GAME RECAP   7-26-2015

By: Anna Dunlavey; @annadunlaveyy

​The DC Grays’ hopes of a deep playoff run were dashed by the homestanding Vienna Riverdogs last night. The Riverdogs beat the Grays 8-6 in a tight game in the first round of the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball Leauge Playoffs to eliminate the Grays from their first-ever postseason.

​The Grays were off to an early lead, scoring runs in the second and third innings. However, they allowed the Riverdogs to score six runs in the bottom of the third to make the score 6-2. The Grays were quick to make up the runs they’d lost. They scored twice in the fourth inning, and a two-run home run from Colton Shaver (Brigham Young) in the fifth evened up the score. The game was tied through the sixth and seventh innings, but the Riverdogs scored twice in the eighth and sent the Grays down in order in the top of the ninth.

The Grays offense, which had been quiet for much of the season, was productive last night. Several Grays had multiple hits, including RF Harrison Bruce (San Francisco) CF Tony Holton (Jackson State), LF Lamar Briggs (Jackson State), 2B Mike Caputo (Seton Hall) and Carpenter.

Starting pitcher Maverik Buffo (Brigham Young) lasted five innings. He gave up six runs, all in the third inning, as well as nine hits. Aside from the third inning, Buffo was solid, walking one batter and striking out three.
​ The loss went to Quinn Carpenter (Texas Tech), who pitched 2.1 innings, moving to the pitcher’s mound after hitting a triple as the designated hitter. He walked three batters, two of them intentionally, and struck out six, including two Houdini acts to get out of bases loaded jams in the sixth and seventh innings. In the sixth inning, the Riverdogs had the bases loaded with one out, but Carpenter kept them off the scoreboard. In the seventh inning, the bases were loaded with nobody out, but Carpenter then struck out the side. In the eighth, however, he gave up two runs, which turned out to be the game winner.

​Reid Frazier (Penn State) came on in relief of Carpenter. He gave up no runs, hits, or walks, and struck out one batter.

That concludes the DC Grays’ 2015 season. Thank you for following us, and see you next year!

The #6 DC Grays (19-21) will make their first playoff appearance in team history Sunday night at 7 p.m. at James Madison High School against the #3 Riverdogs (21-19). Both starters are TBA.

LOCATION: James Madison High School, 2500 James Madison Dr, Vienna, VA 22181, at 7 p.m.

PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT YOUR GRAYS IN THEIR FIRST PLAYOFF GAME!

GAME RECAP  7-23-2015

By Anna Dunlavey; @annadunlaveyy

​​For the first time in its history, the DC Grays have made it to the playoffs. Last night’s 4-2 win over the hometown Alexandria Aces brought the Grays to a 19-21 regular season record. By winning six of their last seven games, the Grays jumped over the Aces and the Rockville Express to take one of the wild card spots in the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League playoffs.​

At first, it seemed as though these playoff dreams might be dashed. The Aces scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning, and increased their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Starting pitcher Harry Thomas (UNC-Greensboro) gave up the two runs on ten hits over 5.1 innings of work. Thomas also struck out three batters, and allowed no walks.

​In the top of the sixth, the Grays began to take control. 1B Scottie Sanders (Southeastern Louisiana) started the inning by getting hit by a pitch, and SS Drew Reid (Harvard) followed with a single. DH Quinn Carpenter (Texas Tech) advanced them on a sacrifice bunt. With one out, LF Lamar Briggs (Jackson State) came to the plate and blasted a double to right center to score both Sanders and Reid and tie the game.

​With one out in the bottom of the sixth and the bases loaded, Conner Van Hoose (Bucknell), typically a starting pitcher, came out of the bullpen to relieve Thomas. Van Hoose got the next two batters out on a strikeout and a fielder’s choice. He didn’t give up any hits or runs in his next inning, either, and also got another strikeout.

​The Grays broke the tie in the top of the eighth, after Carpenter led off the inning with a single. Briggs hit what was meant to be a sacrifice bunt, but both he and Carpenter were safe after an error by the Aces pitcher. Carpenter scored the go ahead run on a line drive single from 2B Mike Caputo (Seton Hall). RF Harrison Bruce (University of San Francisco) then hit into a fielder’s choice that scored Briggs for a 4-2 lead.

​Reid Frazier (Penn State) closed out the game, pitching the eighth and ninth innings. He gave up no hits or runs, faced only six batters, and got his third win of the season. VanHoose was credited with the win.

The Grays are now finished with their regular season. Assured of a wild card berth, the Grays must wait until the games tonight are over in order to find out who they will play in the first round of the playoffs — which is a one-gam “knockout” affair. By Friday night the Grays should know whether they will play at Vienna or Silver Spring on Sunday.

POST GAME INTERVIEW

The DC Grays (18-21) will play their final regular game of the season tonight against the Alexandria Aces (18-20). The Grays are coming off an exciting 2-0 shutout at home against the Big Train with strong pitching from Quinn Carpenter and Zach Irwin.

Harry Thomas (UNC Greensboro) will take the mound for the Grays. Thomas is coming off a win against the Vienna Riverdogs, where he went 6.2 giving up three hits and no earned runs.

Gabriel Mosser (Shippensburg University) is the probable pitcher for the Aces. Mosser is coming off a seven-inning outing against the Braves, where he allowed one earned run and six hits.

 

Location: Frank Mann Field, 7 p.m.

GAME RECAP  7-22-2015

By: Anna Dunlavey; @annadunlaveyy

​The DC Grays kept their playoff hopes alive on Wednesday night with their fifth win in their last six games.  The Grays notched their first win over the league-leading Bethesda Big Train in their final home game of the season I front of a lively crowd.  With one game left, the Grays’ record is now 18-21 and they are one of four teams still alive for the two wild card playoff berths.

​Starting pitcher Quinn Carpenter (Texas Tech) had an terrific outing, throwing seven innings of shutout ball.  Last night was the third start in a row where Carpenter gave up only one hit. He also struck out nine batters, taking over the team lead in strikeouts with 36. Lefty Zack Irwin (East Mississippi CC) got the save with two innings of hitless  relief.

​The game was a scoreless pitchers duel until Grays scored their first run on a controversial play. In the bottom of the sixth, CF Tony Holton (Jackson State) walked. He stole second during C Kurt Sinnen’s (Old Dominion) at bat, but an overthrow by the catcher allowed him to reach third. Holton took a big lead off third, and when the pitcher threw over to pick him off, Holton had no option but to head for home. There was a scramble at the plate, but the umpire called Holton safe, ruling that the Big Train catcher hadn’t applied the tag.

​The adrenaline from one run helped drive in another. After Sinnen also walked and then reached second on a fly out from Colton Shaver (Brigham Young), Drew Reid (Harvard) drove him in on a single. Those two runs would prove to be the only two scored on the night.

​Tonight, the Grays will play their final game of the 2015 season against close division rivals, the Alexandria Aces at Four Mile Run Park.  Harry Thomas (UNC-Greensboro) is the probable starting pitcher.

POST GAME INTERVIEW

The Grays (17-21) will wrap up the final, 2015 regular season home game with the Bethesda Big Train (28-9)  tonight with Quinn Carpenter on the mound. Carpenter is coming off a stellar outing, where he went six innings, allowing just one hit.

Come out and support your DC Grays in their last regular season home game of the summer!

GO GRAYS!!!!!

Location: Washington Nationals Youth Academy, 7 p.m.

GAME RECAP   7-20-2015

By: Anna Dunlavey; @annadunlaveyy

The DC Grays fell apart in the fifth inning of last night’s home game against the FCA Herndon Braves, and not even a five-run rally could save them. The Braves took the 10-8 win over the Grays, who are now 17-21 on the season.
​The Grays were actually able to take an early lead. Although the Braves scored the first run of the game on a home run in the top of the second, the Grays came back with a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning, hit by DH Quinn Carpenter (Texas Tech) with 1B Colton Shaver (Brigham Young) on base. The score remained 2-1 until the top of the fifth inning, when the Braves broke the game open.

​The inning started off innocently enough. Starting pitcher Maverik Buffo (Brigham Young) got two quick outs, including the fourth of his five strikeouts on the night. Buffo then gave up a walk and two singles, allowing the Braves to tie the game. A hit batter loaded the bases, and an overthrow of first allowed two more runners to score. The Braves got four more runs across on a single and a three-run homer from all-star Alan Mochabee — his second of night. Buffo finally stopped the bleeding with a strike out to retire the side and end the Braves’ rally. Of the seven runs that scored, only one was earned.

​Bailey Spence (Cecil CC) took over on the mound in the top of the sixth, and threw for 2.1 innings. He gave up two hits and two runs, walking two batters and striking out two. Jarred Scott (Alabama Southern CC) took the mound with one out in the top of the eighth, and pitched a complete inning, giving up a hit and a walk and striking out one batter. Will Korosec (Stevens Institute of Technology) finished the last .2 innings of the ninth, walking one and striking out one.

​On the meantime, the Grays got one run back in the sixth, when Tony Holton (Jackson State) scored from third on an error by the catcher, but by the ninth inning score stood at 10-3 and a comeback seem impossible. Yet suddenly and probably, the Grays, rallied in the bottom of the ninth.

​Carpenter led off with a single, stole second, reached third on a Lamar Briggs (Jackson State) putout. 3B Keifer Rawlings (Bucknell) struck out for the second out of the inning. 2B Mike Caputo (Seton Hall) kept the Grays alive with a single to score Carpenter. Bryan Baquer (Washington College) also singled, and Holton blasted a three-run homer to right field to bring the score to 10-7. The Grays didn’t stop there. Riding the high of Holton’s homer, C Kurt Sinnen (Old Dominion) walked and stole second. In only his second at bat of the game, 1B Scottie Sanders (Southeastern Louisiana) doubled off the left field fence to bring in Sinnen and close the gap to 10-8. It seemed like the Grays could actually come back and tie the game, which made Jackson Kramer’s (Lafayette) strikeout on a checked swing even more heartbreaking.

​The Grays will play their final home game of the season on Wednesday. They will face the Bethesda Big Train, and Carpenter is expected to start on the mound.

GAME RECAP   7-19-2015

By: Anna Dunlavey; @annadunlaveyy

The DC Grays had their second 9-2 home victory in two days yesterday afternoon when they beat the FCA Herndon Braves. It was the first of two games in a row that these two teams will play against each other at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy. The Grays have now improved to a record of 17-20 on the season.

​The Grays wasted no time putting runs on the board, scoring twice in the first inning. CF Tony Holton (Jackson State) and C Kurt Sinnen (Old Dominion) both walked, and Holton stole third. DH Quinn Carpenter (Texas Tech) scored Holton on a single, and LF Lamar Briggs (Jackson State) scored Sinnen on a double. The score remained 2-0 until the fourth inning, when the Grays scored five runs on two hits.

​RF Harrison Bruce (University of San Francisco) led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk, and Holton followed by getting hit by a pitch. Sinnen hit what was meant to be a sacrifice bunt, but ended up reaching first, scoring Bruce, and moving Holton to third when the ball was fumbled by the Braves. Sinnen stole second and Shaver walked to load the bases. Holton scored his second run of the game when Carpenter was hit by a pitch. Sinnen scored as SS Drew Reid (Harvard) was put out at first, Shaver scored on a single from 3B Keifer Rawlings (Bucknell). Carpenter scored on a single from 2B Mike Caputo (Seton Hall).

​Although the Braves got two runs on the board in the top of the fifth, they gave the Grays another in the bottom of the inning. Holton singled, Carpenter was hit by a pitch again, Briggs walked, and Reid drew a walk with the bases loaded and two outs. Bryan Baquer (Washington College), pinch running for Holton, scored the run and took over at centerfield.

​In the top of the seventh, the Grays made a number of defensive changes–Shaver moved to catcher, Scottie Sanders (Southeastern Louisiana) took over at first base, and Jackson Kramer (Lafayette) went to shortstop. Sanders delivered at the plate in the bottom of the seventh, leading things off with a single and advancing to second on a wild pitch. Briggs scored him on a single for the Grays’ ninth and final run of the game.

​Starting pitcher Ryan Garner (Memphis) walked six in five innings of work, but he only gave up two hits and two runs. He also struck out two batters and notched the victory. Dan Jarrell (Washington College) took over in the sixth, and threw for three innings, striking out three batters and giving up no runs, hits, or walks. Steve Ghiardi (Millersville) pitched the ninth, and although he walked one batter, he didn’t give up any hits or runs.

​Tonight, the Grays and the Braves will meet again at the Nationals Youth Academy, this time at 7pm. Maverik Buffo (Brigham Young) is the probable starting pitcher for the Grays.

POST GAME INTERVIEW

The Grays  (17-20)  will host the Herndon Braves (17-20)  again tonight after coming off a win 9-2 win yesterday. The Grays and Braves are now tied, and will fight to keep their playoff hopes alive tonight with Maverik Buffo on the mound. Buffo is coming off a stellar relief appearance against the Baltimore Redbirds, where he received the win in a a three-inning shutout, giving up just two hits with three strikeouts.

 

Location: Washington Nationals Youth Academy, 7 p.m.

GAME RECAP   7-17-2015

By: Anna Dunlavey; @annadunlaveyy

​Although the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts struck first in last night’s game, it was the homestanding DC Grays who came away with the 9-2 victory. 3B Keifer Rawlings (Bucknell) went 3-4 with 4 RBIs and RF Harrison Bruce (University of San Francisco) had four RBIs on two hits. The Grays are now 16-20 after going 6-2 in their last eight games.

​The game was scoreless through three innings, but things changed in the top of the fourth when the T-Bolts scored two unearned runs — takin advantage of walks and a Grays error.

​In the bottom of the fourth, Grays DH Alex Woinski (Lafayette) led off by reaching first on an error. After getting to third on a single from SS Drew Reid (Harvard), Woinski scored on a single from Rawlings. 2B Mike Caputo (Seton Hall) drew a walk to load the bases and bring up leadoff batter Bruce, whose single scored both Reid and Rawlings and gave the Grays a 3-2 lead. Caputo scored a second unearned run for the Grays on a sacrifice fly from CF Tony Holton (Jackson State).

​In the bottom of the fifth C Colton Shaver (Brigham Young) walked, LF Lamar Briggs (Jackson State) singled, and Reid reached on an error to load the bases with no outs. Rawlings scored Shaver and Briggs to bring the score to 6-2. In the bottom of the seventh, Briggs walked, and Reid once again reached on an error. Rawlings singled, scoring Briggs and getting his season-high third hit of the game. With Reid and Rawlings on base, Bruce came up and fired his first triple of the season to score both runners and giving the Grays a rare runaway win.

​Connor Van Hoose (Bucknell) got his third win of the season after pitching five complete innings. He gave up eight hits and two runs, although neither of the runs were earned. He walked three batters, and struck out six. Van Hoose is now the team leader in strikeouts with 34. Marlon Pruitt (Grambling State), who hadn’t pitched since July 2nd, relieved Van Hoose in the sixth and threw for the rest of the game. Pruitt came back to the mound strong, only giving up one hit and one walk and striking out three batters.

​The Grays will be back at home this afternoon to play the Herndon Braves. Ryan Garner (Memphis) is the probable starting pitcher for the Grays.

POST GAME INTERVIEW