

Kent Burford’s RBI single past the third baseman drove in Owens.

Huffer followed Burford with a walk, reaching base for the second time in the inning.

Blackburn ended the damage with a single to right field, bringing home Burford and Huffer for Staunton in an inning that all but decided the game.

“I take the blame for this game,” McDaniel stated. “We handled it behind closed doors, but to the public, I didn’t have the team ready to play.”

Stobbs led the Generals going 2-for-3 with his first home run of the season and a single.

Tony Caldwell went 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored.