Danville stormed back from an early one-run deficit to stun the two-time defending champion Elizabethton Twins 7-1 in the first game of the best-of-three Appalachian League Championship Series on Wednesday night in Elizabethton, Tenn.
The D-Braves can capture their second Appy League championship, and first since 2006, by winning Game 2 tonight in Danville. Game 3, if necessary, is Friday night in Danville.
D-Braves lefty Brett Oberholtzer pitched a complete-game five-hitter, limiting the Twins to a single earned run while striking out six and walking one. He limited Elizabethton to just one hit after the third inning while recording his second complete game of the season.
Appy League Player of the Year Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburg laced a two-run single to left field in the sixth inning to hand the D-Braves a 3-1 advantage that they expanded with another run in the eighth and three more in the ninth.
Spanjer-Furstenburg finished 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Matt Weaver batted 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored and Christian Bethancourt and Jordan Kreke each added a pair of base hits in the victory. Cory Harrilchak scored twice for Danville (48-21).
Chris Herrman collected two of Elizabethton’s five hits.
The Twins (45-24) scored their lone run on a wild pitch in the second inning.
Elizabethton starter Tom Stuifbergen faced just one batter over the minimum until Danville managed to tie the game with a run in the fifth inning, when Kreke scored Bethancourt with a base hit to right.
Stuifbergen took the loss after allowing four runs on eight hits in 7 1-3 innings. He struck out seven and walked one.
Danville opened its half of the sixth inning with four consecutive base hits to take a 3-1 lead and control of the game.
Bethancourt scored Harrilchak with a single to left to give Danville a 4-1 lead in the eighth inning and the floodgates opened in the ninth as the D-Braves scored three times to end any thought of an Elizabethton comeback.
ON DECK
D-Braves LHP Matt Crim (10-2, 3.18), the Appalachian League Pitcher of the Year, opposes Elizabethton LHP Edgar Ibarra (6-2, 2.84) in Game 2 of the ALCS at 7 p.m. today in Danville. Game 3, if necessary, is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday in Danville.
Contact Jason Wolf at jwolf@registerbee.com or (434) 791-7996.
Danville 7, Elizabethton 1
Danville 000 012 013 - 7 13 1
Elizabethton 010 000 000 - 1 5 2
W: Oberholtzer (1-0, 1.00); L: Stuifbergen, T (0-1, 4.91)
HR: None.
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