#2 Starting Pitcher: Rob Gilliam

And then there were two. The first Luray Wrangler on the top starter list, Rob Gilliam was one of the main reasons the Wranglers advanced to the finals against Waynesboro. Now a sophomore at UNC-Greensboro, Gilliam had a fantastic year in the Valley: he went 7-1, 1.26, with 1 save, a 0.96 WHIP, 2.8 BB/9, 12.8 K/9, and .175 opponent's batting average. In his 57 innings, Rob gave up 37 hits, 18 walks, and struck out a whopping 81 batters. He gave up only 8 earned runs and 2 home runs (one each to New Market's Nick Stanley and Harrisonburg's Brett Stewart).  Rob also consistently hit 92 mph on my radar gun- one of the highest readings for a starting pitcher that I saw all year.

He finished 1st in the league in ERA, 2nd in strikeouts, tied for 2nd in wins, 8th in innings pitched, tied for 2nd in shutouts, tied for 1st in complete games, and 2nd in opponent's batting average. 

His nine starts went like this:

June 6 at Winchester: 6 IP, 4 hits, 1 unearned run, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts, W, 9-2
June 13 at Harrisonburg: 5 shutout IP, 4 hits, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts, W, 1-0 (shortened by rain)
June 23 vs. Staunton: 5 2/3 shutout IP, 1 hit, 0 walks, 8 strikeouts, W, 3-0
June 30 vs. Covington: 5 shutout IP,  1 hit, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts, W, 6-2
July 5 vs. Harrisonburg: 5 IP, 7 hits, 6 runs (5 earned), 4 walks, 6 strikeouts, L, 6-4
July 14 vs. Woodstock: 6 shutout IP, 4 hits, 0 walks, 8 strikeouts, W, 6-0
July 20 vs. New Market: 9 IP, 2 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 walk, 16 strikeouts, W, 3-2
July 27 at Woodstock: 6 IP, 3 hits, 1 unearned run, 3 walks, 11 strikeouts, W, 6-1
August 2 vs. Front Royal: 4 1/3 IP, 6 hits, 1 earned run, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts, W, 7-1

Luray won 8 of his 9 starts, he had only one start where he gave up more than 2 earned runs, and he struck out more batters than innings pitched in 7 of his 9 starts. His masterpiece is obviously this game, July 20th vs. New Market. Rob gave up a 2-run home run to Nick Stanley with 2 outs in the top of the ninth to tie the game, only to have his teammate, Brett Bowen, single in the winning run in the bottom of the 9th. More telling, Gilliam got 16 of the 27 outs by strikeout. 

Gilliam was unable to take the mound in he championship series against Waynesboro because of a sore arm.

In his freshman year at UNC-Greensboro, Gilliam went 2-1, 6.91, with a 1.58 WHIP, 4.4 BB/9, and 8.2 K/9.  Hopefully his arm is sound, and  Rob can build off his monster season in Luray!

(Picture courtesy of Haymarket Joe)