CULPEPER, Va. – The Charlottesville Tom Sox (27-14) hit two home runs in the first four innings and never looked back, defeating the Culpeper Cavaliers (22-21) on the road 8-1 to force a winner-take-all game three on Sunday.
In a stark contrast from game one, Charlottesville showed synergy on both sides of the dish, scoring their most runs in a week and punching out 13 Cavaliers on the mound. Chase Stryker and Caden Ferraro combined for just three hits and one earned run across their nine combined innings, stranding all but one of the nine Culpeper runners on the night. The pair limited Culpeper to 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position on the evening and 2-for-14 with runners on base. The heart of the Cavalier order (batters 2-3-4) combined to go 0-for-9 with three walks and four strikeouts. Stryker earned the win after tossing 5.1 innings, allowing one run, one hit, striking out six, and walking six. Ferraro earned his first save of the summer with 3.2 scoreless innings of relief, striking out seven and walking two.
“That was huge for Chase and Caden to fill up the zone,” said Tom Sox pitching coach Adam Dofflemyer. “To get all 27 outs with two guys, we haven’t done that much this year so it was really good to do that in the playoffs.”
At the dish, Charlottesville was led by Robbie Lavey, who hit his team-leading sixth home run on the year en route to a 4-for-5 day, finishing a triple short of the cycle. Jack McMullan also joined the home run party, blasting his first long ball of the year as part of a 2-for-4 day out of the nine spot in the order.
With the win, the Tom Sox force a winner-take-all game three against the Cavaliers on Sunday at Charlottesville High School. The winner of Sunday night’s contest will face the 1-seed from the North division, the Purcellville Cannons, in the best-of-three VBL Championship series that begins Monday. The loser will have their season come to a close.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After a scoreless first inning, the Tom Sox struck first in the second. Back-to-back singles from Nick Parham (East Carolina) and Dean Mihos (Coastal Carolina) set the stage for Jack McMullan (Liberty), who launched a three-run shot that ricocheted off the top of the right field fence to give the Tom Sox an early lead.
- Charlottesville was able to collect three more in the fourth in similar fashion. After a walk to Mihos and a single by McMullan, the next two ‘Sox batters flew out to put them in danger of being stranded. However, Robbie Lavey (George Washington) made sure that wasn’t the case with Charlottesville’s second three-run homer of the game, this one an opposite field shot to left to make it 6-0 visitors.
- Culpeper got to ‘Sox starter Chase Stryker (Coastal Carolina) for the first time in the bottom of the fifth. Back-to-back free passes to their seven and eight-hole hitters allowed Christian Reyna to do damage, driving a single to left field to bring in the first run. Stryker was able to get leadoff man Kazuya Jordan to strike out and limit the damage at one, keeping Charlottesville’s sizable advantage.
- Charlottesville was able to respond in the top of the sixth with two of their own to stretch the lead. A double from Lavey put a pair in scoring position with one out, and Colby Wallace (East Carolina) was able to bring Ryan Wynn (Wofford) in for Charlottesville’s seventh run. Lavey was able to advance to third and scored on the very next pitch after Caden Ferraro (Blinn) hit a sacrifice fly to left.
- Stryker’s day was done after walking two of the first three batters in the sixth, giving way to Ferraro. After walking the first batter he faced, Ferraro was able to strike out Culpeper’s five and six-hole hitters to leave the bases loaded.
- Ferraro was able to make quick work of the Cavaliers for the final three innings, allowing only three to reach to lock down his first save of the summer.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Charlottesville snapped a four-game losing streak, their longest of the summer, with the win. They also snapped a four-game skid to the Cavaliers.
- Lavey collected his second four-hit game of the summer, the only ‘Sox player with multiple four-hit games on the campaign. He and Colby Wallace, who collected his team-leading 11th multi-hit game, are the only ‘Sox players with four-hit games on the year.
- Stryker earned the win and allowed only one run despite walking six batters, the third-most by any Tom Sox pitcher all-time in an outing.
- The 13 batters struck out by ‘Sox pitching are the second-most this season.
