Written by Erin Hughes

In a game that Metro South County Braves head coach Chris Warren called “a big team win,” the Braves overcame a 5-0 first inning deficit to defeat the D.C. Grays on Thursday night in South County.

The Grays found themselves with the bases loaded and only one out in the top of the first. The first four runs were scored on a hit by pitch, two walks, and a fielder’s choice by Rocco Gilbert (Alabama State). After the bases were loaded once again, Luke Caucci (Lafayette) scored on a wild pitch. The inning ended on a swinging strikeout by new pitcher Colin Miller (Shenandoah) as the Grays took a 5-0 lead. 

Jamie Whittier (Wofford) did just what his team needed in the bottom of the first as he went three up, three down and sent the Grays bats back to the plate.

Despite giving up a leadoff single, Miller pitched a scoreless frame with the help of a 1-2-5-1-6 groundout to get the runner out trying to score.

The Braves had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the third, but Whittier left all three runners stranded after a swinging strikeout and a fielder’s choice.

Miller tossed a 1-2-3 fourth inning with the help of a lineout double play and a swinging strikeout to swing momentum back toward the Braves dugout. He finished the night with 4.1 shutout innings in relief. 

In the bottom of the fourth, Nich Francuzenko (Towson) laced a one out double down the right field line to get on base. Shawn Karpaitas (Frederick CC) singled to put runners on the corners for the Braves. A sacrifice fly from Aleksei Goldhill (Bryant) scored Brinkman and Karpaitas later advanced to second on a balk. Connor Doherty (Delaware) doubled off the left field wall to score Karpaitas, and JW Kohlmeyer (VMI) added a single to plate Doherty. Franklin Gomez Jr. punched a second double off the left field wall as Kohlmeyer showed off his speed to score from first. The last batter struck out looking, but the Braves climbed back within one, now down 5-4.

After a quiet fifth inning, Michael Lavanga (Harford CC) and Goldhill walked to leadoff the home half of the sixth. A flyout to right field sent Lavanga to third before the next batter struck out. A two-out pinch hit single by Kyndall Cassidy (Ouachita Baptist) scored both runners and gave the Braves their first lead of the game, 6-5. Ryan Santangelo (Bryant) singled to keep runners on, but new Grays pitcher Alex Bergen (Gettysburg) froze the last batter looking to end the inning.

Cassidy’s performance at the plate, as well as the slew of pinch hitters used tonight, were Warren’s way of making sure “everyone played because we’d been off for a couple days” and they did not want guys going four days without playing. Warren said that the decision “shows we have complete confidence in everybody on that bench” and Cassidy “unsurprisingly came through in a big spot.”

The Braves bullpen combined for 8.1 innings, striking out nine batters and only giving up four hits to seal the comeback win 6-5. In the top of the ninth, Tyler Kim (NJIT) recorded all three outs via strikeouts, bringing his total to five on the night. 

Warren said, “hats off to the bullpen…[they] came in and really did their job tonight.” He continued, “a couple days off helps in terms of having guys ready to go, but the important thing is that everyone did their job. They attacked contact and we were able to claw our way back in the game, and the good guys prevailed.”