A Legacy Built on the Mound

By: Ben Rekosh

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Evan Alwine had a very busy summer in 2026. He chose a new school to further his academic and athletic career – Gardner-Webb University. He helped rebuild the pitching mound at CHO Airport Field. And he became the all-time leader in strikeouts in Charlottesville Tom Sox history.

Over 10 appearances this season, Alwine recorded 36 strikeouts. Combined with the 23 he tallied across five outings in 2025, his 59 career strikeouts earn him a spot at the top of the franchise record books.

Alwine doesn’t really have a perfect answer for why his pitches are able to generate so many strikeouts either. The funky slot is a factor for the tall righty, but his fastball and slider can be deceivingly similar coming out of the hand, so he hypothesizes that is the reason for the number of Ks (forwards and backwards) he has tallied.

“I had no idea,” Alwine said when asked if he was aware he had broken the record. “Honestly, I didn't even know we kept track of that.”

Standing at six-foot-five-inches, he appreciates being a part of Tom Sox history, but it is just the innate competitor in him that has willed him to consistent excellence.

The newest member of the Runnin’ Bulldogs was named a Valley Baseball League All-Star for the second consecutive season and earned All-VBL South team honors.

Charlottesville’s pitching staff as a whole led the Valley Baseball League with a 4.23 ERA, while Alwine posted a 2.81 mark. Pitching coach Will Pearson attributes his success to how he goes above and beyond in everything that he does.

“He was able to find so much confidence in his process and have an elite level process that got elite level production on the field,” Pearson said.

For Alwine, the best may still be ahead. He believes there is another level for him to reach, both as an athlete and as a person. Both are pretty impressive as it is; Pearson will be the first to attest to that.

That was on full display at CHO Airport Field this summer.

Since spending his freshman year at Florida International University, Alwine has had a quiet fascination with fieldwork. It is something that he finds fun, yet relaxing and satisfying in many ways.

When it came time to give the Tom Sox home mound a makeover, Alwine knew that it was his time to step up. Led by Groundskeeper Jason Mullins, Head Coach Randy Tomlin and fellow pitcher Garrison Wight, the group put in new rubber and resurfaced the dirt for an improved release point.

The difference for Alwine, however, is that this was not a one-time activity. Prior to every game in Charlottesville – no matter the quality of weather or who was starting that day – he was out there after batting practice to water, re-mud, or press down the mound.

A true ‘we over me’ mentality was required for him, too. Alwine saw five road starts in a row before he even got the opportunity to pitch on the refurbished mound that he put so much time and effort into.

The initiative shown through this project has grown from a level of integrity instilled in Alwine from a young age. Growing up in Pennsylvania, his parents were keen on the Golden Rule and being a good teammate or leader in addition to having success on the field.

“He's the guy you want to have on your team and you want to be a leader on your team,” according to Pearson.

Whatever the next chapter of his life holds, Alwine will always know that he has left a mark on the Charlottesville baseball community.

Greatness has been the standard for him on the mound through all of his stops, including two seasons in the Shenandoah Valley, but what separates him from the rest is how he holds himself as a person.

“If you respect the game, it'll respect you back,” Alwine claimed.