'Sox Overcome Deficit to Defeat Turks

By: Luke Stefanisko

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Though trailing 6-2 in the fifth inning, the Charlottesville Tom Sox battled back to defeat Harrisonburg 11-9 to move back into playoff position in the Valley League South division.

Twenty total runs and 28 hits were a part of the offensive showcase at CHO Airport Field, one that the 'Sox would pull away victorious.

Clayton Armah (Auburn) made his sixth start for Charlottesville this season. This game was the first time he pitched in front of the home crowd, making all of his prior appearances on the road.

After a scoreless first frame, he would surrender a two-run homer to the league's homer king in Brody Dalton, to put the 'Sox behind 2-0.

Not to be outdone, Charlottesville responded, with Brock Clayton reaching on a single and working around to score on a Ben Cardone (VMI) base hit to make it 2-1.

It took until the fourth, but the Turks would find the board next, plating three more in the half inning to chase Armah from the mound. Anthony Mancini (Saint Peter's) entered and stranded three runners to escape the jam.

Mancini wouldn't be free from damage of his own, as Dalton connected on his second homer of the day to make it 6-2 in the fifth. Dalton became the first 'Sox opponent to record a multi-homer game since Topher Jones did it with the Strasburg Express last June.

Charlottesville began the long climb back offensively in the bottom of the fifth, with Grayson McCollum (Kennesaw State) scoring on an error and Luke Craddock driving in Bryce Neely (Virginia) to make it 6-4.

After Mancini, it was Gary Gibson II, who made his Tom Sox debut, pitching two scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh.

McCollum led more scoring in the sixth inning when he brought home Brayden Bachman (East Carolina) with his third single of the game. Neely and Craddock would record sacrifice flies to put the 'Sox ahead 7-6.

For his fourth and final hit of the day, McCollum drove in a pair in the seventh, providing the Tom Sox with valuable insurance in a now 9-6 ballgame.

Randy Tomlin turned to his best arm to close out the final two frames, with Brandon Dahlman (Liberty) entering the fray. The Turks created a rally of their own, tying the game at nine courtesy of a few fielding mistakes from the 'Sox defense.

In the bottom of the eighth, Clayton was hit by a pitch and found his way to third on a Craddock double. Clayton would score as the eventual winning run when Turk's arm Jackson Leggett-Walford fired one to the backstop. Xavier McCoury (Liberty) would give his Flame teammate extra insurance as he drove in Craddock to make it 11-9 before the end of the inning.

Dahlman put the three-run inning behind him and set Harrisonburg down 1-2-3 to put the Tom Sox back into a playoff spot with the 11-9 win.

UP NEXT: Charlottesville (11-12) takes two days off before they hit the road to play the Front Royal Cardinals on Wednesday in an interdivision matchup. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at Bing Crosby Stadium.