MERCHANTS WIN VA. CLASSIC TITLE
WITH 11-4 VICTORY OVER PA. POWER
HAMPTON, VA. -- Tournament MVP Bill Hillhouse struck out 13 as the Peninsula Merchants used a five-run fifth inning to break open a close game in route to an 11-4 victory over PA Power in the championship game of the Virginia Classic on Sunday.
PA Power held a 3-1 lead after two innings, but the Merchants started coming back with three runs in the bottom of the third as Joby Overstreet doubled in two and eventually scored on a line out by Mike Chase. The visitors from Harrisburg, PA tied the game 4-all in the top of the fourth, but the Merchants took a lead for good on a Kelly Dampeer solo home run in the bottom of the fourth.
The hosts exploded for five runs in the bottom of the fifth as J.T. Ortiz hit a two-run home run which was followed by RBI doubles from Todd Smith and Paul Hall who scored the fifth run on a wild pitch. Peninsula closed out the game in the bottom of the sixth as Ortiz scored on a groundout from Joe Hineline to end the game via the seven run-rule.
Hall, Dampeer, Overstreet and Hineline had two hits each for the Merchants (14-5) while Dampeer, Overstreet and Ortiz drove in a pair each. The Merchants will play at Francis Asbury Park again on July 21-22 against the Virginians from Roanoke.
PENINSULA MERCHANTS 11, PA POWER 4
Championship Game -- Virginia Classic
PA Power 210 100 – 4 6 0
Peninsula 103 151 – 11 13 3
WP: Hillhouse (5-2); LP: Zimmerman. Standouts: PA, Ranck 2-3 (double, RBI, run), Sander 3-3 (triple, home run, 2 runs, RBI); Merchants, Hall 2-4 (2 runs, RBI, double, stolen base), Dampeer 2-3 (2 runs, 2RBIs, home run), Overstreet 2-4 (2 runs, 2RBIs, double), Ortiz 1-2 (2 runs, 2RBIs, home run), J. Hineline 2-3 (run, RBI, double), Hillhouse 13 strikeouts. Record: Peninsula 14-5.
Sunday Scores
GP Gwaltney 3, Sketchers 1 (Sketchers 4th place)
PA Power 3, GP Gwaltney 2 (GP Gwaltney 3rd place)
Craig Smith
craigsmith50@msn.com
