Grays offense heats up in T Bolt win

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.

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