HAMPTON, Va. (June 19, 2022) – Jack Dragum (Charlotte) and Wyatt Langford (Florida) both homered and the host Peninsula Pilots got a strong pitching performance from a trio of arms in a 6-3 victory over Martinsville on Sunday night at War Memorial Stadium.

The Pilots recorded 12 hits in winning for the third time in four games. Not to be outdone, the Peninsula pitching staff faced the minimum number of hitters over the final five frames to seal the win.

After the game began with three scoreless innings, the fourth inning featured plenty of fireworks. Nathan Goranson got the scoring started with a solo homer for Martinsville in the top of the fourth. Three batters later, Carlos Amezquita hit a two-run blast to give the Mustangs a 3-0 edge.

But the Pilots wasted little time in regaining the momentum. Dragum connected on a two-run homer with one out in the fourth to bring the Pilots within a run. The next batter, Robbie Petracci (Old Dominion), doubled to right and then scored when the next batter, Kyle Schmack (Valparaiso), followed with a single, knotting the score at 3-all.

Peninsula capitalized on some shaky Martinsville defense to take the lead in the fifth. The Mustangs committed three straight errors to start the frame and Petracci made them pay with the go-ahead RBI single.

The Pilots’ pitching was the story from there. After starter Trey Morgan (VMI) tossed five solid innings, Tyler Hardwick (Lubbock Christian) faced the minimum nine hitters in his three innings. He allowed just one hit, that coming in the seventh, but the runner was later erased trying to take third base on an overthrow.

Langford gave the Pilots some cushion in the bottom of the seventh. After Chris Sparber (Louisburg) led off with a single, Langford blasted a two-run home run well beyond the fence in left-center to give the Pilots a 6-3 edge.

Mason Miller (Florida Gulf Coast) pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the Pilots to finish off the win and earn the save.

Morgan picked up the win for the Pilots, allowing three runs with five strikeouts in five innings.

Sparber, Dragum, Petracci and Elijah Dickerson (Towson) had two hits apiece for the Pilots, who outhit Martinsville 12-5.

The same teams face each other again Monday, with this one coming in Martinsville at 7 p.m.