Waynesboro loses an early lead in 5th

FISHERSVILLE — Waynesboro held an early lead Monday night, but a strong fifth inning by Wilson put the Hornets ahead for good with a 6-4 win in the nondistrict rivalry game.

Wilson put a very young team on the field, using two pitchers, Ryan Fitzgerald and Jordan Delange, a sophomore and freshman respectively.

“We’re a little young and green, not a play on our colors,” Wilson coach Derek McDaniel laughed. “We are going to make some mistakes, but I liked the way we played. The boys didn’t get down and hung in there and we gave up a couple runs but we handed the ball to a sophomore and freshman.”

The Little Giants put the first runs on the board with speedster Terrell Thompson and Jimmy Eavers scoring. After another run in the third and one in the fourth, the Little Giants were up 4-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.

“We got four runs and kind of went to sleep,” Waynesboro coach Webber Payne said. “The defense let [John Plonk] down tonight. He deserved better than that.”

The Hornets burst onto the scene in the fifth inning, shaking off the offensive rust from the first game of the season, hitting the ball in midseason form.

Wilson hit around in the fifth inning, getting to Plonk for one of the first times in the game, trailing by two as they stepped into the box.

Weston Cash walked to leadoff the inning. After Ryan Cale struck out, D.J. Curry picked up his third single in the game in as many tries to score Cash.

Gage Staton tripled over Thompson’s head to the wall in deep right-center field plating Curry.

After Aaron Coffey singled home Staton, Tyler Knight and Delange reached, chasing Plonk from the game.

J.T. Talley hit the first two batters he faced before ending the inning without furthering the damage, down 6-4. Wilson’s reliever Delange did the rest, coming into the game down 4-2 in the top of the fifth inning.

Delange gave up one hit, while striking out three without walking a single batter over three innings of work.

“I have two older brothers that play and they taught me a lot,” Delange said. “[Staton] teaches me a lot too.”

The freshman’s stuff was nearly unhittable, keeping the Little Giant hitters off their marks for the second half of the game.

“It’s a little change, big change,” Delange said about being on varsity so young. “But I’m definitely doing ok.”

Wilson (1-1, 0-0 Shenandoah District) hosts a doubleheader today against Parry McCluer.

Waynesboro (1-1, 0-0 Southern Valley) travels to Harrisonburg this evening.