Charlottesville Hosts Covington in a South Division Matchup
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Charlottesville (0-7) plays host to Covington (1-6) in a matchup of the fifth and sixth-place teams in the Valley League South division.
Coverage: The Tom Sox social media accounts will have live updates from CHO Airport Field. A broadcast is available on Facebook and YouTube. Live stats for all VBL games are available on the Valley Baseball League website courtesy of Presto.
Ticket Information: Tickets to Tom Sox games are $8 for adults. Discounted tickets are $5 and are available for military, first responders, children under 12 and seniors over 55
Probable Starters
Covington: RHP Carlos Manzueta (Western Oklahoma State College)
Charlottesville: RHP Cole Draper (Wofford)
SLUGGISH START:
A late comeback effort wasn't enough for Charlottesville as the Tom Sox dropped a seventh straight game to Culpeper last night, 5-4.
Patrick Dudley made his 'Sox debut as the starting pitcher last night. He worked 2.2 innings while striking out three batters.
He was relieved by Asher Sabom (Chipola) in his second appearance of the season. Sabom picked up three strikeouts of his own as he pitched another 2.2 innings.
When the 'Sox turned to Evan Reese in the sixth inning, the team trailed 5-0. But Reese helped spur momentum for a comeback with 1.2 scoreless frames.
Bolstered by the pitching effort, the Tom Sox began to claw back. Chase Jackson (Seminole State) led off the inning with a single and was knocked in by Grayson McCollum (Kennesaw State). McCollum would come around to score on Dom Cafferillo's (Georgetown) second hit of the night. Lucas Ream (Shippensburg) reached on an error, and Xavier McCoury (Liberty) singled to bring in the fourth and final run of the eighth.
Evan Alwine made his return for the 'Sox in the bottom of the inning, quickly sitting down the Culpeper order 1-2-3 to give Charlottesville a chance. The 'Sox couldn't knot it up in the ninth, however, and still fell to the Cavaliers.
SCOUTING THE CAVALIERS:
Covington has had a similar start to the season as Charlottesville. The Lumberjacks have lost six games in a row since picking up an opening-night win against Staunton.
The Lumberjacks pitching staff has struggled this season; the team has a Valley-worst 8.90 ERA and .278 batting average against. Deundre Jones has been the team's best hurler, with 11 strikeouts and a 2.00 ERA across three appearances this season.
Offensively, the Lumberjacks have performed slightly better through the early season. Chris Caroll and George Pardo Jr. have been solid at the plate, both holding averages above .400 this season.
Covington suffered a walk-off loss last night to the Waynesboro Generals on the road. Holding a one-run lead into the ninth, the Generals would claw back and walk it off on a wild pitch.
ABOUT LAST SEASON:
The 2025 campaign was a wild season for the ‘Sox from start to finish.
The ‘Sox began the season 3-9, struggling to find consistency at the mound and the plate, with a four-game losing streak capping off the cold stretch.
A win against the league’s best team, the Harrisonburg Turks, on June 19th helped shift the tides. The team won eight of their next ten games, spurred on by efforts from new arrivals Preston Gamster, Perry Hargett and Lee Sowers.
By the end of June, the ‘Sox had climbed back to the .500 mark. But a trio of injuries would throw a wrench in the team’s plans. Ace Evan Alwine and fellow Starter JT Gibson went down with injuries that ended their seasons. The ‘Sox also lost closer Jason Ban, who was one of the most effective relievers in the valley
Despite the struggles, Charlottesville trudged forward and entered the postseason as the three seed in the south, finishing with a 20-18 record.
PLAYOFF HEROICS:
The ‘Sox defeated six seeded Waynesboro in the first round 8-5 off the back of an incredible start from Brandon Eldridge.
The division semi-final saw Charlottesville travel to Staunton to take on the Braves. The ‘Sox struck early for three runs, but fell behind 6-3 in the late innings. Through 100-degree heat, the team battled, scoring three runs in the seventh and four in the eighth, holding on for a 10-7 win.
After a multi-hour rain delay, the ‘Sox booked a trip to the Valley League championship in one of the greatest games in league history. Down a run in the ninth, Hudson Lutterman ripped an RBI-double to tie the game at four. In the twelfth inning, Jackson Sirois dribbled one up the third base line to bring in Sowers to go to the Championship series.
Game one in Strasburg was an offensive clash with 23 total runs scored by both teams. Kyle Langley led the way for the ‘Sox with three hits and five RBI’s. Saxon Roberts pitched the final four frames, striking out eight batters, but fell victim to a walk-off in the 10th.
Lutterman continued his heroics with a walk-off sacrifice fly in game two to force a winner-take-all game three.
Strasburg, off the back of a no-hit bid from John Gray and Evan Garcia, took game three 5-3 to win the Valley Baseball League in 2025.
TRADITION OF SUCCESS:
The Tom Sox have been the Valley’s most successful team since winning their first title in 2017.
The ‘Sox have appeared in all but one championship series since ‘17 (2021) and have won the league title in four of those eight years.
Charlottesville’s 214-126 record since the start of the 2017 season is the best in the VBL.
Charlottesville’s seven championship appearances and four titles since 2017 are both the most in the VBL over that span.
The ‘Sox have reached the championship series for the last four seasons. With three different head coaches making up the four trips.
BACK IN THE SADDLE:
Charlottesville will welcome back four returners for another season with the ‘Sox.
Trevor Booton (Auburn)headlines the group after a 2025 campaign in which he earned an All-VBL South second-team nod. Boot returns for his third season in Charlottesville with several team records in reach for the righty.
Evan Alwine will return to Charlottesville after his season ended early due to injury last year. The ace of the rotation, Alwine, was near the top of the VBL in ERA before his season-ending injury.
Lucas Cash (Bridgewater) will become the first four-year player for the Tom Sox in 2026. He pitched in game one of the 2025 VBL championship after arriving a few weeks prior.
CatcherJack McMullan (Longwood) also makes his return to the Tom Sox squad. McMullan helped lead the ‘Sox to a title during his stint in 2024.
ACROSS COLLEGE BASEBALL:
This year’s Tom Sox team is well represented around college baseball.
The 2026 ‘Sox team is made up of players from all three levels of NCAA baseball.
In division one, seven players represent two power conferences in the SEC and the ACC. Seven other Division I conferences also have representation, including the A-10, SOCON, Big East, MAAC, CUSA, Big South and the MAC.
For Division Two, one player each comes from the PSAC and the MEC.
Four teams from division three have ‘Sox players, the conferences being the ODAC, NCAC, NESCAC and SAA.
The ‘Sox also have four non-NCAA squads in the JUCO ranks. With players from Seminole State, Chipola, Louisburg and Pasco Hernando.
‘SOX ACROSS THE NATION:
The Tom Sox squad this season is home to players from nine different states.
The ‘Sox have two players traveling from out west, with Simon Tesfaye (Georgetown)from Nevada and Tanner Craytor (Sewanee) from Colorado.
Pennsylvania sends two players to Cville, with Evan Alwine and Lucas Ream (Shippensburg)representing the Keystone State.
Georgia has a strong foothold on the ‘Sox roster, with five players from the Peach State making the trip up north.
Nolan Bethel (Kennesaw State) from Tennessee and Elijah Hurt (Seminole State) from Florida both make their way to Cville this Summer. New Jersey and North Carolina also garner representation with Anthony Mancini and Xavier McCoury (Liberty).
The bulk of the ‘Sox squad comes from right here in the commonwealth, with 12 Virginia natives staying in state for the Summer.
The 12 local players also include two Charlottesville natives inDom Cafferillo (Georgetown)and Will Yow (Virginia)
COACHES CORNER:
Randy Tomlin returns for his third season at the helm of the Charlottesville Tom Sox
Tomlin first arrived in 2024 and led the ‘Sox to a league-best 26-13 regular season record. That team would go on to defeat the Purcellville Cannons in a three-game series to become champions of the Valley League.
For the 2026 season, Tomlin joins Corey Hunt as the second coach in franchise history to work three seasons as skipper of the Tom Sox.
Tomlin is joined by four other coaches on his staff.
Thomas Abell returns for his second season as an assistant on Tomlin’s staff. An assistant coach with the local Monticello high school baseball team, Abell will resume his duties as first base coach once again.
Former player Will Pearson makes his return as the pitching coach for the 2026 season. After winning a VBL championship in 2024, Pearson concluded his collegiate playing career with the Iowa Hawkeyes in 2025, before joining the Murray State coaching staff as a pitching analyst.
Beth Woerner joins the staff this season, becoming one of a few full-time female assistant coaches in Valley Baseball League history. Woerner has worked with numerous collegiate teams in her career, including Lebanon Valley College, James Madison and the University of Charleston.
Last but certainly not least is Coy Tomlin, the son of head coach Randy Tomlin. Coy will continue to bring his infectious energy around the ballpark this season.
