'Sox Club Three Homers to Defeat Culpeper

By: Matt Becker

CULPEPER, Va. - After back-to-back heartbreaking losses, the Tom Sox are set to play its biggest game of the season, looking to leapfrog the Culpeper Cavaliers in the standings.

With Culpeper 12-14 and the Tom Sox 12-15, the lead for the Cavaliers is a half-game going into today's game.

Both teams are coming off of crushing losses, with Culpeper losing two straight to Waynesboro on walk-offs.

Gary Gibson II will take the mound for the ‘Sox against Alex Gonzalez, looking to propel the ‘Sox to its biggest win of the season.

Let’s see how the game played out:

Xavier McCoury (Liberty) led things off for the Tom Sox with a single that he flared into left center field. After stealing second base, the Liberty Flame was awarded third base after interference was called.

Christian Dewey (George Washington) was up in the three hole and flew a ball to right field for a sacrifice fly that brought in the first run of the game.

In the bottom of the first, Gibson stranded a runner at first as well as getting two outs with flyouts to the right fielder.

After returning to the mound for his second inning of work, Gibson recorded a one-two-three inning with two flyouts once again.

McCoury led off the third inning with a bang as hit scortched the ball to right center field and over the wall for a solo home run. Immediately following the home run, Grayson McCollum (Kennesaw State) walked on four pitches and advanced to second on a wild pitch, putting himself in scoring position.

After advancing to third on a groundout, Caiden Combs (Auburn) brought the run in on another groundout to make it 3-0 Tom Sox.

With runners at second and third in the bottom of the third, a run came across on an RBI groundout to make it 3-1, but the inning would end shortly after on a strikeout.

After the first batter was retired in the top of the fourth, Luke Craddock smacked a ball deep to left-center field for a home run, making it 4-1. It would be Craddock’s second home run at Culpeper and his second home run of the year.

Parker McCray (Allegheny College) toed the rubber in the bottom of the fourth for the Tom Sox, ending Gibson’s day with a final line of three innings pitched, two hits, one run, one earned run, one walk and one strikeout.

After McCray got into trouble and had runners at the corners with two outs, the left-handed pitcher worked a ground ball to second base to escape the jam.

The longball fest continued into the top of the fifth when Combs stepped up to the plate as the leadoff hitter and tattooed a ball into left-center field to make it 5-1 ‘Sox.

With runners at the corners, Craddock delivered another RBI on a fielder's choice, which made it 6-1.

In the top of the sixth, the ‘Sox got another run via an error, which put them up 7-1.

After loading the bases in the bottom half of the sixth, McCray was able to get two outs, including a sacrifice flyout which cut the deficit to five.

McCray answered back in the bottom of the seventh with a one-two-three inning, including two strikeouts.

Trevor Booton took the mound to start the bottom of the eighth, meaning McCray’s night was done. The lefty went four innings, allowed two hits, one run, one earned run, three walks and five strikeouts.

After entering the eighth, Booton got all five outs, including one punchout. Chris Fortunato (Stevenson) entered with two outs and two runners on in the top of the ninth, looking to end the game.

Despite allowing an RBI single, Fortunato got a groundball hit right at him and flipped it to Combs to secure the 7-3 win.

The Tom Sox now hold possession of the third-place spot in the South Division while moving up a half game on Culpeper. One of the biggest wins of the season, which included three home runs and a pitching masterclass from the Tom Sox bullpen.

UP NEXT: The Tom Sox travel for a cross-division showdown against the Strasburg Express. It will be a rematch of the 2025 VBL Championship Series, where the ‘Sox fell in game three at First Bank Park. This will be the Tom Sox last game against the North Division this season as the team looks to seek revenge after last year.