By Craig Juer -- Daily Staff Writer

NEW MARKET — Thirteen innings of baseball, and all the Generals ended up with were two more district losses and some sore rear ends to show for it.

"Mentally," coach Bill Harlow explained, "I believe some things, they just bit us in the rear."

The Generals hosted Wilson Memorial for a doubleheader Wednesday, and got more than the 10 innings they knew they were in for. After losing the first five-inning game 6-4, Stonewall and Wilson went eight innings in the nightcap, which the Hornets won 9-8.

The first game got off to a poor start for Stonewall when pitcher Bobby Lin surrendered two unearned runs in the first inning before leaving with a sore ulnar collateral ligament.

"His elbow," Harlow said. "Trainer looked at it and said he'll be fine to go by Friday."

The Hornets built on their lead against reliever Brandon Moomaw in the second inning. D.J. Curry walked with one out, and Tyler Knight hit a base hit to short center. After the second out, Ryan Cale walked to load the bases. A wild pitch scored Curry, but catcher Giovanni Guzman overthrew Moomaw, covering home, to plate another run.

The Generals plated three in the third and one in the fifth, but two runs in the fourth (one unearned on a botched rundown by Stonewall) for Wilson put the first game out of reach, with Curry picking up the win in the complete effort.

The second game began much more swimmingly for the Generals, who were in search of their first district win. Giovanni Guzman boarded on a bean ball, and Yadiel Guzman singled to left. Andrew Marshall reached on a fielder's choice before Kyle Kennedy was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. C.B. Fansler hit a double-play ball but beat the throw to first, plating two.

"We've been hitting the ball at people constantly, but as far as hitting I think we hit very well tonight, both games," Harlow said. "I'm very proud of the way they continued to try to make things happen."

A triple by Giovanni Guzman to lead off the third sparked a three-run rally, but the Generals frittered away the lead with a four-run Hornets fourth.

In the fifth inning, it looked like the wheels had fallen off. Weston Cash and Cale each hit doubles to lead off the inning, tying the score at 5. Stonewall's Kevin Barb robbed David Gauldin of extra bases with a spectacular sprawling catch in center field, but Roberto Pugliese snatched the lead for Wilson with an RBI single to center.

Faced with a one-run defeat in the bottom of the fifth, Stonewall got creative. Marshall led off by striking out against reliever Alex Fisher, but reached first on a passed ball. After Kennedy struck out, Marshall stole third. After Fansler struck out looking, Marshall stole third base while Fisher, oblivious, fidgeted with his cleats behind the mound. Marshall then took advantage of Fisher's deliberate windup with a straight steal of home to tie the game.

"The pitcher was not watching at all. The first pitch, Marshall was halfway down the line," Harlow said. "I looked at him, and he goes, 'I can get it.' I said, 'Then get it.'"

After two extra innings, Wilson scored three runs on two hits and two errors, both dropped fly balls. Stonewall mustered two runs in the bottom of the eighth, but stranded runners on first and third to end the game.

"I preach to these kids, we've got three aspects, at least for this team: the hitting, the defense and the mental," Harlow said. "One of them always seems to bite us in the rear. We can't bring all three at the same time for some reason."

*Contact Craig Juer at cjuer@nvdaily.com

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