Tom Sox Hold A Winning Record For First Time in 2025 After 5-4 Win Over Generals
WAYNESBORO, Va.– The ‘Sox were winless when trying to break the .500 mark this season prior to Tuesday’s game in Waynesboro. That all changed as the Tom Sox were able to grind out an extra innings victory, led by a confident late-game outing from McCall Biemiller (Florida).
Biemiller stepped into a high pressure situation, trying to preserve a one-run lead for the ‘Sox in the bottom of the tenth.
“Just attack the zone in those situations,” Biemiller said postgame.
He did just that. Out of the five batters Biemiller faced, three of them were caught looking when strike three sailed past them and into Brock Clayton’s mitt. Biemiller’s clutch gene sealed the 5-4 win, pushing Charlottesville’s record to 15-14.
Early on, the momentum was fully in the ‘Sox favor, and it started off early in the top of the first as Jackson Sirois tripled to set up a James Nunnallee RBI double to put the ‘Sox up, 1-0.
Waynesboro was able to level the score in the bottom of the first as Andrew Ildefonso’s RBI single allowed Seth Buchanan to score, tying the game at one apiece.
The Tom Sox were able to get going again in the third. After Kyle Langley (James Madison)worked a walk in a long at-bat, he was sent home by Sirois with an RBI single to put the Tom Sox back in front.
After the ‘Sox offense stalled at the plate, the Generals knotted the score once more off a fielder’s choice against Niko Janssens.
Janssens had one of his best outings of the season, only allowing one earned run through two and two-thirds innings.
Once the fifth inning hit, both teams went silent at the plate. The ‘Sox left two stranded between the fifth and seventh innings while the Generals left four on base in that same stretch.
Then came the top of the eighth, and up stepped Elijah Guilliams. With both Sirois and Nunnallee on base, Guilliams continued his hot streak with a single that put the go-ahead run on the board.
Right after, Preston Gamster (TCU)drove in his 11th run in the month of July that gave the ‘Sox a two-run lead.
This was the third time in the game that the ‘Sox grabbed a lead against Waynesboro, but much like the other two times, the Generals found a way to respond. A Seth Buchanan single to right field in the bottom of the eighth brought two runners home, evening the game at four apiece.
Trevor Booton (Auburn)limited the damage and kept the game tied, but you could feel the tensions rising from this point on.
Waynesboro had a chance to walk it off with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but this is where Biemiller’s shutdown began. With the winning run at first, Biemiller froze James Green II to send the ballgame to extra innings.
Langley was put on second base to begin bonus baseball. Perry Hargett’s(North Carolina)sacrifice bunt put Langley on third, bringing up the red-hot Sirois with the go-ahead run just 90 feet away. He delivered a sacrifice fly that was far enough to give Langley an easy trot to home plate, giving the ‘Sox a 5-4 lead in the top of the tenth.
In the bottom of the frame, Biemiller returned to the mound and went to work.
He struck out the leadoff man, induced a ground ball for out number two, and got the final batter of the game to strike out with the tying run at third.
The ‘Sox are over .500 for the first time this season, and continue to stay afloat in the battle for second place in the South Division.
UP NEXT:
The Tom Sox (15-14) are back at CHO Airport Field tomorrow for a bout with the Culpeper Cavaliers (14-14) at 7:00 p.m.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
This is the fourth matchup of the season between Charlottesville and Waynesboro that was decided by one run
The Tom Sox are now 3-0 in extra-inning games this summer
In addition to driving in the game-winning run, Jackson Sirois collected his third multi-hit game in the last four days
Luke Craytor (Virginia Tech)made his first start of the season, going two innings and only allowing one run
