CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – JP Williams hit a walk-off, three-run home run in the bottom of the 16th inning to lift Winchester to a 5-4 win over the Charlottesville Tom Sox, giving the Royals the 2026 Valley Baseball League championship.

The Sox had taken a 4-2 lead in the top of the 16th when Harrison Campi hit a two-run double.

But with two on and no one out, Williams – a catcher who plays at Shenandoah University – drove a 2-2 pitch from reliever Albert Maldonado out of the park to secure the Game 3 victory and the title for Winchester.

The Sox trailed 2-0 in the ninth inning but pinch hitter Christian Dewey delivered a two-out, two-run triple to tie the game, sending the winner-take-all affair into extra innings.

Playing in their fifth consecutive VBL championship series, the Tom Sox were hunting their third title in that span.

Asher Sabom and Henry Knighton combined to throw 6 2/3 scoreless innings of relief for Charlottesville. Maldonado relieved Knighton in the bottom of the 16th to try to record the final three outs. Instead, Williams delivered the biggest hit of the game.

Winchester took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Brody Connors scored on a wild pitch. The Royals extended their advantage to 2-0 in the fifth inning when Troy Davis scored on a balk. 

Winchester starting pitcher Blaine Griffin threw five scoreless innings, and reliever Tyler Oaks kept the Tom Sox off the board for the first three innings he worked. 

But against Oaks in the ninth, Charlottesville finally broke through with Dewey’s big hit.

Charlottesville threatened in the top of the 10th inning, when Campi led off with a single and Tommy Landsnes followed with a double that moved Campi to third with no one out. But the Tom Sox could not cash in as Caiden Combs hit into a fielder’s choice and Lucas Ream and Brayden Bachman struck out.

In the bottom of the 12th, Winchester drew a pair of walks off Sabom – who had already thrown 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief – to open the frame. But Sabom bounced back to strike out pinch hitter James Pitts and Troy Davis, both looking. He got Zach Fortman to ground out to third to end the inning.

The Tom Sox had outhit Winchester 16-2 before Williamson’s blast gave the Royals the Game 3 win and the crown.

Louisa native Lucas Cash pitched the Tom Sox to a 10-1 road victory over Winchester in Game 1 of the series on Tuesday. The Royals came back with a win at CHO Airport Field in Charlottesville, downing the Sox 6-1 on Wednesday and setting up Thursday night’s winner-take-all affair.