NEWS

By Michael Stamatos

Over the last two games, something has happened to the Cropdusters’ offense.

Ever since a 13-12 win on June 20, they had struggled to put runs on the board. They were 1-6 in their last seven games, topping out at five runs in a loss to Silver Spring-Takoma.

That was before Monday’s game, when the Cropdusters mauled the Grays pitching staff to the tune of 15 runs in a 15-4 thrashing. The very next night, they headed to Alexandria to play the Aces, who hold the league’s best record, and did the exact same thing.

The Cropdusters demolished the Aces on Tuesday night, winning by the run rule after seven innings, 16-2.

Scoring began in the second. A leadoff walk, followed by a double from Conner Spelman (Jacksonville), put runners in scoring position for Griffin Puvel (Rider), who beat out an infield single to bring in a run. Then, the Cropdusters’ bats exploded. Josh Reinhold (Christopher Newport) smoked a triple to the right-center field gap, clearing the bases, and Ehi Okojie (Harford CC) followed that up by unloading on a fastball for a no-doubt bomb that sailed over the fence and into the trees in left to make it a 5-0 game.

Another crooked number came for the Cropdusters in the third. A single, throwing error on a stolen base, and walk put runners at the corners for Puvel, who blooped in a single for his second RBI of the night. A walk and a strikeout loaded the bases with two outs for Okojie, who ripped a double to the left-center gap, clearing the bases and making it 9-0.

Then the Aces started to implode. A hit-by-pitch, followed by three straight walks, brought the score to 11-0, and a single from Spelman made it 12-0 before they finally got out of the inning.

Michael Irby (East Carolina) was on the mound for the Cropdusters, and he was shoving. He held one of the league’s best offenses to two hits and no runs in four innings of work, striking out four and only walking one.

The Cropdusters didn’t need any more insurance, but they got some in the sixth. Two walks, a single, and an error made it 13-0, a fielder’s choice brought the total up to 14, and then Koy Swanson proceeded to rip a triple, bringing in two more to give the Cropdusters a whopping 16 runs.

The Aces finally got on the board in the seventh. A single, walk, and wild pitch gave them second and third with one out, and a groundout brought in their first run of the game. Riley DeCandido (VCU) then ripped a double to bring the score to 16-2, but the next batter flied out, ending the game after seven innings.