Comeback win for Grays

​7/25/14

By: Anna Dunlavey

The DC Grays came back from a four-run deficit on the road last night to beat the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts 10-8 in their penultimate game of the 2014 season. The Grays’ record has now improved to 14-25 as they head to their final game on Saturday.

The game definitely started in favor of the T-Bolts, who scored three runs in the second inning and one run in the fourth before the Grays could even get on the board. The Grays’ luck began to turn late in the game, in the top of the sixth. Jay Graham (Dartmouth) got the inning started with a single, and Joe Tietjen (UNC-Asheville) immediately followed with a walk. Then, Brandon Chapman (George Washington) blasted a double to score both, cutting the T-Bolts’ four run lead in half.

The Grays took the lead for themselves in the top of the seventh. Lucas Martinez (New Mexico State) walked and Webb Bobo (Southeastern Louisiana) singled to start the inning. Graham then hit the ball back to the pitcher, but an overthrow at second meant that Graham was safe at first and Martinez was able to score. After Tietjen walked to load the bases, Chapman singled, scoring Bobo with the tying run. A sacrifice fly from Eric Urry (Brigham Young) scored Graham to give the Grays a 5-4 lead. During the next at bat, Chapman and Tietjen stole second and third, respectively, and an overthrow by the catcher allowed Tietjen to score the fourth run of the inning.

The Grays continued to increase the lead in the later innings. In the eighth, after Michael Breen (San Jose State) singled and Bobo walked, Graham hit a double to deep centerfield to score them both. Tietjen doubled to score Graham.

Although the Grays had the lead 9-4, the T-Bolts came back to score four runs in the bottom of the eighth to make it a one-run game going into the ninth.

The Grays got an insurance run in the 9th. Urry walked, reached second on a wild pitch, and took third on a balk. Aaron Tovsky (Davidson) then drove him in for the Grays’ tenth and final run of the game.

Ari Kaufman (Lafayette) had his first start of the season last night. He pitched 3.2 innings and gave up four runs on eleven hits. Harry Thomas (Delaware) relieved him during the fourth inning, and gave up one hit and no runs in his 3.1 innings of work. Thomas also had six strikeouts, the most he has had in a single game this season, and was credited with the win, which was his first of the season. TJ Maioriano (University of the Sciences-Philadelphia) came out in the top of the eighth, and gave up four runs on three hits. Tovsky, who had been at third base to start the game, finished pitching the eighth, and gave up one hit and no runs. James Lengal (Brigham Young) got his eighth save of the season after he pitched the ninth. He gave up no hits or runs, struck out two, and lowered his ERA to 0.84.

Tonight, the Grays will play their final game of the 2014 season in Alexandria against the Aces. Max Kaplow (George Washington) is the expected starting pitcher for the Grays.