Bryce Neely Walks Off Comeback Win Over Covington

By: Matt Becker

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - After falling to the Front Royal Cardinals in the North Division, the Tom Sox returned home to face the bottom of the South Covington Lumberjacks.

The ‘Sox are two wins away from reaching a .500 win percentage for the first time this season and are looking to do that during the three-game homestand.

Gary Gibson II will make the start for the Tom Sox in what would be his second appearance. The Lexington, KY, native would face off against Luke Richards.

Let’s see how the game went:

After getting the first batter out in the top fo the first, Gibson let up two line-drive singles to put runners at first and second. Gibson was able to get an out but then conceded a double to dead center off the bat of Zach Doorlag to make it 2-0.

Gibson was able to get a strikeout after loading the bases to limit the damage and end the inning.

In the top of the second, Covington had a runner at first take off for second with two outs. Ben Cardone (VMI) gunned him down at second to retire the side.

After an error that put a runner on second, Doorlag ripped another hit, this time a single, to score a run and make it 3-0.

Two more runs would score on an RBI double to make it 5-0, but the Tom Sox defense saved the day following the double.

Brayden Bachman (East Carolina) and Bryce Neely (Virginia) both threw runners out at the plate after back-to-back singles to keep the score 5-0.

Connor Hedgepeth (Charleston Southern) took the mound for the Tom Sox in the top of the fifth. The right-handed pitcher had a one-two-three inning featuring two strikeouts.

One inning later, Hedgepeth continued to be in cruise control as he set the Lumberjacks down in order once again.

After a walk to Cardone and a stolen base, Chase Jackson scorched a ball to left field to bring Cardone home to make it 5-1.

In the top of the seventh, Hedgepeth stranded a runner in scoring position with the help of two strikeouts.

Hedgepeth pitched an amazing line of three innings pitched, no hits, no runs, no walks and one strikeout.

Brandon Dahlman (Liberty) took the mound for the eighth inning and recorded a one-two-three inning with two strikeouts.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Tom Sox tried to rally and ended up getting the bases loaded with two outs. Unfortunately, the ‘Sox were unable to get any runs across and the score remained 5-1.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Tom Sox had the bases loaded after all batters reached with two outs.

Tommy Landsnes scorched a double to right field to clear the bases and put the tying run at second. All of a sudden, it was a one-run game.

Caiden Combs (Auburn) stepped up to the plate and ripped a ball to the second baseman; it hit off his knee and bounced into center field. Landsnes rounded third with the entire dugout on the field and scored the tying run.

In the top of the 10th, Frankie Clark represented the “ghost runner” by starting at second base with Dahlman on the mound.

Dahlman struck out the first batter, drew a flyout for the second batter and struck out the third batter with the go-ahead run at third.

In the bottom of the 10th, with Christian Dewey (George Washington) as the winning run, Xavier McCoury (Liberty) took his first at-bat of the night after coming in for defense. McCoury put down a beautiful bunt to move the winning run to third.

Covington decided to intentionally walk both Bachman and Will Yow (Virginia) to load the bases.

Neely stepped up to the plate and ripped a ball over the shortstop's head on the first pitch he saw to win the game.

An unbelievable win that all started with a two-out baserunner in Neely with a walk.

UP NEXT: The Tom Sox will host the Staunton Braves in the second game of the three-game homestand. The ‘Sox will look to get to .500 with Lucas Cash toeing the rubber on the eve of our nation's 250th birthday. First pitch is once again scheduled for 8:00 P.M. EST due to the heat.