'Sox Score Three Touchdowns to Defeat Staunton

By: Luke Stefanisko

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - On what seemed like a fairly normal Saturday Afternoon contest, the Charlottesville Tom Sox would set a franchise record for most runs in a game with a 21-0 shutout win over Staunton.

The 'Sox scored 21 total runs offensively while shutting out the Braves on the mound for another shutout on the season.

Clayton Armah made his eighth start of the season for the 'Sox, pitching a scoreless first including a pickoff of a runner on first.

Then, for the third straight game, the 'Sox scored in the first inning when Aiden Harris (VCU) clubbed his first home run of the year to make it a 2-0 game.

In the second, the 'Sox would push the lead to double digits with eight runs in a half inning. It all got started with a Dom Cafferillo (Georgetown) and Lucas Ream (Shippensburg) double, who were driven in by Brayden Bachman (East Carolina). An error and a couple of walks led to three RBI-singles from Tommy Landsnes, Cafferillo and Ream. By the time the inning ended, Charlottesville was ahead 10-0.

This was the third time all season the Tom Sox have scored eight runs in an inning, the last coming on June 24th against Harrisonburg.

Armah would continue his day through five complete innings. Those five frames set a new high for him this season, usurping his 4.1 innings from June 23rd against Covington.

Lucas Arbelaez (Randolph-Macon) relieved the righty, pitching a scoreless top of the sixth.

After adding two runs each in the third and fifth, the 'Sox stung for seven more in the home half of the sixth inning. A walk with the bases loaded for Harrison Campi (Wofford) marked the first time the 'Sox have ever eclipsed twenty total runs. A third hit by pitch against Xavier McCoury (Liberty) gave the squad a new franchise high with 21 runs scored.

Evan Reese entered with one out in the top of the seventh to get some mound time before the game would end. He recorded the final two outs to preserve the shutout and finish the historic day for Charlottesville.

Several 'Sox players each had notable days, with Landsnes recording four RBI and Ream, Harris, and Bachman each contributing three apiece.

McCoury scored four runs on the evening. His three hit-by-pitches mark the first time in team history a player has been hit thrice in one contest. Eight of nine players recorded hits, and every player in the lineup reached base.

UP NEXT: Charlottesville (15-15) travels to Harrisonburg for one final time this season to battle the Turks (12-17) at 4 p.m. as both squads jockey for playoff position.