CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Charlottesville Tom Sox (9-7) will face the New Market Rebels (11-10) today in a doubleheader at Charlottesville High School in a make-up of a postponed DH from June 12. It will be broadcast live on the Tom Sox Facebook page. First pitch for game one is set for 4 P.M., with the second game to follow approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first.
Coverage: Viewers can head to the Tom Sox Facebook Page or Tom Sox TV to watch today’s games. A link to the live stats is available on Pointstreak. The Tom Sox Twitter account (@CvilleTomSoxVBL) will provide live updates.
Ticket Information: Admission to all Tom Sox games in 2022 is free, courtesy of Carter Bank & Trust. Parking is available at a first-come, first-served basis in the CHS upper, lower, and student lots.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Game 1
New Market: LHP Ethan Walker, Longwood (1-1, 3.86 ERA, 7.0 IP, 3 BB, 10 K)
Charlottesville: RHP Brady Kirtner, Virginia Tech (1-0, 5.40 ERA, 1.2 IP, 1 BB, 2 K)
Game 2
New Market: RHP Jonathan Bautista, Pittsburgh
Charlottesville: RHP Trey Yesavage, East Carolina (0-0, 4.50 ERA, 2.0 IP, 1 BB, 5 K)
LEADING OFF
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The Tom Sox will play their second cross-division doubleheader of the season, facing the New Market Rebels.
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Today’s doubleheader is a make-up of the originally scheduled matchup on June 12, which was postponed due to field conditions following a storm.
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Charlottesville’s doubleheader Sunday at Strasburg was postponed, as a major storm hit right when the team arrived.
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The ‘Sox lost their second straight game on Saturday, falling 7-6 in Covington on a walk-off errant throw by catcher Nic Ericsson.
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Charlottesville is now 3-3 following a loss this season. They have not lost more than three consecutive games in a season since June 11-15, 2019.
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The ‘Sox swept their first doubleheader of the season against Purcellville.
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Brady Kirtner will start for the first time this season. Kirtner thrived in the starter role for Charlottesville last summer, with a 2.53 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts.
SERIES vs NEW MARKET
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Although the all-time series is tied 11-11, the last couple seasons have been slanted Charlottesville’s way.
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The Tom Sox have won four of the five meetings the last two seasons.
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New Market swept Charlottesville in the 2018 VBL Championship to win their third title.
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The ‘Sox swept the doubleheader at New Market in dominant fashion last year (7/10), outscoring the ‘Rebs 26-3 across 14 innings.
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Charlottesville came out swinging in game one, winning 15-0 behind multi-hit performances from Pierce Bennett, Wyatt Langford, and Garrett Spikes. Spikes knocked in a team-high four RBI to go along with his two hits and a double. Will Safford also drove in three runs on a triple.
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The Tom Sox took home an 11-3 win in game two, as Bennett, Jack Hurley, Spikes and fellow returner Logan Amiss all stood out. On the mound, Tom Sox pitchers recorded 12 strikeouts and allowed only four hits.
SAD SATURDAY NIGHT
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The Tom Sox fell to Covington, 7-6, on a walk-off errant throw.
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After a walk to the leadoff batter in the 10th, the tie-breaker runner Carlos Castillo stole third, then made it home on a wide throw by ‘Sox catcher Nic Ericsson.
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Kyle Edwards delivered the big blow for Charlottesville in the game, knocking in three runs on a double in the fourth. He finished the day 2-for-4 with a walk and stolen base.
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Ericsson became the second ‘Sox player this season to reach base five times in a game with three walks, a hit by pitch, and a ROE.
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The Lumberjacks made their impact in the sixth, scoring in five straight trips to the plate after the ‘Sox loaded the bases.
A WHOLE NEW OFFENSE
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After scoring 29 runs in their first eight games (16 if you exclude 13 scored in one game vs Staunton), the Tom Sox have scored 65 runs in their last seven contests.
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They have more than doubled their runs per game output just over that span, now sitting at 5.9 (which is third in the VBL).
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They have recorded double-digit hits in five of their last seven after recording single digits in every game prior.
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Three offensive additions have been the jumpstarts for the offensive explosion: Georgia’s Cole Wagner (.367 BA, 2 HR, 13 RBI), Florida’s Matthew Prevesk (.375 BA, .974 OPS), and VCU’s Logan Amiss (.391 BA, 7 R, 7 RBI).
VINNIE MAKES HISTORY
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2017 Tom Sox player and VBL Champion Vinnie Pasquantino made history on Monday as the first Tom Sox player to be called up to the major leagues.
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The callup comes after Royals first baseman Carlos Santana was traded to the Seattle Mariners.
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Pasquantino was one of the Tom Sox’s leaders in 2017 en route to the team’s first Valley League championship. In 38 games, he hit .337 with 14 doubles, five home runs, 29 runs, 37 RBI, and a .934 OPS.
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He was drafted in the 11th round by the Royals in the 2019 MLB Draft. He ascended quickly through the Royals organization, batting .293 with 173 runs, 70 doubles, 56 home runs, and 204 RBI in 242 minor league games.
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Pasquantino is the first of 27 Tom Sox draftees all-time and first of six from the 2017 team to be called up to MLB.
