HAMPTON, Va. (June 15, 2022) – The visiting Wilson Tobs hit three home runs, two in a four-run fifth inning, to take down the Peninsula Pilots 8-3 on Wednesday night at War Memorial Stadium.

The Pilots outhit Wilson 12-8, including three hits apiece from Kyle Schmack (Valparaiso) and Chris Sparber (Louisburg), but stranded 10 runners and couldn’t overcome Wilson’s power surge.

Starting pitchers Jordan Irizarry (Campbell) of the Pilots and Dylan Brosky of the Tobs both pitched four scoreless innings to start the game. Irizarry was particularly sharp early, allowing just one hit in the first four frames. The Pilots, meanwhile, had two hits in each of their first three innings, but Brosky avoided any damage each time.

Wilson broke the stalemate in the fifth. After a pair of walks and a flyout, Sammy Sass connected for a three-run homer to open the scoring. One out later, Matt Schark hit a solo shot to give the Tobs a 4-0 lead.

Gregory Delgado singled and later scored to push Wilson’s lead to 5-0 in the sixth before the Pilots scored their first run. Robbie Petracci (Old Dominion) and Schmack hit consecutive two-out doubles in the bottom of the sixth to bring Peninsula within 5-1.

The Tobs picked up another run on a Pilot error in the eighth. Schmack singled in another run for the Pilots in the eighth to bring the home team within 6-2.

Both teams notched a homer in the ninth inning. Delgado capped the scoring for Wilson with a two-run homer in the top of the frame. Lincoln Ransom (ODU) blasted a lead-off solo homer for the Pilots in the bottom of the ninth for the game’s final run.

Schmack went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Sparber finished 3-for-5 to lead the Pilots’ offensive attack.

Sass paced Wilson with a 3-for-5 night which included two doubles and his home run.

The Pilots return to action on Thursday night in a 7 p.m. game at the Tri-City Chili Peppers.