|
The Grays and the Senators matched up in the most important game of the season for the two teams. A win would put them in control of the second playoff spot, while the losing team could be out of the playoffs completely. The Southern Maryland Senators were able to hold off the Grays comeback and win the game 4-2.
Elias Owens (Washington & Jefferson) and Matt Colella (Lafayette) both singled in the bottom of the first, but a double play eliminated the scoring threat from the Grays. Ty Morris (Marist) threw three innings of shutout baseball before giving up three runs on three hits in the fourth. He ended up going six innings and striking out three with the fourth inning being his only setback. The Grays were able to get two runs back in the fifth when Owens doubled, scoring Greg Marmo (George Washington) and Dan Leikus (Rhode Island). Sam Moseman (NYU) gave the Grays a shot to comeback, shutting down the Senators for the seventh and eighth inning out of the bullpen. The Grays were able to load the bases twice in the late innings, but they were held without a run both times. The Senators got an insurance run in the ninth and held the Grays to just a walk in their last time at bat. It was the last home game for the Grays, as they went 9-9 during their games at Prince George’s Community College. The loss puts their record 14-21, and just out of a playoff spot. They will be on the road against the Bethesda Big Train needing a win and some help to keep the 2024 season alive into the playoffs.
0 Comments
Playing to keep their playoff hopes alive, the Grays and the Thunderbolts both needed wins to stay in the playoff chase. Backed by a strong start by Jake Roberti (George Mason), the Grays won the game by a score of 5-3.
A back and forth game in the early stages, it was tied at three after five innings. The Grays scored on an RBI groundout by Matt Colella (Lafayette) in the third and a single by Colella in the fifth. Greg Marmo (George Washington) hit a sacrifice fly on the next at-bat to tie the game at three. Jake Roberti (George Mason) kept the Grays in the game with an outstanding outing for the Mason senior. He struck out twelve TBolt batters over his seven innings, only giving up two earned runs on three hits. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Anthony Ruocco (Winthrop) reached base and stole second to put himself in scoring position. Then Matt Colella singled home Ruocco for his third RBI of the game and thirteenth on the season. Elias Owens (Washington & Jefferson) added an insurance run in the eighth when he scored Joey Wilga (Richmond) who had doubled earlier in the inning. That was all they would need though, as Derek Desmarais (Tufts) would shut down the Thunderbolts for the last two innings, while striking out two. Getting back in the win column helped the Grays playoff chances as they are now tied with the Braves and only a half game back of the Senators. This means that a win against the Senators tomorrow night at PGCC would put the Grays in a playoff spot with a game left to play. The Grays kicked off their four game homestand with a game against the division leading, Alexandria Aces. The Grays were able to send the game into extra innings, but lost the game in the tenth, 4-3.
Michaels Sills (Wofford) took the mound for the Grays to start the game and he worked a scoreless first five innings. The Grays were also shut out the first half of the game so the game was knotted at zero going into the sixth. Sills gave up four hits and two runs in the sixth, which was the end of his day. His line finished at six innings with four strikeouts and only one walk. The Aces added one more in the seventh on a solo home run by Max Kalk (Ball State). Entering the ninth down three, the Grays were down to their final three outs. Starting at the top of the order, James Layman (Wofford) and Brady Steinert (Marist) reached base to start the inning. Then Matt Colella (Lafayette) doubled down the left field line for the Grays first run of the game. Manoah Chapman (San Diego State) hit a sac fly to cut the Aces’ lead to one, then Joey Wilga (Richmond) tied the game with a single. The Aces scratched a run across in the tenth and they were able to hold onto the lead in the home half. The DC Grays have now lost four straight and are tied with the Braves at the bottom of the division. The Grays next game will be at home against the South County Braves, with a chance to climb back into the playoff race. The DC Grays returned from the All-Star break on the road in South County against the Braves. With both teams still fighting for playoff positions, the Braves were able to sneak out a win in the late innings by a score of 5-3.
Matt Leikus (James Madison) was the starter for the Grays and he was able to give them six strong innings of work. After giving up one run in the first, Leikus settled in for six strikeouts over the rest of the game. Brady Steinert (Marist) captured the lead in the third, when his home run scored Dan Leikus (Rhode Island). Steinert scored another run in the fifth on a Michael Lavangna (William & Mary) RBI double. The Braves were able to get four runs across in the eighth on six hits in the home half of the inning. Derek Desmarais (Tufts) was able to strike out one Brave to escape the jam with the Grays down two. In the Grays last chance at-bat, they were able to get the winning run up to the plate, but no runs to lose the game in the ninth. The Grays are now even with the Braves at the bottom of the southern division standings, at 13-18. They go into a four game homestand over the weekend, hoping to finish the regular season strong. They will be back at home against the Senators Friday at 5 pm. The DC Grays (12-15) took on the Southern Maryland Senators (11-15) on Saturday, July 6th in a southern division matchup. The Grays recorded twelve hits on their way to a convincing victory, 8-1.
The newly named CRCBL All-Star, Michael Sills (Wofford), led the way on the mound for the Grays, going seven innings and only allowing one hit. Sills only threw 79 pitches over his start, striking out eight and walking none. The Grays offense was held scoreless for five innings until Joey Wilga (Richmond) drove in Michael Lavanga (William & Mary) to break the tie. Wilga then stole second to put him in scoring position for an Ellis Reid (North Carolina A&T) RBI single. Manoah Chapman (San Diego State) scored two on his bases loaded double in the seventh. Then an Ellis Reid sacrifice fly brought in another. Chapman scored on a passed ball and the lead was 6-1 after seven. Sam Moseman (NYU) came in for the eighth and shut down the Senators for the last two innings. Manoah Chapman finished his day in the ninth by hitting his second home run of the year, scoring two. It was the Grays ninth of the year and the hit tied Chapman with Reid and Wilga for the team lead in home runs. The 8-1 win broke a three game skid for the Grays and kept them a game above the Braves and a game and a half above the Senators for second in the division. The Grays will take on the Gaithersburg Giants at Criswell Field at 5 pm on the seventh of July. The Grays were on the road again against the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts in an early July matchup. The Grays got ahead early, but fell to the Thunderbolts 9-5 after an unfortunate fourth inning.
The Grays got two runs in the top of the first, starting the scoring early. Greg Marmo (George Washington) and James Layman (Wofford) hit back to back singles to lead off the game, then Michael Lavanga (Willam & Mary) drove them both in after a Matt Colella (Lafayette) sacrifice bunt. In the third inning, Colella scored on a double by Michael Lavanga who scored later on a hit by Manoah Chapman (San Diego State). Jake Roberti (George Mason) was the starting pitcher for the Grays and he went into the fourth inning, giving up three runs. The Thunderbolts were able to push seven runs across in the fourth, taking a 7-5 lead. Two more TBolt runs in the fifth was the end of the scoring for the day and the score was held at 9-5 for the rest of the game. Ryder Moye (Wofford) and Thomas McClaren (Washington & Jefferson) were able to hold the TBolts scoreless the last three innings, but the offense was unable to come back. The second straight loss puts the Grays two games below .500 and six games behind the league leading Alexandria Aces. The Grays will have two days off for the holiday and then they are back in action in Bethesda against the Big Train on July 5th. The DC Grays matched up with the South County Braves in a game on June 30th at Prince George’s Community College. The Grays were able to capture the win in a rain shortened game by a score of 4-1.
Champ Davis (Wofford) was the starting pitcher for the Grays in Sunday’s game and he was able to pitch all five innings, only giving up a solo home run in the fourth. Singles by James Layman (Wofford) and Matt Colella (Lafayette) started the evening for the Grays in the first, and a double steal set up Michael Lavanga (William & Mary) for a sacrifice fly for the first run of the game. Ellis Reid (North Carolina A&T) hit his second home run of the season over the foul pole in left field in the bottom of the second to push the lead to 2-0. After loading the bases to start the third, the Grays scored two on a putout from Michael Lavanga and a Brady Steinert (Marist) single. The win was the Grays’ second straight and brought them back to 12-12. They will be visiting the Olney Cropdusters on July 1st to start the long stretch of road games. |
RSS Feed