CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Charlottesville Tom Sox (0-0) will face the Harrisonburg Turks (0-0) to kick off their 2022 season at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park in Harrisonburg, Va. It will be broadcast live on the Turks Facebook page. First pitch is set for 7:30 P.M.
Coverage: Viewers can head to the Turks Facebook Page to watch the game. A link to the live stats is available on Pointstreak. The Tom Sox Twitter account (@CvilleTomSoxVBL) will provide live updates.
Ticket Information: Fans can purchase tickets for the game at the gate. Fans can also present a free admission coupon from Thursday’s Daily News-Record for entry. For further ticket information, visit the Turks website.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Harrisonburg: TBA
Charlottesville: RHP Bobby Olsen (Brown)
SEASON OPENER FACTS: The Tom Sox will start their seventh season in team history on Friday, taking the field for the first time in 313 days to start their season against the Harrisonburg Turks. The Tom Sox will open their season on the road for the fifth time in seven seasons. They previously opened the season in Harrisonburg in 2019. The Tom Sox are 2-4 in season openers, with the two wins coming in 2021 and 2017. The Tom Sox are seeking back-to-back season-opening wins for the first time in team history.
AGAINST HARRISONBURG: The Tom Sox and Turks will meet for the 39th time when they face off Friday. The Tom Sox lead the all-time series by two after winning seven of the eight meetings last season. They have won six straight over the Turks, tied for the longest active win streak against any opponent (Covington, Purcellville). Since the loss to the Turks in the 2019 season opener, the Tom Sox have lost only one game against the Turks. Since losing 12 of the first 14 against the Turks to begin the franchise, the ‘Sox have won 18 of the next 23.
NEW COACHING STAFF: The Tom Sox will have a brand new coaching staff in place to begin the 2022 season – but not all of those coaches are necessarily new to Charlottesville. Head Coach Ramon Garza previously played on the Tom Sox’s 2019 Championship team, finishing with a .289 batting average, 27 runs scored, and a team-leading six stolen bases. He was heralded as one of the team’s leaders throughout the season, even giving the postgame speech after the championship game. Garza’s 43 games played in 2019 ranks 5th in team history, and his 152 at-bats are tied for 7th. He also ranks 9th in runs and hits. This summer will be Ramon’s first career coaching job.
Assistant Coach Nick Balley, also beginning his coaching career this summer, played the last two seasons alongside Ramon at the University of Texas at Dallas. Pitching Coach Zach Woolard begins his first career coaching job this summer after a 4-year pitching career at North Carolina Wesleyan. Assistant Coach Zach Bennett comes to Charlottesville after coaching three years at the high school level, one year at the JUCO level (in which he appeared in the JUCO World Series), and one year in NCAA Division III.
LOOKING BACK: The ‘Sox had an outstanding regular season in 2021 before ultimately falling in the first round of the playoffs to Waynesboro. Head Coach Kory Koehler led the team to a 30-10 regular season, becoming only the third VBL team since 1994 to post a win percentage of .750 or higher, and their ten losses were tied for the fewest of any team over that span. The ‘Sox set a record on the basepaths, stealing 110 bases – 44 more than the next-best season. Wyatt Langford – a 2022 First Team All-SEC selection for Florida – led the team with a .336 batting average, .972 OPS, and 60 total bases. Despite joining the team in late June, Wake Forest’s Adam Cecere led the team with four home runs. And a 2022 returner, Garrett Spikes, led the team with 24 RBI. Pierce Bennett, Cole Foster, Trevor Candelaria, and fellow returner Logan Amiss all made strong contributions on the offensive end.
On the mound, another 2022 returner paced the ‘Sox for much of the season. Virginia Tech’s Brady Kirtner posted a 3.18 ERA to lead the team and he finished second in both strikeouts (37) and innings (28.1). The man he finished second to in both was San Jacinto’s Dillon Janac, who threw 31.1 innings and struck out 38. Noah Overton, Chase Centala, and 2022 AAC Pitcher of the Year Carter Spivey were also among those who made valuable contributions from the mound.
RETURNERS ARE READY: Four key 2021 returners are ready to guide the Tom Sox throughout the season. VCU’s Logan Amiss is a Valley League veteran, playing with the Covington Lumberjacks in 2019 before playing with the ‘Sox last season (he was signed to the Tom Sox before the 2021 season was canceled, too). Amiss finished third on the team in batting average (.297), fourth in OBP (.407), T-3rd in runs scored (21), fourth in RBI (18), and led in doubles (8) and hit by pitches (8). Amiss has had a strong season for the Rams, starting with a 23-game on-base streak and hitting .273 with 15 doubles, 39 runs, and 32 RBI.
Garrett Spikes is back for his second season with the ‘Sox after leading the team in RBI (24) and finishing fourth in batting average (.276) and third in slugging percentage (.448). His three long balls and ten stolen bases both tied for second on the team.
Brady Kirtner led the team in ERA last season (3.18) and was second in opponent batting average (.181), innings (28.1), and strikeouts (37). His 12.8 strikeouts per 9 tied for first in the entire VBL. All Things Valley League named him the #13 starter in the league last summer.
Angelo Cabral will join the team in July and undoubtedly make an impact. Cabral didn’t join the 2021 ‘Sox until the end of June, but was named All Things Valley League’s #5 reliever for the season. His 0.69 ERA in the regular season was flat out dominant (he did not allow an earned run before his final two appearances of the summer), and he struck out 18 batters en route to the honor. And, as ATVL mentioned, the ‘Sox won every regular season game that he appeared in.
VCU’s Justin Humenay will also be back with the ‘Sox in 2022. Humenay made two appearances in late July, tossing four shutout innings with five K’s.
Amiss, Spikes, Kirtner, and Humenay will join the team upon the end of their NCAA Tournament feats. Cabral will join in July.
