Nick Fletcher Goes Six Innings; Grays Get Closer To First Win vs. Big Train

There was a difficult challenge awaiting the DC Grays on Friday night when they faced off against the defending Cal Ripken League champion Bethesda Big Train. Although the Grays dropped their fourth straight game, 5-2, they held their own and showed more growth in a few different ways. 

Nick Fletcher (Holy Cross) started on the mound for the Grays. The sophomore put together the best start by a Grays starter to date, throwing six strong innings, yielding just three hits and one earned run. Fletcher also struck out four batters, including two inning-ending strikeouts in the third and sixth innings. 

On the offensive side of the diamond, the lineup struggled to find their groove throughout the game. However, Aaron Thomas (Wofford) found some success with the bat. The outfielder found his way on base in all four of his plate appearances. Thomas mashed a double into the left field gap in the second inning. Then in the fourth inning, he launched a game-tying solo home run over the left field fence and into the bullpen. 

The Grays got their other run off a wild pitch from the Big Train pitcher Kai Burdick which scored Henry Zipay (Omaha) from third. Zipay was hit by a pitch and advanced to third off a well placed single from Max Harper (BYU). Harper’s knock tied the game at 2-2 before the Big Train pulled away with a three-run seventh inning. 

The Grays will stay in the confines of the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy for the fourth contest of a five game home stand. They’ll face off against the Silver Spring-Takoma T-Bolts Saturday night at 7 p.m.