STAUNTON, Va. – The Charlottesville Tom Sox (3-5) fell to the Staunton Braves (4-5), 12-3, at John Moxie Field on Monday. The Sox started hot in the first inning but were unable to score a run for the remainder of the game, while the Braves had their bats swinging from the get-go.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
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The ‘Sox struck first, after their first three batters reached via free passes (one walk, two HBP) in the first inning. With the bases loaded, John Newton (UNC Wilmington) hit an RBI single which brought Hunter Teplanszky (TCU) home. Tristan Bissetta reached via a base on balls, sending his Clemson teammate Gavin Abrams home. Menelik Israel (Duke) was hit by a pitch, and Satchell Norman (Florida Southwestern) scored the third run in a row. In the inning, three Tom Sox were hit by a pitch and two others were walked to put pressure on the Braves.
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The lead dwindled in the bottom half. An RBI single by Joe Delossantos and a two-run single by Ryan Peterson tied the game soon after. In the next inning, Nicolas Rodriguez sent a shot deep into the outfield for an RBI double, giving the Braves a 4-3 lead. Delossantos would hit a leadoff double in the fifth. Two batters later, he scored on a sacrifice groundout by Grant Painter to extend the lead to two. Delossantos continued his hot hitting with a three-run homer that surged over the wall in left-center, pushing the game out of reach, 8-3.
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In the seventh inning, the Braves rubbed salt in the wound, as a single and two walks would set them up with bases loaded with no outs. Jeffrey Snider would bring in a run on a fielder’s choice. Rodriguez hit a single that went right over first base and fell into the outfield, adding two more runs. Delossantos, the no-brainer MVP of the game, made matters worse with his fifth RBI of the game with a double that bounced off the wall, making it a 12-3 blowout.
GAME INSIGHTS:
The Tom Sox’s offense continued to be an issue. After getting only two hits against the Harrisonburg Turks, they recorded four hits against the Braves. They now have only 43 hits in eight games, which ranks last in the league in hits per game (5.38). The ‘Sox also rank last in runs per game, with 28 for the season and a 3.5 per game average.
Tyler Horvat (Washington & Jefferson) started on the mound for the Tom Sox. He threw three innings, giving up six hits, four earned runs, and a walk while striking out one batter. Justin Humenay (VCU) came into relief, sending three batters down on strikes, but allowed three hits, three runs, and three walks in his 2.1 innings of action. Braden Halladay (Tallahassee CC) took over for Humenay in the sixth inning, giving up one hit and one earned run. Gray Thomas (TCU) came on in the seventh inning, but he was unable to force an out, getting pulled for Christian Howe (Kentucky) soon after. Howe would record an out but gave up three runs and two walks. Martin Gair (UNC Wilmington) ended the game for the Sox on the mound, sending two down on strikes and walking two others in 1.2 innings.
UP NEXT:
The Tom Sox will have the day off on Tuesday before traveling to Waynesboro on Wednesday to take on the Generals. First pitch is scheduled for 7 P.M. at Kate Collins Field.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
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Delossantos is the first opposing player with a four-hit game since his former Braves teammate Ryan McCarty did so on July 9, 2021. He is the first with five RBI since Winchester’s Austin Bulman had five on June 20, 2021. His nine total bases is tied with former Braves Andrew Czech & Jaily Paredes in 2019 for the second-most all-time by any opposing player. He is the first opposing player all-time to record four hits and five RBI in the same game.
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The 12 runs, 13 hits, four doubles, 20 total bases, and eight walks by Staunton are all the most by an opposing team this season.
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After striking out in single digits the previous four games (including only two on Saturday at Harrisonburg), the Tom Sox struck out ten times tonight.
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The 12 earned runs allowed are the most by the Tom Sox since their last loss to Staunton – July 9, 2021.
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After Kyle Edwards got the day off, Satchell Norman is the only Tom Sox player to play in (and start) every game this season.
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In only his second game of the summer, Hunter Teplanszky reached base a team-high three times (two walks and a double).
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VCU Rams Nic Ericsson and Logan Amiss both played in their first games of the summer.
