DC Grays Hold Off Late Push in First-Round Playoff Win
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 2 |
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2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | x | 7 | 10 | 1 |
In their first playoff matchup of the season, the DC Grays (5-seed) narrowly edged the 8-seeded Metro SoCo Braves in a tense 9-inning battle, winning 8-7.
DC came out strong, putting up two runs in the bottom of the first and adding another in the second to jump to an early lead. They continued to build momentum through the fourth, capitalizing on a balk, wild pitch, and timely singles from Joe Marini (Seton Hall) and Tanner Wolpert (Franklin & Marshall) to extend the lead to 6-0.
But the Braves refused to go quietly. They slowly chipped away at the deficit, scoring in the fifth, sixth, and seventh before making a major push in the eighth. A series of hits, walks, and defensive miscues allowed them to bring in two more runs and make it a one-run game.
However, Alex Bergen (Gettysburg) came in and shut the door with a clutch performance. He got a strikeout and groundout to leave the bases loaded. And in the ninth, he retired the side in order and secured the win.
On offense, Joe Marini tripled and scored in the sixth, and Ryan Soong (Washington University) delivered two sacrifice flies to keep the Grays offense moving. Noel Rivera (Marist) also contributed with heads-up baserunning and a pair of hits.
The Grays will be back in action tonight for their second playoff game against the Southern MD Senators. The game will be played at the Grays' home field, Woodbridge High School, but the Senators will be the home team due to their higher seed.
