'Sox Dominate Staunton in Seven Inning Win

By: Matt Becker

STAUNTON, Va. - After a dominant 10-0 win at home against Harrisonburg, the ‘Sox travel to Staunton to take on the Braves. Connor Hedgepeth (Charleston Southern) takes the mound for the Tom Sox against Tyler Ruhl for Staunton.

The Tom Sox come into this game a half-game behind Harrisonburg for fourth place in the VBL South division. With the top-four teams making the playoffs from each division, a win tonight would set the ‘Sox up for the second half of the season.

Let’s see how the game played out:

In the top of the first, the bases got loaded early after a Grayson McCollum (Kenesaw State) walk, a Tommy Landsnes single and a Caiden Combs (Auburn) walk. Brock Clayton stepped up to the plate and drew an RBI walk to make it 1-0. Landsnes came home after a wild pitch to put the ‘Sox up two.

The bases were loaded once again, still with one out and Ben Cardone (VMI) up to bat. The Keydet smoked a ball to the left-center field gap for a double to score two runs. Chase Jackson followed suit with a single of his own to make it 6-0.

With only one out still in the inning, Staunton decided to make a pitching change, taking out Ruhl for Dylan Rasco. The junior came in and finally retired the side.

With one out at the top of the second, the bases were loaded again with Cardone up to the dish. The sophomore smacked a ball to the shortstop for an RBI fielder's choice to make it 7-0. Jackson followed that at bat with a single up the right field line to cash two runners home and make it 9-0.

In the bottom of the second, Hedgepeth continued to drive in cruise control, setting the Braves down in order to get the bats back up.

The Tom Sox got another two runs in the top of the third on a Combs double, as well as a stolen base and an error from the first baseman.

Hedgepeth returned for the bottom of the third and had yet another flawless inning, setting down the Braves one-two-three while making it look easy.

The right-handed pitcher was taken out for Trevor Booton in the bottom of the fourth with a fantastic final line of three and two-thirds innings pitched, two hits, no runs, no walks and two strikeouts.

In the top of the fifth, another error from the Braves made it an even dozen lead for the Tom Sox.

The Braves ended up getting two runs in the fifth, and with traffic on the base path in the sixth, Booton was taken out for Brandon Dahlman (Liberty). The Flame entered and got two strikeouts, both looking, to retire the side.

Dahlman took the mound in the bottom of the seventh, looking to force a mercy rule win. The incoming senior struck out three batters to end the game.

The Tom Sox made it back-to-back seven-inning mercy rule wins, putting up 22 runs in the two wins.

UP NEXT: The Tom Sox travel back to Covington for a 6:30 P.M EST first pitch. The ‘Sox look to get revenge after a 6-1 loss to the Lumberjacks on Tuesday at Casey Field.