CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – It was a tale of two innings that dictated the Charlottesville Tom Sox (3-5) win over the Culpeper Cavaliers (1-7).
The ‘Sox rallied back from giving up a five-run fifth inning with an eight-run sixth inning capped off by Patrick Niehus’ (Gardner-Webb) go-ahead grand slam to pick up their third win of the season with a 10-7 victory.
J.T. Gibson (Kennesaw State) got the start on the mound, only allowing one unearned run after a Culpeper batter scored on an error in the second. Gibson racked up four strikeouts before being relieved after the third.
Charlottesville also found the board in the third, with Kyle Langley (James Madison) reaching on a walk and stealing two bags before crossing the plate on a balk to tie the game, 1-1.
Eli DeRossi-Cytron (Mount St. Mary’s) entered the game in the fourth and pitched a scoreless inning. He recorded an out in the fifth, but ran into some trouble and loaded the bases. Tristan Dietrich (Florida International) finished out the inning in which five runners crossed the plate for the Cavaliers on three hits and three Tom Sox errors.
After Dietrich retired the side in the top half of the sixth, the ‘Sox bats got to work. The inning started with Niehus reaching base on an error. Tanner Schaedel (Old Dominion) reached on an infield single, before Andrew Manelly (Wofford) brought the pair home with a single.
The Tom Sox weren’t done there. Gian De Castro (Arizona State) worked a walk, and James Nunnallee (Virginia) plated Mannelly with a single. Walker Buchanan (Virginia) worked a hit by pitch and Langley brought home De Castro with a sacrifice fly.
Now, with two out, it was Niehus’ moment to shine. After a Jackson Sirois (Virginia) walk loaded the bases again, Niehus crushed a first-pitch fastball into left center for a go-ahead grand slam to put the ‘Sox up, 9-6.
Dietrich punctuated his day of work by striking out the side in the top of the seventh, ending his appearance with six strikeouts.
Luke Craytor (Virginia Tech) relieved Dietrich and made his Tom Sox pitching debut in the eighth. He recorded an out before he was lifted after loading the bases. Jason Ban (Davidson) came into the ballgame and worked around the jam striking out two to retire the side.
After the ‘Sox didn’t find the scoreboard in the bottom half of the eighth, Ban jogged back out to the mound for a save situation.
Ban walked the bases loaded to begin the ninth. But after a mound visit, Ban found his spots and only allowed one run to score before ending the game with a ground out to the first baseman Schaedel.
UP NEXT:
The Tom Sox will be on the road once again, as they get set to take on the Staunton Braves at John Moxie Memorial Stadium. First pitch is set for 7:30 p.m. and you can find the stream on the Staunton Braves YouTube channel.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
- Patrick Niehus’ grand slam was the first for Charlottesville since Cooper Blauser hit one on July 20, 2024, also against Culpeper
- The eight-run sixth inning were the most runs the ‘Sox have scored in a single inning since putting up eight runs in the third inning in game one of a doubleheader at Staunton on July 17, 2023
- Tristan Dietrich’s six strikeouts are the most in a single outing by any Tom Sox pitcher this season
- JT Gibson now leads the team with a 1.59 ERA
- The ‘Sox stole five bases in this one, the most in a single game in practically a calendar year (June 9, 2024 vs. Harrisonburg)
- Niehus, Kyle Langley and Tanner Schaedel now each have a six game hitting streak, and Jackson Sirois has a six game on base streak
