Grays Explode for 11 Runs Behind Three-Homer 4th Inning to Defeat Braves 11-6

The Grays had stellar hitting and mid game pitching to lead to a huge 11-6 win against the Braves at South County High School.

The Grays got this game started red hot, scoring 2 runs in the 1st inning on a Xavier Bradley (Southern) groundout to score Hartley Rahman (Catawba) and a Carter Sweeney-Strawberry (Rutgers) double to score Beny Bikar Jr. (Southern). The Braves would respond with 3 runs in the bottom of the inning and neither team would score again until the 4th where the Grays would have their most explosive frame yet.

Evan Wilson (Richmond) was the first of a trio of Grays to get over the fence in the 4th, hitting a 3 run bomb right field to score himself, Peyton Ford (Cal. U PA), and Carter Sweeney-Strawberry (Rutgers). Ryan Stoddard (Lafayette) would be next to go yard, hitting the ball left to put the Grays up 6-3. After Hartley Rahman (Catawba) scored on an error, Beny Bikar Jr. (Southern) would go over the fence left to put D.C. up 5 and end this electric 6 run inning.

Noah Bagby (Southern) looked impressive in the middle innings, allowing 1 hit between the 4th, 5th and 6th innings combined. The Grays would increase their lead in the 6th, scoring on a Beny Bikar Jr. (Southern) sacrifice fly to bring Ethan Fox-Fernandez (Vassar) to home plate and Hartley Rahman (Catawba) scoring on a wild pitch.

After tacking on a final run in the 7th via an Ethan Fox-Fernandez (Vassar) sacrifice fly to score Carter Sweeney-Strawberry (Rutgers), it'd be up to the Grays defense and unlikely reliever Freeman Hunt (Dickinson) to secure a win for the team. Hunt (Dickinson) would see 2 batters and get 2 outs, ensuring the team held the lead and won the game 11-6 in the first half of the doubleheader.

The Grays would only tally 6 hits but would score 11 runs, showing how vital the 3 home runs in the 4th inning were to their offense. Evan Wilson (Richmond) would again lead the way for the team at bat, hitting 1-3 with a 3 run blast in the 4th. Beny Bikar Jr.( Southern) would also have a huge game, hitting 1-3 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBIs driven in, including a solo homer in the 4th. Hartley Rahman (Catawba) would keep his hot streak going, going 1-2 at the plate and scoring 3 runs.

Grays action would continue later on in the night with the second half of their double header at 7PM against the Braves at South County High School.

(Photo courtesy of Alex Ouzts)