FROM PRESS RELEASE
WAYNESBORO, Va., August 6, 2007 – On the heels of a 3-2 win over Covington in the semifinals, the top-seeded Waynesboro Generals have advanced to the Valley Baseball League championship series where they will meet the third-seeded Luray Wranglers in a battle for the Jim Lineweaver Cup.
Luray, which wrapped up its series over Staunton on Saturday, will enter the series as the defending Valley League champions. Waynesboro, meanwhile, enters the series with the best regular season record over the last two seasons combined, including the best mark in the league in 2007 at 30-13-1.
Waynesboro is led offensively by VBL MVP candidate Kurt Davidson who entered Monday hitting .306 with 12 doubles, five home runs, and 50 RBIs in 48 games. He added one of two RBIs for the Generals in the clinching win over Covington. On the mound, Jon Dages leads the pitching staff with a 7-2 overall record. The 2006 VBL ERA leader has a 2.74 mark in 2007 with 45 strikeouts in 62 innings. Adam Liberatore is close behind with a 6-1 record, 3.42 ERA, and 40 strikeouts. Jimmy Stanley has been stingy late in contests, picking up his 12th save in Monday’s game.
Luray boasts the top one-two punch in the league when it comes to starting pitchers. Robert Gilliam, the 2007 ERA leader, is 7-1 with a 1.26 ERA and 81 strikeouts. Dustin Umberger has been equally as impressive with an 8-0 record, 1.45 ERA, and 76 strikeouts. Offensively, the Wranglers are led by reigning league MVP Tyler Kuhn, who is hitting .314 in 41 games with seven doubles, two triples, three homers, and 21 RBIs.
The best-of-five series begins Tuesday in Waynesboro and will alternate sites until the champion is crowned. All five games will have live audio available at www.valleyleaguebaseball.com.
