Written by Jack Stashower

The Olney Cropdusters beat the DC Grays 14-5 at Woodbridge High School on Monday. 

The Cropdusters came into Monday’s contest with an 11-10 record. Their last game was a 3-1 loss at Frank Mann Field against the Alexandria Aces. The Grays played two games against the Gaithersburg Giants on Sunday, winning both of them and moving into first place in the South Division. 

The Cropdusters found early offensive production in the top of the first. With the bases loaded, Cade Walter (Jacksonville) scored on a wild pitch, giving the Cropdusters an early 1-0 lead. An infield single by Austin Stalker (West Chester) brought home Zakye Hawkins (Utah) to increase the lead to two. Carter Richey (VCU) scored the next run after a throwing error by the Grays second baseman. 

Cropdusters starter Tore Indomenico (Notre Dame) threw three scoreless innings on the bump, giving up just two hits and striking out one. 

In the top of the fourth, a ground out by Hawkins brought in RJ Cromartie (Notre Dame), increasing the lead to four. 

The Cropdusters continued adding runs to the board in the top of the sixth. With the bases loaded, Hawkins continued his terrific day at the plate, hitting a deep double to left-center, bringing in Cromartie and Brian Scott (Frostburg St) making the score 6-0. Stalker followed that with a sac fly to right, bringing Walter home to increase the lead to seven. 

In the bottom of the sixth, the Grays started to rally with two outs in the inning. A single up the middle by Ryan Soong (WashU) brought home TJ Addonizio (Richmond) and Ayden Ellis (Rutgers), bringing the score to 7-2 and giving the Grays a fighting chance. 

The Cropdusters responded with a run of their own in the top of the seventh on an error by the first baseman, allowing Ayden Frey (Delaware) to score the Cropdusters eighth run of the game easily. 

They would add another solo run in the top of the eighth. A ground ball by Richey scored Hawkins from third, bringing the scoreline to 9-2. 

The Grays would have their best inning of offensive production in the bottom of the eighth. It started with an RBI single by Noel RIvera (Marist) to bring home Dixon Monk (Georgetown), making it 9-3. With runners on second and third, Andy Rivera (Holy Family) hit an infield single, bringing home Soong and Noel Rivera which decreased the deficit to four runs, 9-5.

Unfortunately for the Grays, the Cropdusters would have their best inning in the top of the ninth. An infield single by Walter brought home Jaden Knight (Notre Dame) and his fighting Irish teammate Cromartie, which gave the Cropdusters an 11-5 lead. Walter finished the day with three hits, two walks, two steals, and two RBIs. 

A wild pitch during the next at bat brought home Scott to make it 12-5 in favor of the Cropdusters. During the same at bat, Walter came home after an erroneous throw by the catcher. Richey batted in the final run of the inning, allowing Hawkins to easily come home on a single to left. The final score saw the Cropdusters defeat the Grays 14-5.

With tonight’s win, the Cropdusters now sit at 12-10 on the season. Head Coach Adam Leader is confident his team can add even more to the win column in July. 

“We had a bad stretch of games where we lost a bunch in a row, but our players are starting to get that rust off and play really well for us,” Leader said after the game.

The Grays look to rebound against the red hot Bethesda Big Train on Tuesday at Shirley Povich Field. After a much needed off day, the Cropdusters will head to Criswell Automotive Field to face the Gaithersburg Giants on Wednesday.