Sweeney-Strawberry Shines as Grays Drop Home Finale to Braves

The Grays would have their home finale of the season against the Braves and would lose 11-6 due to inconsistencies on defense and cold bats late in the game.

After a small recognition of the intern team, the game started off with Zander Leckszas (Dickinson) on the mound for D.C., who would start strong by not allowing any runs in the first inning. The Braves would get hot on offense quickly though, scoring 2 runs in the 2nd inning and another in the 3rd to go up to a quick 3-0 advantage.

Carter Sweeney-Strawberry (Rutgers) would continue his incredible hitting season, hitting a 2 RBI triple to score Travis Church (Marist) and Caden Brown (Southern). Joey Chitla (William & Mary) would hit a single to score to score Sweeney-Strawberry (Rutgers) to knot the score up at 3 going into the 4th frame.

The Braves would score a run in the 5th to retake the lead, though the Grays wouldn't let them keep it for long. Carter Sweeney-Strawberry (Rutgers) would hit a single to score Beny Bikar Jr. (Southern) and then proceed to steal home to take the lead at 5-4 in the 5th.

The game would get away from the Grays late, as despite Carter Sweeney-Strawberry (Rutgers) scoring his 3rd run of the game on a wild pitch in the 7th, the Braves offense would take off in the late game and defeat D.C. 11-6 in the final game at Robert J. Talbot Field of the Ripken season.

Two individual performances stuck out on the Grays side in this contest, one of which being Carter Sweeney-Strawberry (Rutgers) hitting 3-4 while having 3 runs and 3 RBIs driven in including a 2 RBI triple. Joey Chitla (William & Mary) had what's become a regular day at the office for him, hitting 1-3 and driving in a RBI.

The Grays have a 6:30 win or go home playoff game at the Aces on Frank Mann Field with their season on the line.

(Photo courtesy of Alex Ouzts)