Turnage leads Chargers at plate, on mound and on basepaths

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on April 11, 2015 11:48 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

Even when you take the bat out of Mitch Turnage's hands, he is going to find a way to manufacture runs for his team.

That's exactly what he did Friday afternoon, when Wayne Country Day edged Wayne Christian 8-7 in the final game of the Charger Diamond Classic.

When Turnage came to bat in the bottom of the fifth and a runner on third, Wayne Christian pitched around the Chargers leadoff hitter and walked him. He had already homered and drove in two runs.

But after reaching first, the sophomore Turnage chose to try an early steal of second base.

Wayne Christian pitcher Tanner Rose stepped off the mound and chased after Turnage. Turnage was able to stay in a run-down long enough for Drew Barnes to take home without a throw and tie the game at 7-7.

"He's going to make plays for us any way he can," WCDS coach Michael Taylor said. "That's the kind of kid he is. He's a dirt bag. He leaves it all out there and he made a play for us when we needed him to."

An inning after Turnage's heady play, Jacob Magera drove in Patrick Hall for the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly to left field.

Hall reached base after an at-bat that saw his teammate John Strickland get thrown out at second base on a hit-and-run.

Hall did exactly as he was supposed to and swung at a high fastball, but missed and Hunter Burt's throw to second was on the money.

"I called a hit-and-run which, ehh, maybe I shouldn't have," Taylor said. "Burt's got a real good arm back there and he made a good throw. I let (Patrick) don't you worry about that you did your job. Put it behind you and move on."

Hall listened and found a way on base. An errant throw by Burt one pitch later got Hall all the way to third and set the table for Magera.

In an odd scoring game, the Chargers matched what the Eagles did at the plate in every single inning except one. When the Eagles scratched a run in the first, the Chargers followed suit. When they pushed two across in the second inning, the Chargers duplicated it again. And when the Eagles scored three in the third, the Chargers also scored three.

"I don't think I've ever been a part of a game like that where they score the exact same thing as you every single time," WCS coach Curt Hinton said. "That was weird."

It was all according to Taylor's plan.

"I tell these guys our goal is to win or tie every inning," Taylor said. "We did that. We tied every inning except for one and that's all we need."

When the Eagles loaded the bases in the third, the Chargers turned to Turnage. He nearly escaped the inning without harm, but Rose beat out what looked like a sure-fire double play ball. The went up 6-3.

And while Taylor thought at times about using another pitcher in relief, Turnage wasn't having it.

"I tried to go to someone else and, 'no coach. This one is mine.'"

He threw 82 pitches in relief and surrendered one earned run in 5 innings.

"When you're running on adrenaline like that and you're real into it you don't even feel it," Turnage said. "My arm doesn't hurt I don't feel anything. I could probably go throw another seven if I had to like this."

He left the field with blood on his elbow, his jersey and his pants.

But he left with a win.

Turnage's homer was another opposite field shot to the short porch in right field, which he's become accustomed to hitting from time-to-time.

This one wasn't quite the no-doubter he usually hits though.

"I really wasn't sure if I got enough of it," Turnage said. "I knew we have the short fence in right and a little wind so I was thinking about it all game, but I was thinking that might drop in for a double or something."

Parker Smith had two hits for the Chargers and drove in a run.

Strickland and Barnes contributed two hits apiece as well.

Barnes scored three times.

The Eagles were led by Tyler Mozingo, one of the few Eagles who has been swinging a hot bat of late.

He had three hits -- including a home run -- and drove in four runs.

"I think a lot of the guys came in with high expectations so they have been putting a lot of pressure on themselves all year," Hinton said. "Tyler and Tanner and a few of the guys have gotten a little looser, but it's still not where we want them to be."

The Eagles have hovered around .500 all year, not quite what they were expecting coming into this season with a senior-ladened team, but Hinton feels a turnaround is coming.

"I guess the good thing is at this point we're 5-4 and nobody's expects much from us, maybe we can start playing a little looser," Hinton said.