The Grays were all smiles as they scored 12 runs to pick up an Opening Day victory.  

Written by Jack Stashower | Photo by Maya Brichacek 

Before going into the game, the DC Grays knew they had a tough task at hand facing off against the defending champions the Bethesda Big Train. Head Coach Jack Besser told his team before the game to play an aggressive style of baseball. Wednesday night, in a 12-11 win for the Grays, it showed. 

Ethan Nagy (Lock Haven) opened the scoring for the Grays in the top of the 1st, hitting a sacrifice fly to right, allowing Noel Rivera (Marist) to score the opening run. The momentum for the Grays would continue, with center fielder TJ Addonizio (Richmond) making an incredible leaping catch on a bloop line drive. 

The floodgates would open in the second inning for the Grays. Joey Chitla (Wofford) opened the scoring with a single, bringing in Isaac Ahokovi (Nicholls State) and increasing the Grays lead to two. Noel Rivera would add to his stats with a two-run single, increasing the Grays lead 4-to-0. A wild pitch saw the lead increase to five. 

The Big Train chipped away at the deficit in the bottom half with a double from Matthew Westley that brought in Brett Ott (Sacramento State). However, Grays pitcher Brady Myers (Lock Haven) was able to limit the damage to just the one run. He pitched one more inning before being relieved. 

The runs would pile up again for the Grays in the fourth with another sac fly RBI from Nagy, this time increasing the lead 6-to-1. A single from Ryan Soong (WashU) brought in Andy Rivera (Holy Family) and the Grays seventh run. 

The Big Train would respond in the bottom of the fifth with two runs of their own. A double from John Martinez (FAU) brought home Parker Corbin (Maryland) and an error from Grays pitcher Colin Casey (Randolph-Macon) had the Big Train down four, with the Grays leading 7-3. 

The Grays would add two more runs in the top of the sixth, both on bases-loaded walks. Isaac Ahokovi and Eli Owens (Washington & Jefferson) were credited with the RBIs. 

The momentum had been with the Grays all night until the bottom of the seventh, when the Big Train found some runs the patient way. Jacob Hauk (Maryland) walked in a run with the bases loaded to bring the score to 9-4. Another bases loaded walk from Brennon Wright (Meridian CC) lowered the deficit to four, making it 9-5. A sac fly from Parker Corbin gave the Big Train even more life, making it 9-6. 

Seeing the tide shift, the Grays immediately responded in the eighth. Noel Rivera brought in two runners with a single to give the Grays an 11-6 lead. He had four RBIs on the night. But the Big Train weren’t done.

The bottom of the eighth started with Josh Skowronski (Winthrop) advancing to first on a hit-by-pitch. A wild pitch followed by a single from Emilo Gonzalez (FAU) made the score 11-7. Walks from Matthew Westley and Jacob Hauk loaded the bases for Logan Ponnett (UNC Charlotte), and he delivered when the Big Train needed him the most. 

A towering grand-slam to left-field emptied the bases and tied the game at 11 apiece. The remaining fans in the stadium went wild as the Train had finally rallied back from a seemingly impossible deficit. But the Grays were determined to find a result. 

The Grays began the top of the ninth with two walks, putting runners at first and second with no outs. A fly out from Ryan Soong put runners on the corners, and TJ Addonizio brought Andy Rivera home on a fielder's choice to give the Grays a 12-11 lead. They would hold onto it for the rest of the game. 

Jace Szaflarski got the final out of the game for the Grays as a thrilling home opener ended in disappointment for the Big Train. Besser never let his team give up, letting his guys know not to forget the fundamentals when faced with the possibility of blowing their lead. 

The Big Train will look to get in the win column tomorrow against the Olney Cropdusters at 7 p.m. at First Responder Field. The Grays look to stay undefeated in their home opener tomorrow versus the Metro SoCo Braves at Woodbridge High School. 

Box Score