CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – After two straight high-scoring wins, the latter being a 15-7 victory over the Staunton Braves, the Charlottesville Tom Sox remained home to face the Harrisonburg Turks. After dropping their first two matchups in Harrisonburg, the weather gods fought off the predicted thunderstorms with a mere drizzle to bring baseball to Charlottesville High School. It was a godsend that the game did happen, as it was the roller coaster that the Tom Sox desperately needed.
The Tom Sox came alive late to steal a 10-8 victory at home. This game marks the team’s first winning record of the season so far.
The action started in the top of the second inning, but it was not a desirable start for a Tom Sox team that desired to take momentum from the past two games into the future. Pitcher Marty Gair (UNC Wilmington) walked four straight batters, leading to a run. A clutch double play turned by Kyle Edwards (Old Dominion) helped keep the damage limited, and the Turks took a 2-0 lead into the third. The Turks stepped further ahead in the third with a Christian Ficca groundout to make it 3-0.
The Tom Sox answered in the following half-inning, inching a bit closer. Edwards began the charge with a deep double to center field. He was brought home with groundouts from both Gavin Abrams (Clemson) and Trey Yunger (Wofford).
More off-target pitches set up loaded bases in the top of the fourth. Reliever Chandler Marsh (Georgia) was able to dig himself out of that hole, but not before a Sam Schner single brought in the fourth run of the day for Harrisonburg. The Turks lead grew back to three.
Jaylon Lee took the ‘Sox’s pitching change personally and cracked a solo shot to left field in the fifth. Brenden Vern matched with his own home run in the sixth. This marked five straight innings in which the Turks were able to score, boasting a 6-1 lead by the end of the sixth.
Typical to the culture of the Tom Sox, they refused to lie down and take it. With the bases loaded in the sixth, Edwards flew out to right, deep enough to send the runner home from third. Yunger then plastered a ball to deep center field, bringing home two more runs.
In the seventh, Logan Amiss (VCU) and Cole Wagner (Georgia) traded doubles to center, flagging one more run in pursuit of another comeback. The score read 7-5 by the end of the inning.
The Turks’ scoring streak would finally come to a close in the top of the eighth. That’s when the ‘Sox got to work. After loading the bases with three straight walks, Amiss smacked a sacrifice fly that scored one. In the next at-bat, Wagner sliced a single that scored two more, tarnishing the Turks’ lead. The carnage continued with a nuke to left field from John Newton (UNC Wilmington). The Tom Sox scratched away the Turks’ advantage to take a 10-7 lead heading into the ninth.
Attempting to make magic come three times, Harrisonburg’s Mitchell Farris sent one to the squirrels in the trees past the right-field fence to bring the deficit to two. Tinker Bell scoffed at their proposal, however, as the Tom Sox clinched their first winning record of the 2022 season.
The Tom Sox stay at Charlottesville High School for a Father’s Day doubleheader against the Purcellville Cannons on Sunday, June 19. First pitch of game one will be thrown at 4 P.M. Admission is free thanks to Carter Bank & Trust.
Additional Notes
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The Tom Sox have scored double-digit runs in three straight games.
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Logan Amiss continued his flaming hot start to the season after going 3-for-3 today. Amiss is now batting .545 (6-for-11) in four games this season with a double, home run, five RBI and five walks.
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Cole Wagner collected two more RBI and now has seven through three games this summer.
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Brody Moss (Auburn) walked in three of his four plate appearances and scored two runs in his ‘Sox debut.
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The Tom Sox are now tied with the Turks and Generals for first place in the South division.
