CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Charlottesville Tom Sox (10-11) lost 7-3 against the Covington Lumberjacks (11-11) tonight, taking another punch to their ever-so dropping .500 record they entered the game with. With the loss, the ‘Sox are under .500 at the halfway point in the season for the first time since 2016.
Charlottesville is now 1-4 against Covington after not losing a game to the Lumberjacks all of last season. With the game day theme being “First Responders Night,” we could’ve used some medical attention for the sting of the loss.
The ‘Sox made the first response to the call for runs, starting off hot. With a defensive throwdown from Satchell Norman (Florida Southwestern), a double from Christian Martin (Virginia Tech), and a single from Cole Wagner (Georgia) that forced a Covington error and allowed Martin to score, they were looking alive and well. The next two innings, however, put Charlottesville out like a water hose with Covington scoring three runs, making it 3-1.
By the fourth, the defensive innings fared like a game of cops and robbers as the Tom Sox stole opportunities, tagged Lumberjacks out, and held them at bay with smart and quick plays. With Tayler Montiel (Mississippi State) on the mound after a third inning pitching change, he made the Lumberjacks swing and miss quicker than even the fastest ambulance. As Charlottesville bats cracked like broken bones, somebody called 9-1-1, for Norman was here to save the game. His rocket home run to left field brought him and Martin home, tying the game up 3-3.
There was smoke on the horizon in the seventh inning as we were practically silent on the offense in the sixth. After being one strike away from getting out of the inning, the Tom Sox walked three of four Lumberjack batters. The next thing we knew, a grand slam was crushed to right field, giving Covington a 7-3 lead. Talk about an emergency.
The ‘Sox’s stellar pitching and defense still did not alleviate the pain; Covington’s performance was simply better as the eighth and ninth innings were scoreless. A sprawled-out, center field grab by Trey Yunger (Wofford), darts from Martin and Kyle Edwards (Old Dominion), and consistent hitting from Wagner, Martin and Norman were not enough for a comeback.
The Tom Sox are back in action tomorrow for a doubleheader against the Winchester Royals at Bridgeforth Field. First pitch for game one is at 2:30 P.M., with the second game to follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first.
Additional Notes
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The ‘Sox have lost six of their last seven games.
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The Tom Sox have not committed an error in five games, the second-longest streak of errorless games in team history (2017 – 6 games – 7/20-7/26).
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Christian Martin recorded four hits, the first Tom Sox player this season to do so.
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Cole Wagner went 3-for-3 for his seventh multi-hit game of the season, the most on the team. He has multiple hits in seven of 13 games played this season and has reached in all 13, now the longest streak by a Tom Sox player this season.
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Satchell Norman’s home run was his first this season. Over his last six games, Norman is batting .391 with seven runs, three doubles, five RBI, and five walks to only three strikeouts.
