NEWS

Written by Jack Stashower

 

The Gaithersburg Giants defeated the Metro South County Braves 12-7 on Friday at Criswell Automotive Field. 

 

The Braves entered this game with a 3-6 record. Their last completed game was 8 days prior to Friday, which saw them lose to the DC Grays 8-6 at home. The Giants entered Friday’s game on a six-game losing streak and a 1-9 record. Their last game was an 8-2 loss to the Bethesda Big Train on Thursday at Shirley Povich Field. 

 

Sam Grube (Mt. St Mary’s) got the ball rolling in the top of the first, stealing home on the catcher's throw to second, giving the Braves an early one run lead. Giants starter Evan Cerretani (Denison) limited the damage, striking out the next two batters to end the inning.

 

The Giants looked to break even with the Braves in the bottom of the first and did that and plenty more. With two runners on, freshman Nate Hawton-Henley (Maryland) ripped a double to left-center field, bringing home Danny Orr (UMBC) and Collin Hughes (VCU) to give the Giants a 2-1 lead. A bloop single from Michael Contiliano (Seton Hall) brought home fellow Pirate Magnus Krieger (Seton Hall), extending the lead to two. 

 

Ethan McNally (Clarion) continued the surge, singling to left field and bringing home Henley to bring the lead to 4-1. A bases-loaded walk to Jayden Brown (Ranger) brought in Contiliano to make it 5-1. The Giants ended the inning with five hits and three batters walked. 

 

The Braves began to chip away at the lead in the top of the third via a bases-loaded walk to Trent Adelman (VCU), scoring Grube for his second run of the game. A sacrifice fly by Harrison Helton (Houston Baptist) brought home Franklin Gomez Jr (Fairleigh Dickinson Teaneck), cutting the lead to two. 

 

In the top of the sixth, an error by the Giants shortstop brought home Adelman to make it 5-4. A bases-loaded walk to Grube brought in Helton and tied the game for the first time since the first inning. Gomez singled to right, bringing in Walker Bazile (Houston Baptist) and Connor Doherty (Delaware) to give the Braves a 7-5 lead. 

 

The Giants refused to let this game get out of their reach. A double from Krieger in the bottom of the sixth brought in Orr to decrease the deficit to one. 

 

In the bottom of the seventh, Brown hit a sacrifice fly to bring in  McNally, tying the game at seven apiece. The tie would be broken by a deep double from Orr, bringing in Aidan Marino and Ryan Maxey (St Johns River State). The Giants now led 9-7. 

 

The Giants would add three more runs in the bottom of the eighth. A bloop single by Contiliano brought in Henley to make it 10-7. A bases-loaded ground out by Brown brought in McNally to make it a four-run lead. A single to left by Orr brought in Marino, making the score 12-7. 

 

In the top of the ninth, Giants pitcher Sean McCabe (Charleston) closed out the game with two strikeouts to end the night. Friday’s win improved the Giants record to 2-9. 

 

“We’re looking at the rain as a reset button,” Giants Head Coach TJ Brockway said after the game. “It’s all about setting the tone, relaxing a bit, not pressing as much. The boys really showed that off tonight.”

 

The Giants hitting propelled them to their impressive victory tonight with the team getting 14 hits on the night. Orr, Contiliano, and McNally each had three hits. 

 

The Braves look to rebound on Saturday against the Southern Maryland Senators at Regency Stadium. The Giants remain at home on Saturday where they will take on the Olney Cropdusters at Criswell Automotive Field.