'Sox Pick Up Father's Day Win Over Culpeper

By: Matt Becker

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - After an 8-3 loss in Waynesboro the night prior, the Tom Sox looked to bounce back at home against the Culpeper Cavaliers on Father’s Day.

Garrison Wight (Louisburg) would make his Tom Sox debut on the mound today, facing off against Wesley Jones for the Cavaliers.

Let’s see how the Father’s Day matchup played out:

Wight started the top of the first with a four-pitch inning against four batters, with every batter swinging at the first pitch. The right-handed pitcher drew three fly balls in order to get out of the inning.

In the bottom of the first, Will Yow (Virginia) bunted for a single on the first pitch of the game for the ‘Sox. The speedy Yow took off from first on a hit-and-run, which allowed Grayson McCollum (Kennesaw State) to slap a double to dead center field. Yow made it home easily for the first run of the game.

In the top of the third, Eric Davis (Roanoke) came in for Wight after a very solid debut. The Virginia Beach native’s final line was two innings pitched, one hit, no runs, no walks and no strikeouts.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the third, Jones was taken out of the game and Kai Aoki (Colby) stepped up to the dish and put the ball in play to draw an error, which brought in a run to make it 2-0.

With two outs and a runner on first, Ben Cardone (VMI) threw out his second runner of the game attempting to steal, retiring the top of the fourth.

With two runners on and one out, Davis needed to settle down to try and escape the inning unscathed. Davis struck out his next batter and was taken out for Anthony Mancini, who retired the next batter to escape the top of the sixth.

Davis had a stellar line of three and two-thirds innings pitched, three hits, no runs, two walks and three strikeouts.

Yow reached with a two-out single and stole second base on the first pitch of the next at-bat. McCollum then scorched a ball up the middle to bring Yow home to make it 3-0.

In the top of the eighth inning with two outs and runners at the corners, the runner at first stole second while Cardone pump-faked the throw to catch the runner at third in a rundown to end the inning.

With the ‘Sox up 3-0 in the top of the ninth, Conner Hedgepeth (Charleston Southern) relieved Mancini to get the save.

Mancini finished the day with two and one-third innings pitched, no hits, no runs, one walk and two strikeouts.

Hedgepeth allowed the tying run to come to the plate with two outs, but was able to get the save and close out a 3-0 ‘Sox win.

Up next: The Tom Sox travel to Covington on Tuesday to take on the Lumberjacks in a makeup game from June 14. First pitch is set for 6:30 P.M EST.