Grays power past Giants

GAME RECAP  7-10-2015

By: Anna Dunlavey; @annadunlaveyy

​Colton Shaver (Brigham Young) was the savior for the DC Grays in last night’s home victory against the Gaithersburg Giants. Shaver got some key outs at first base, hit a game-tying home run in the bottom of the seventh, drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth, and took over as pitcher in the top of the ninth to get the save in a 4-3 Grays win. The victory brought the Grays’ record to 13-18 on the season.

The Giants were first on the board with a run scored in the top of the third, but the Grays evened things out in the bottom of the inning. 3B Keifer Rawlings (Bucknell) reached on an error and took third on a 2B Mike Caputo (Seton Hall) single. When CF Bryan Baquer (Washington College) hit the ball back towards the pitcher, he was out at first but Rawlings was able to score an unearned run.

In the top of the seventh, the Giants got a home run off of the Grays’ starting pitcher Ryan Garner (Memphis) to take the lead back. However, in the bottom of the inning, Shaver, who competed in the TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby last week, finally hit his first homer in a Grays uniform. The ball sailed over the left field fence to the delight of the home crowd.

Shaver delivered again in the eighth, after Baquer singled and RF Tony Holton (Jackson State) advanced him with a sacrifice bunt. DH Quinn Carpenter (Texas Tech) was intentionally walked, although that only brought up another power hitter, Kurt Sinnen (Old Dominion). Sinnen reached first on an error to foil the Giants’ plans. Instead of an inning ending double play, they had the bases loaded with Shaver, arguably the most powerful hitter of the three, up to bat. Shaver hit into a fielder’s choice, which got Sinnen out but scored Baquer. SS Drew Reid (Harvard) followed Shaver with a single, scoring Carpenter for the insurance run.
​Southpaw Garner played six complete innings, and gave up two runs on three hits. Garner walked three and struck out three. The win, however, went to Reid Frazier (Penn State), who took over with no outs and one inherited runner in the top of the seventh. Frazier sent the Giants down in order after that, and in the eighth, he gave up no hits and struck out one batter.

​In the top of the ninth, some controversial calls by the umpires led Frazier to give up a walk and a hit. Shaver moved from first base to the pitcher’s mound with runners on first and second with no outs. Scott Sanders (Southeastern Louisiana) took over Shaver’s post at first. Only one of Shaver’s three inherited runners crossed the plate. He survived a balk call to face just three batters and end the inning with two strikeouts and a putout at first.
​Tomorrow night the Grays will go to Shirley Povich Field for a matchup with the Bethesda Big Train. Maverik Buffo (Brigham Young) is the probable starting pitcher for the Grays.