'Sox Look to Ride Momentum Against Generals
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Tom Sox (1-7) return to Waynesboro to take on the Generals (7-1) for the third time this season.
Coverage: The Tom Sox social media accounts will have live updates from Prosperity Home Mortgage Park. Fans can watch a live broadcast of the game on the Generals' Facebook page. Live stats for all VBL games are available on the Valley Baseball League website courtesy of Presto.
Ticket Information: Tickets to Generals games are $7 for anyone under 65. Seniors age 65 and older get in for $5.
Probable Starters
Waynesboro: RHP Dylan Mullan (Webber International)
Charlottesville: RHP Clayton Armah (Auburn)
IN THE WIN COLUMN:
The Tom Sox picked up the first win of the 2026 on Sunday, defeating the Covington Lumberjacks 4-1.
Cole Draper (Wofford) made his first start and second appearance for the ‘Sox. He worked across 4.1 innings, striking out three batters.
Charlottesville’s offense got on the board immediately. Tanner Craytor (Sewanee) walked and stole second. He was driven home by Grayson McCollum’s (Kennesaw State) single to make it 1-0.
The fourth inning saw two more runs for the ‘Sox. With McCollum and Brock Clayton picking up RBI’s to make it 3-0
The ‘Sox added another with a bases-loaded walk from Xavier McCoury (Liberty) in the fourth.
Draper ran into some trouble in the fifth in a 4-1 ballgame and was relieved by Brandon Dahlman (Liberty). Dahlman shined, working a perfect relief outing the rest of the way while striking out nine batters. His effort spurred the ‘Sox to put a one in the win column.
SCOUTING THE GENERALS:
Waynesboro enters this game with a 7-1 record, the best in the entire Valley League.
The Generals have been excellent in all facets of the game, with a .303 team batting average and a 4.04 team ERA which are both good for the best in the league.
A two-headed monster leads the generals' lineup, with Nick April-Gath batting .500 across seven games, getting on base at a .600 clip. Gregory Caban has provided the power in the Gens lineup, clubbing two home runs and holding a slugging percentage over .800 this season.
Waynesboro’s bullpen has also been one of the reasons for their early success. Matthew Demetree has pitched five total innings with eight strikeouts with many other arms registering similar lines.
Mike Gulino has completely changed the way the Generals play in his first season with the team. And it has given the Valley League a tough puzzle to solve in every game against the team.
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 three of those seven years.
Charlottesville’s 214-119 record since the start of the 2017 season is the best in the VBL.
Charlottesville’s seven championship appearances and three 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 six returners for another season with the ‘Sox.
Trevor Booton 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 inury last year. The ace of the rotation, Alwine was near the top of the VBL in ERA before the season-ending injury.
Lucas Cash 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.
Catcher Jack McMullan also makes his return to the Tom Sox squad. McMullan helped lead the ‘Sox to a title during his stint in 2024.
Brock Clayton comes back to Charlottesville for his second season after earning an all-conference selection playing for NW Florida last season
Caden Harris, who was one of the youngest ‘Sox players last year returns with a full season of college baseball experience behind him at UVA Wise.
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 one 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 seven different states.
The ‘Sox have two players traveling from out west, with Simon Tesfaye from Nevada and Tanner Craytor from Colorado.
Pennsylvania sends two players to Cville, with Evan Alwine and Lucas Ream 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.
Charlottesville also has a player each from Tennessee, (Nolan Bethel) Florida, (Elijah Hurt) and North Carolina (Xavier McCoury).
The bulk of the ‘Sox squad comes from right here in the commonwealth, with a plethora of Virginia natives staying in state for the Summer.
The Virginia group also includes three Charlottesville natives in Dom Cafferillo, Will Yow and Lucas Arbelaez.
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. The Tom Sox would run through the playoffs and achieve the team's fourth Valley Baseball league Championship.
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.
‘SOX IN OMAHA:
The Tom Sox have six players competing in Omaha for the chance to become a national champion.
Ryan Wynn has been one of the key contributors in Georgia’s run to the College World Series. The 2024 VBL champ slugged two homers in the Athens regional to help the Bulldogs sweep through on their own turf and advance to a super-regional.
Ole Miss has been one of the more under the radar teams to advance to Omaha. But former ‘Sox player Tristan Bisetta has been a consistent starter for the Rebels this season in their run through the tournament.
Hayden Smith transferred to Troy this season and helped the Trojans to the NCAA tournament. Smith pitched four innings in the win-or-go-home game against Florida in the Gainesville Regional.
North Carolina has three former 2025 ‘Sox players on the roster for their run. With Perry Hargett, Lee Sowers and Tim Lawson hoping to achieve a title
‘SOX IN DRAFT RANKINGS:
Charlottesville has a multitude of players slated to be taken in the 2026 MLB Draft.
Headlining the list at #102 on the MLB prospects list is current ‘Sox star Will Yow. Yow, who is committed to the University of Virginia, can join the short list of active ‘Sox players to hear their name called in the draft if he is selected.
Former Cavalier and current Tennessee Vol Henry Ford checks in at #145. Ford had a solid season, including a game-tying homer in game one of the Chapel Hill regional against East Carolina. The Charlottesville native may not have a position lined up in the pros, but he certainly has a future in the next level of baseball
Robbie Lavey had another great season at George Washington with the Revolutionaries in 2026. He ranks at #186 on the MLB top 200 as one of the best catchers available in the draft this season. The 2024 VBL champ will be an asset to whatever club decides to draft him
Last but certainly not least is Caden Ferraro at #189 on MLB’s list. Ferraro was one of the most efficient hitters in college in 2026, hitting .374 and consistently finding extra bases when the ball left his bat. His skill at the plate makes him an intriguing draft prospect when the draft rolls around.
