FRONT ROYAL, Va. – It was a beautiful Sunday for baseball at Bing Crosby Stadium as the Charlottesville Tom Sox faced the Front Royal Cardinals. The Tom Sox swept the Cardinals with both games having strong defense and just enough offense to win.
GAME 1
Emmett Bice (College of Charleston) started on the mound for the Tom Sox in game one. In four innings pitched, he had two strikeouts, two hits, one run, and one walk.
The first few innings were quiet for the Tom Sox and the Cardinals, but the first run on the board went to the Cardinals after a sacrifice fly to center field.
The bats came alive for the Sox in the third. With Satchell Norman (Florida Southwestern) and Cole Wagner (Georgia) on base after both hitting a single, Matthew Prevesk (Florida) hit a single; bringing in Norman for the first run of the game. Trey Yunger (Wofford) then hit a single to left field, and after an error from the left fielder, Wagner came home as well. With the bases loaded, the Cardinals pitcher balked – allowing Prevesk to bring another run. The score was 3-1 in the third.
With two outs in the 5th and a runner on second, a wild throw to third allowed the stealing Cardinals runner to come home, making the score 3-2.
After two controversial balks called against the Cardinals, Christian Martin (Virginia Tech) hit a sacrifice fly to right field. The sac fly allowed Julian Rojas (Radford) on third base to score in the 6th and make it 4-3.
The last three innings in game one each had a different Tom Sox arm on the mound. Chase Roberts (San Jacinto) relieved Bice in the fifth and allowed two unearned runs to score. Tayler Montiel (Tulane) relieved Roberts in the sixth with one strikeout and allowed no runs. Tyler McLoughlin (Emory) closed for the Tom Sox, striking out the side.
GAME 2
Game two was low-scoring compared to game one, but the Tom Sox were able to control the game from the start and take home a 3-0 win.
Luke Wagner (Georgia) started for the ‘Sox and had an electric game on the mound. In a season-high six innings, he had four strikeouts, one hit and one walk. Wagner’s six innings tied Bice last week for the longest start by a Charlottesville pitcher this summer.
The Tom Sox struck first in the third inning. Christian Martin drew a leadoff walk and quickly made it to third on a stolen base and throwing error by the catcher, The next batter, Norman, hit a sacrifice fly to bring in the first run of the contest. The next inning, Kyle Edwards (Old Dominion) hit an RBI double to score Logan Amiss (VCU), making it 2-0.
The next two innings were scoreless for both the ‘Sox and ‘Cards, but after a wild pitch from the Cardinals pitcher in the top of the 7th, Martin – who reached on his third walk of the night – scored to make it 3-0.
Christian Howe (Kentucky) closed game two, earning his first save of the season.
The Tom Sox are on the road again Monday (July 11), facing the Staunton Braves at 7:30 P.M. at John Moxie Stadium.
Additional Notes
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The Tom Sox have now won seven straight games, tied for the longest streak in the VBL (Harrisonburg). It is Charlottesville’s longest win streak of the season.
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Charlottesville moves to 6-2 in doubleheaders and has swept Purcellville, Winchester, and Front Royal.
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Brody Moss (Auburn) walked twice in game two. He has walked in 7-straight games.
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Christian Martin has recorded an RBI in four of the last five games. He did not collect a hit in either game of the DH.
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Tyler McLoughlin picked up his third save of the season in game one and now is the sole team saves leader.
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Luke Wagner’s six innings pitched were his most in a collegiate game since March 12, 2021 against Lipscomb.
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The Tom Sox earned their third shutout of the season in game two and are now 3-4 in shutouts on the season. They have shut out their opponent in three of the last six games.
