CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Charlottesville Tom Sox started the 2025 season on a sour note, succumbing to potent pitching and a steady stream of runs, falling to Harrisonburg, 9-1.
The Tom Sox struck out 13 times in the game, compared to the Turks’ 10.
Saturday’s game was supposed to be the second of the new season, however, a quick thunderstorm dashed the originally-scheduled season opener at Culpeper on Friday. To make things more challenging, the Sox were without head coach Randy Tomlin for Saturday’s contest, as he was fulfilling his coaching duties for Liberty Christian Academy, coaching in the school’s playoff game.
The Tom Sox opened its season against the Turks under clearer weather, but the blue skies did not yield results offensively. The Sox had no answer for Harrisonburg starter Cannon Feazell, who lasted five innings, surrendering only two hits and one run. Feazell, who’s looping curveball puzzled Sox hitters, notched five strikeouts in his outing. Charlottesville’s lineup was not given a break once it chased Feazell out of the game, as reliever Tim Tyler picked up right where Feazell left off. Tyler no-hit the Tom Sox through the final four innings, picking up another eight strikeouts. The starting pitcher for the Tom Sox was Bradley Link (Pensacola State College), who pitched the first two innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits, with five strikeouts. Link was one of five pitchers used in the game for the ‘Sox, none throwing for more than two innings.
The offense for Harrisonburg was effective, but not explosive. While the Turks scored runs in six of the first seven innings, it did so with only one extra-base hit, a 7th inning solo homer off the bat of Josiah Seguin. The Tom Sox also only had one extra-base-hit in Saturday’s contest, a double from Jett Bristow (Virginia), which scored first baseman Tanner Schaedel (Old Dominion). Schaedel registered the only other hit for Charlottesville on Saturday, an infield single in the 2nd inning.
UP NEXT:
The Tom Sox return home tomorrow afternoon to begin inter-division play for the 2025 season. Charlottesville hosts Woodstock with first pitch set for 1 p.m. from CHO Airport Field at Charlottesville High School. You can access the broadcast of the game on the Charlottesville Tom Sox Facebook page, or the Tom Sox YouTube channel.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
- Charlottesville is now 2-8 in season openers, and have lost four straight
- Saturday’s one-run performance from the Tom Sox is the fewest runs they have scored in a season opener in the team’s 10-year history
- The ‘Sox struck out looking eight times on Saturday, tied for the second most times in a single game in franchise history
