'Sox Secure Three Seed with a Gritty 15-11 Victory
By: Bryan Portney
STAUNTON, Va. – Down to their final strike multiple times after the first two batters were set down, the ‘Sox did not waver as they came from behind in the ninth to defeat the Staunton Braves, 15-to-11.
The highlight of the win was in the implications, however, as it guaranteed the Tom Sox the 3 seed in the Valley League South Division playoffs.
The beginning of this ballgame was certainly like any other, as the first two frames were scoreless for both sides.
Clayton Armah got the start for the ‘Sox and got the squad out of some early jams. In the first three frames, the Braves went 0-for-3 with runners on thanks to him.
The top of the third looked to be the deciding factor when the Tom Sox rattled off seven runs on five hits.
The bats saw the ball really well and did not have to wait long for results with five straight balls put in play on the first pitch.
Tommy Landsnes started that run on a long fly ball to the center field wall for an RBI single for the 2-to-0 lead, extending his team-high on-base streak to 22. Caiden Combs (Auburn) followed that up with a groundout to the shortstop to make it a 3-to-0 ballgame.
Harrison Campi (Wofford) grounded a single through the diving glove of the Braves’ shortstop to score two and extend the lead to five.
After a long sac fly from Christian Dewey (George Washington), Luke Craddock mashed a first-pitch solo home run to right for a 7-to-0 advantage.
With all the momentum, it seemed like the ‘Sox were in for another easy victory over the Braves after defeating them 21-to-0 last Saturday.
Unfortunately for the Tom Sox, that would not be how tonight’s story ends.
The Braves got all their runs back and then some, starting with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth. The go-ahead frame for Staunton was in the bottom of the sixth, capped off by a bloop single into right at the foul line to make it 8-to-7 Staunton.
Landsnes tied the game in the top of the eighth by poking out an RBI single through the gap between third and short; Campi then fought to draw a full-count walk to have the ‘Sox take the 10-to-9 lead.
The Braves scored two runs on an error in the bottom of the eighth, sending the Tom Sox into a clutch situation that seemed to define everything about their willingness to fight.
Smart baserunning complemented plate patience as the squad found their pitch and kept delivering with their backs against the wall in the top of the ninth.
After Ben Cardone (VMI) was hit by a pitch, Brayden Bachman (East Carolina) delivered a pinch-hit single up the middle to advance the tying run to second.
Then, it was time for the Tom Sox RBI leader in Grayson McCollum (Kennesaw State). He not only drove in the tying run on a single, but after a bobble by the Staunton right fielder, the go-ahead run came in to score.
Landsnes drew a walk to set up Bryce Neely (Virginia) to deliver yet again, and he did just that by running full speed to first and reaching as the first baseman was off the bag on a jumping play, scoring another for a 13-to-11 lead.
Campi put the punctuation mark on the inning as he drove a single into left, which was bobbled on the ground and allowed two more runs to score.
Conner Hedgepeth (Charleston Southern) induced back-to-back pop-outs in relief before Asher Sabom (Augusta) delivered a swinging strikeout to put a cap on this game and give the ‘Sox a gritty 15-to-11 win.
It was the second come-from-behind victory for the Tom Sox this year, with the first being on July 2 in a 6-to-5 home win over the Covington Lumberjacks.
UP NEXT: The Tom Sox (18-16) have clinched the 3 seed in the Valley League South Division playoffs with two games to go. The ‘Sox finish their 2026 road slate against the Covington Lumberjacks (14-20) on Friday. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m.
