Tom Sox Win Tight Battle With Lumberjacks, 6-5

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.– Going into Friday night’s game against Covington, Charlottesville made comebacks in 11 of its 18 wins. The Tom Sox added another to that total with a 6-5 comeback victory over the Lumberjacks.

In one of the more back and forth games this summer, the ‘Sox took an early lead thanks to Kyle Langley (James Madison), who grounded an RBI single into shallow right field.

Langley was a key piece in the Tom Sox win, going 2-3 with two RBI.

“I just go up there every time doing my best to do what’s best for the team… so I’m glad I was able to get it done,” Langley said.

Jackson Sirois (Maryland)and Elijah Guilliams (Flagler)each drove in a run in the bottom of the third to put the ‘Sox up, 3-0.

Even with the lead, things took a turn for the worse for Charlottesville in the top of the second, when JT Gibson (Kennesaw State)left the game due to a foot injury.

The injury bug has hit the Tom Sox hard. Preston Gamster (TCU)left game one of Thursday’s doubleheader due to a hand injury, Jason Ban (Davidson)is dealing with an upper-body issue, and Evan Alwine left the team a few weeks ago with a leg injury. Gibson was lights-out before the injury, retiring the first five batters he faced.

Dawson Newman (VCU)entered in relief, and was solid in his first few innings, but Covington’s offense came to life against him in the fourth. With two outs, Newman allowed a single and two walks before Lumberjacks catcher Nick Rodriguez drove a two-run double down the right field line. In the fifth, Covington tied the game on a wild pitch, and took the lead on a passed ball, putting the ‘Sox in a hole.

Those two runs in the fifth for Covington started the seesaw of lead changes and ties that took place over the next two innings.

But before Charlottesville took the lead back, tempers flared in a big way. Covington’s head coach Ched Apaircio was ejected from the game in the bottom of the sixth after an incident at first base between Guilliams and Lumberjacks first baseman AJ Barrios. When trying to run out a ground ball, Guilliams stepped on Barrios’ calf attempting to touch the bag, which immediately outraged Apaircio. Warnings had already been issued by home plate umpire Matthew Pearman, which led to the quick ejection.

That ejection gave life to Covington, but also put the Tom Sox in a position where they knew they had to capitalize. A few batters later, Langley produced another RBI single to tie the game, and then Brock Clayton brought home a run with a sacrifice fly to make it 5-4 ‘Sox. Barrios tied the game yet again in the seventh with an RBI groundout, but the Tom Sox responded with a Tanner Schaedel (Old Dominion)sacrifice fly to take the 6-5 lead, which they didn’t give up.

Tristan Dietrich (Liberty) and Ian White (Indiana)tossed the final four and a third innings, helping the ‘Sox secure their sixth win in the last seven games.

UP NEXT:

Charlottesville (19-15) travels to Harrisonburg (25-10) for the final time in the regular season on Saturday night to take on the Turks. Jeremy Rose and Luke Stefanisko will be on the radio broadcast from Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park, which is available on the Tom Sox YouTube channel.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Elijah Guilliams, Kyle Langley, Hudson Lutterman, and Jackson Sirois all record multi-hit games

• Ian White earned his first save of the summer, and the 14th of the summer for Charlottesville

• The Tom Sox remain just 0.5 games ahead of the Staunton Braves for second place in the South Division