Tom Sox Continue Homestand Against Braves

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Charlottesville Tom Sox (9-7) will face the Staunton Braves (6-12) in the middle game of a 3-game homestand at CHO Airport Field. It will be broadcast live on the Tom Sox Facebook page and Tom Sox TV. First pitch is set for 7 P.M.

Coverage: Viewers can head to the Tom Sox Facebook Page or Tom Sox TV to watch tonight’s game. A link to the live stats is available on Pointstreak. The Tom Sox Twitter account (@CvilleTomSox) will provide live updates.

Ticket Information: Admission to Tom Sox games is $5 for one person and $10 for a full carload.

PROBABLE STARTERS

Staunton: TBA

Charlottesville: RHP Mark Perkins – Rice (2 GS, 1-0, 2.00 ERA, 9.0 IP, 3 BB, 15 K)

LEADING OFF

• The Tom Sox will play their second game of a 3-game homestand.

• The Tom Sox and Braves will face off for the second time this season, both at home. Last week’s game at John Moxie Stadium was postponed due to weather.

• Charlottesville is averaging 3.3 runs per game at home, while allowing 3.9.

• “Mr Tom Sox” Garrett Spikes will make his season debut after playing each of the last two seasons for the ‘Sox.

• The ‘Sox begin a stretch of 28 games in 25 days, including only one scheduled off day (July 4).

• Tonight’s game is Dolly Rocks the Sox Night, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Charlottesville and benefitting Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

HOMEWARD BOUND

• The Tom Sox are in a packed home stretch, playing 13 home games over the next 16 days. The stretch started Tuesday against New Market.

• They are currently in the middle of a 3-game homestand which will be broken Saturday with a trip to Covington. Then, they will play 6-straight before traveling to Strasburg the following Saturday (with a break for July 4). The stretch is concluded with a July 9 doubleheader against Winchester, a break for a road game at Harrisonburg, then two more home games before heading back on the road.

• Three of the games are make-ups from last week’s rainout – Tuesday’s game against New Market, July 5 against Covington, and game one of the now-doubleheader against Woodstock (July 7).

• Charlottesville has struggled at home this season with a limited sample size, going 2-5 in seven contests with the wins against Staunton (June 6) and Harrisonburg (June 15).

AGAINST STAUNTON

• The Tom Sox and Braves will meet for the 52nd time Thursday, the second-most-played series in Tom Sox history.

• Charlottesville has won the last three and seven of the last ten against Staunton.

• The ‘Sox took home a 7-3 win over Staunton on July 6, their first home win of the season.

• Charlottesville has limited Staunton to five or fewer runs in five of the last six matchups. The ‘Sox have scored at least seven runs in four of the last five, all wins.

EARNED NOT GIVEN

• Six Tom Sox players were named to the VBL Roster for the NACSB Prospect Showcase this week at Liberty University: Kyle Edwards (MIF), Logan Forsythe (RHP), Davian Garcia (RHP), Zach Root (LHP), Jordan Little (RHP), and Liam Best (RHP).

• Five players were named league all-stars and played in Sunday’s All-Star Game in Front Royal: Edwards, Kalvin Alexander (C), Brice Martinez (INF), Mike Eggert (RHP), and Mark Perkins (RHP).

• Lyndon Coleman was named the South Head Coach, courtesy of the Tom Sox owning the top winning percentage among the league’s southern teams.

GOING STREAKING

• Since going 1-2 over the first three games, Charlottesville has gone on a 4-game win streak, 3-game losing streak, a 4-game win streak, and is now on a 2-game losing streak.

• Charlottesville’s wins and losses have heavily depended on the offense’s run output. They are averaging 9.0 runs per game in wins and 2.3 in losses, with a differential of 65 runs between their wins and losses. Contrarily, the pitching staff has allowed the same number of runs in wins and losses.

• The ‘Sox have won two and dropped five home games. They have scored seven runs in both of the home wins and two or fewer runs in all five home losses.

• Tuesday’s loss to New Market was the second home game where the ‘Sox scored a run after the first three innings. They have not scored a run in the last three innings in any of their home losses.

KYLE’S ON FIRE

• Since not starting the June 14 game at Waynesboro (his first game on the bench this season), Kyle Edwards has gone 8-for-12 with four runs, six RBI, three doubles, a home run, and seven stolen bases.

• Three of the four outings have been multi-hit games.

• All of the RBI came in a dominant performance at Front Royal (June 17), where he drove in six to set a new team record.

• Edwards was named to the VBL All-Star team and prospect showcase team, the lone Tom Sox player named to both. He went 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored in Sunday’s All-Star game.

SPEEDY ‘SOX

• The Tom Sox have stolen 74 bases in their first 16 games, the most in franchise history.

• The 2023 team has sole possession of second place in team history in single-season stolen bases. They now only trail the 2021 team, who stole 110 in 2021:

  	SB	GAMES
  1. 2021	110	42
  2. 2023	74	16
  3. 2017	66	49
  2022	66	48
  5. 2018	47	48
  6. 2016	43	42
  7. 2015	40	43
  8. 2019	34	50

• The 2023 ‘Sox now own the top three stolen base days in team history, stealing nine in game two against Covington, ten on June 9 at Harrisonburg, and eight on June 18 (tied with one other):
  MOST STOLEN BASES – SINGLE GAME

  OPPONENT	DATE	SB
  1. at Harrisonburg	6/9/23	10
  2. at Covington	6/2/23	9
  3. at Woodstock	6/6/21	8
  at Culpeper	6/18/23	8
  5. at Woodstock	6/7/23	7
  at Harrisonburg	6/29/21	7

• Josh Tate tied the individual single-game record with four steals at Harrisonburg, tying a record that had not been touched in exactly eight years.

• This season, the ‘Sox have six games with 6+ stolen bases after having only six such games in their first seven seasons (322 games).

• The ‘Sox are currently on pace for 204 stolen bases on the year.

• The Tom Sox have four of the league’s top seven base stealers.

• They were not caught stealing over their first seven games, the longest streak without being caught to begin a season in team history.

• The ‘Sox stole zero bases on Tuesday against New Market, their first game without a stolen base on the year.

ARMS ON FIRE

• The Tom Sox are third in the Valley League with a 4.05 ERA, trailing only Harrisonburg and Strasburg.

• ‘Sox pitchers have allowed four or fewer runs in ten of 16 games, including every one of the team’s first seven wins. Over their last two wins they have allowed seven and six runs, respectively.

• Two active ‘Sox pitchers have tossed at least five innings without allowing a run – Mike Eggert and Ryan Lynch.

• Six total pitchers have allowed one or no runs this season.

• Charlottesville has walked the fewest batters in the league (70), has the fewest walks allowed per 9 innings (4.5), and the most strikeouts per nine innings (11.3). They have 10 fewer walks than the second-place team (Covington).

1186 MILES

• Ten former ‘Sox represented their respective schools in the Men’s College World Series, which concluded Monday.

• Wyatt Langford (‘21) – a consensus top MLB draft prospect – highlighted the list of Florida Gators that also includes starting outfielder Tyler Shelnut (‘22), reserve outfielder Matthew Prevesk (‘22), and reliever Fisher Jameson (‘22). Langford finished the series batting .375 with four homers, including the two longest home runs ever hit at Charles Schwab Field (opened 2011). He was named to the CWS All-Tournament team for his efforts.

• Three from the 1-seed Wake Forest Demon Deacons made the list, starting outfielders Pierce Bennett and Adam Cecere (‘21) and reserve outfielder Kyle Joye (‘22).

• TCU leadoff hitter Elijah Nunez (‘21) and reliever Garrett Wright (‘22) represented the ‘Sox’s Horned Frog contingent.

• Rounding out the list was Tennessee starting catcher Cal Stark (‘21), who transferred to the Vols from Weatherford College in Texas. Also representing the ‘Sox were Virginia’s Aidan Teel and Florida’s Chris Arroyo, both of whom will play in C’ville this summer.

SCOUTING STAUNTON

• The Braves sit last in the VBL with a 6-12 record and .333 win percentage.

• Staunton is led largely by Joey Parliment on the offensive end with a .323 batting average. Tank Yaghoubi (member of the VBL All-Name team) has a .343 batting average, but not enough at-bats to qualify.

• On the mound, the Braves have two qualifying pitchers with sub-3 ERAs – Ben Keefe (1.80) and Evan McDade (2.75). Keefe is the league’s opponent batting average leader at .129.

• Staunton placed five on the VBL All-Star team: Cooper Clapp, Owen Prince, Joe Martino, Parliment, and McDade.

• Clapp, Keefe, and Derrell Fletcher-Knight were selected to represent the Valley in the NACSB Prospect Showcase earlier this week.