CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Charlottesville Tom Sox defeated the Waynesboro Generals 7-4 on Sunday, winning on July 4 for the first time. The Tom Sox and Generals have played every year on the 4th of July except for a rainout in 2016, and the Tom Sox were 0-4 all-time on the 4th before this game.
The first two innings were characterized by good pitching and no scoring. While both teams got runners on, neither could capitalize through the first couple frames.
Charlottesville started their scoring in the bottom of the third. Eddie Eisert (NC State) made the most of his Crutchfield Park debut with a single and was brought home by a single from Logan Amiss (VCU). Wyatt Langford (Florida) then had a single of his own that brought home Gehrig Ebel (Virginia Tech) for a two-run inning. Charlottesville earned another run in the bottom of the fourth when Cole Foster scored on a pass ball.
Tom Sox pitcher Christian Worley (Virginia Tech) kept the Generals scoreless through the fourth inning before dealing with a little adversity in the fifth. Zach Levenson hit a long home run that also brought home Jackson Ross, making it a 1-run ballgame. Worley finished his day after five innings, allowing a season-high seven hits and two runs. His nine strikeouts, however, set a season high.
The Tom Sox kept their lead going when they got up to bat in the bottom of the frame. Garrett Spikes (Georgia) hit a 2-run home run, his third on the season and second-straight game. The long ball brought Trevor Candelaria (Davidson) home for a two-run inning of their own to bring the score to 5-2.
Pitcher Noah Overton (UNCW) came in for Worley in the top of the sixth and set the Generals down in order. The Tom Sox hot streak continued in the bottom of the inning when Ebel was walked, stole second, and was sent home when Amiss doubled to left field. Amiss was then brought home himself when Langford singled for another two-run inning to make it 7-2.
In the top of the 7th, Overton quickly got two Generals out, but let up a bit to have Levenson single to center field and bring home Shawn Ross. Overton quickly got the third out to finish off the inning with only one run scored. The Tom Sox did not respond with their own run in the bottom of the frame and the inning ended with the score 7-3.
The Generals tried to rally in the ninth with a double from Levenson that put Jackson Ross in scoring position. Ross was able to run home on the next at-bat, a sacrifice fly from Alejandro Figueredo. Overton was able to secure the final out via the strikeout and lead the Tom Sox to victory 7-4 on July the fourth.
The Tom Sox are back in action on Monday night at Harrisonburg and then on Tuesday in a rescheduled game at Covington. They return to Crutchfield Park Wednesday to face the Turks.
Additional Notes
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Today’s affair was the first July 4 game decided by more than one run since the inaugural 2015 matchup.
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Charlottesville’s 1-2-3 hitters combined to go 5-for-10 with four RBI, two walks, four stolen bases, and an HBP.
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Christian Worley’s nine strikeouts are tied for the second-most by a ‘Sox pitcher all-time.
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Garrett Spikes is the first Tom Sox player to hit a home run on back-to-back days since Brock Edge hit home runs against Staunton and Strasburg in the 2019 playoffs (August 5-6).
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Noah Overton and Christian Worley’s respective four & five innings are career-highs collegiately.
