‘Sox Win Third Straight, Take Down Cardinals, 6-4
FRONT ROYAL, Va. –Tim Lawson left his last start after walking six batters in only two innings of work. Today, he punctuated five innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts to tie the Tom Sox season high.
Lawson (North Carolina)collected the win as the ‘Sox defeated the Front Royal Cardinals. 6-4.on the road at Bing Crosby Stadium to improve their record to 16-14.
Both offenses found the scoreboard in the first, with Elijah Guilliams (Flagler) plating Jackson Sirois (Maryland)for the ‘Sox. Lawson allowed his only run of the outing in the bottom of the inning tying the score up at one apiece.
Lawson recorded two strikeouts in both the second and third innings, and the Tom Sox got another run in the fourth courtesy of a Kyle Langley (James Madison) RBI single.
After another scoreless half inning from Lawson, the ‘Sox took advantage of some defensive miscues to score four runs in the fifth. Walker Buchanan led off the inning with a double, coming around to score on a Sirois single. Guilliams brought home a runner with a sacrifice fly, followed by a Preston Gamster (TCU)at-bat which featured multiple errors to bring home the final two runs for the ‘Sox.
Lawson reached nine strikeouts in his final inning of work, leaving the mound allowing one hit and one run through five masterful innings of pitching.
The Cardinals found the scoreboard on Lawson’s replacement and Tom Sox debutant Ryan Pugh, who left after retiring one batter while allowing one run on three hits. Saxon Roberts (Auburn)worked out of a bases-loaded jam to limit the Cardinals’ earnings to one.
Charlottesville’s offense went cold after their early success, not scoring a run from the sixth inning onward. The pitching staff went to work preserving the ‘Sox lead.
Roberts pitched a scoreless inning in the seventh. Ian White entered in the eighth and recorded two outs, but loaded the bases. Jason Ban (Davidson)entered an inning before he typically has this season, but recorded a fielder’s choice to retire the Cardinals.
The Tom Sox offense created traffic in the ninth via two fielding errors from the Cardinals, but an insurance run was cut down at the plate.
Ban re-emerged for the ninth, and allowed a few hits and two runs before finding his groove and ending the game catching a Front Royal hitter looking.
UP NEXT:
The ‘Sox will be back in action at CHO Airport Field at Charlottesville High School tomorrow for a doubleheader against the Covington Lumberjacks. First pitch of game one is set for 5 p.m. and will be a nine-inning game, while game two is set to start approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of game one, and will be a seven-inning game. Game two of tomorrow’s doubleheader is Youth Sports Night, where all children in Little League uniforms or Tom Sox camp shirts will receive free admission.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
With the final out, Jason Ban earned his seventh save of the season, moving him just one away from tying the Tom Sox record for saves in a single season
Elijah Guilliams tied the Tom Sox season high in hits with three, and his batting average is up to .417
Walker Buchanan collected his first multi-hit game of the season
Tim Lawson earned his first win and tied the Tom Sox season high in strikeouts (9)
