COVINGTON, Va. (WVDN) – The Lumberjacks battled back late but could not overcome an early deficit Friday night, falling 9-4 to the Staunton Braves at Casey Field. Covington managed eight hits and cut into the Braves’ lead in the middle innings, but a three-run eighth and two-run ninth by Staunton put the game out of reach.
After two scoreless innings, Staunton broke through in the third with three runs while Covington answered with one. The Braves added another run in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead. The Lumberjacks chipped away in the sixth when George Pardo Jr. drove in a run, then pulled within one in the seventh. Cross Yarborough delivered a two-run double during the inning as Covington scored twice to make it 4-4.
Staunton responded immediately, scoring three runs in the eighth and adding two more in the ninth to secure the 9-4 victory. Chris Carroll paced the Lumberjacks offensively, going 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored. Pardo finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Yarborough went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs. Jacob Levesque added a hit and walk.
Mason Reid drove in a run, and Isaac Lopez reached base three times on walks. Carroll, Lopez and Reid each stole a base. Defensively, Covington turned a double play with Frankie Clark, Luca Mendez and Lopez combining on the play.
Starting pitcher Hunter DePriest kept the Lumberjacks in the game early, striking out seven over 4.1 innings. He allowed four runs on four hits while walking two. Eli Porter worked two-thirds of an inning in relief, and Robert Boing tossed two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out one.
Nelson Martinez was charged with the loss after allowing five runs, two earned, over 1.2 innings. Daniel Perruc recorded a strikeout in the final inning.
The Lumberjacks will be on the road Saturday and Sunday and will return home on Wednesday night to host Culpeper
